Chelsea vs Liverpool

Sunday’s Premier League action closes out at Stamford Bridge with a blockbuster encounter between Chelsea and Liverpool.

Brighton’s late equalizer that snatched away a 1-1 draw in Chelsea’s final game of 2021 saw the ‘Blues’ lose precious ground on Premier League leaders Manchester City, making it three draws from their last four league games (W1). A game in hand over City, coupled with a whopping 11-point deficit, suggests this could be a pivotal fixture for Chelsea’s hopes of landing their first Premier League title since 2015/16. So a return to Stamford Bridge, where they haven’t lost any of their last ten competitive matches (W5, D5), must be pleasing for Thomas Tuchel. Not so much, though, as his men have lost their last two Premier League meetings with Liverpool after going unbeaten twice in a row beforehand (D1, L1). Moreover, the reigning Champions League holders haven’t won their inaugural league fixture in any of the last five calendar years (D3, L2).

Meanwhile, Liverpool slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Leicester City last time out, ending a run of seven unbeaten Premier League matches on the trot (W6, D1). The ‘Reds’ are now 12 points adrift of pacesetters Man City, on whom they have two games in hand, meaning they can ill-afford a slip-up here if they are to remain in contention for the title. Worryingly, Jurgen Klopp’s men have failed to win any of their three Premier League fixtures in London this term (D2, L1), conceding eight goals in those encounters, as many as they had in their previous 12 visits to the capital in the competition. Furthermore, the Merseysiders have won just one of their last nine first league matches of a new calendar year when playing away from home (D4, L4), including a 1-0 defeat at Southampton in 2021.