Preview
Two of the heavy favorites for the 2021/22 Premier League title will lock horns in Matchweeek 3 and they are Liverpool and Chelsea. The two English giants will face off at 12:30 p.m. ET at the famous Anfield Stadium as both teams look to maintain their perfect start to the season.
Thomas Tuchel has entered his first full season at Stamford Bridge with tremendous promise. After leading the Blues to European success, winning the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup titles, the attention has now shifted back to the Premier League.
Despite always being a deadly and competitive team, Chelsea have not won the English top-flight crown since 2017 when Antonio Conte led them to the podium. That is a considerable time given the club's ruthless hunger for silverware. However, after their first two stellar games, no one can doubt their title credentials.
The champions of Europe kicked off the season with a home clash against Crystal Palace, putting Patrick Vieira's side to the sword courtesy of a 3-0 victory. After that came a trip to Arsenal, a game which saw marquee summer signing Romelu Lukaku make his debut. The Belgian striker needed no time to make his presence felt, breaking the deadlock after only 15 minutes en route to a 2-0 triumph, collecting the Man of the Match award along the way.
Unfortunately for Tuchel's side, Liverpool have enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign as well, brushing aside Norwich City and Burnley in their first two outings. Unlike Chelsea, the Reds have not made a splash in the transfer window, with Ibrahima Konta—who is yet to play a single minute for his new club in the Premier League—being their only worthy addition.
Regardless, Van Dijk, Matip, and Alexander-Arnold have returned to the defense and have performed well while Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota continue their excellent form through to the new campaign. Despite being a tough game, Klopp will not want to drop points this early into the season. Man City and Man Utd, the two other candidates for the title, have suffered slip-ups already, handing the Merseyside giants the golden opportunity to capitalize should they beat Chelsea. Whether they can beat Lukaku and Co. is the question every football fan is eager to find out.
Team news
Liverpool: Andy Robertson, who missed the first two games due to an ankle injury, will be eyeing a return in this fixture, be it as a starter or off the bench. James Milner is out, but Fabinho is in contention after mourning the tragic passing away of his father. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will also be vying for some minutes in this tie.
Chelsea: COVID-19 ruled out Christian Pulisic for the Arsenal trip, meaning he is likely to sit out this tie as well. Kurt Zouma looks to complete a move to West Ham and thus should be unavailable. N'Golo Kante will be keen on returning to the lineup after being named the UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Season. Trevoh Chalobah, who impressed in the UEFA Super Cup and Premier League opening day victories, was dropped for the Arsenal game and could remain on the bench for this fixture as well.
Key stats
-
Chelsea have won only twice at Anfield in their last 13 trips (D5, L6).
-
However, the last time the Blues won away to Liverpool was in their recent meeting in March, a victory overseen by Thomas Tuchel.
-
Liverpool have lost seven home games against the Blues in Premier League history, with only Man United (12) boasting a higher figure.
-
Klopp's men boast a seven-game winning streak in the English top-flight and have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four outings.
Broadcast listings
Match details, result and original broadcast info
This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
