Premier League: Liverpool- Chelsea
 

Chelsea were able to put out a B+ team on Saturday and give a poor Brentford team the run around in a 4-0 FA Cup win. Antonio Conte was his usual animated self on the touchline and was bellowing instructions to each any every member of his eleven even when his team where 2-0 up, which was when the Bees had their best (only) spell of the game and did not relax until his team scored a third. It highlighted what a winner and great coach he is and there is very little easing off, regardless of scoreline or fixture from him or his teams and I cannot accept that the Blues will arrive at Anfield looking for anything other than three points .
 

Liverpool are in freefall, since New Year's Eve they have lost two games and a League Cup semi Final to Southampton, also taking two ties to get past League 2 team Plymouth Argyle and losing at home to Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup and dropping seven points in three Premier League games, including two against bottom three teams. Out of both domestic cups, they are now clinging on to fourth spot and the final Champions League place with both Manchester clubs breathing down their neck. Jurgen Klopp has aged five years in the last month and the media darling and (almost) everyone's second favourite head coach is under real pressure for the first time since his arrival in England and desperately needs a result. In many ways, a game against Chelsea is "perfect" in that for the first time in weeks, they are not expected to win and maybe that will provide the catalyst for an upturn in performance and to be honest, I do feel we might see it.
 

I did speak about a bit of a "chink" in that Chelsea armour in terms of their form early in games against the big clubs, ahead of the end of their long winning run at Tottenham early this month ...........
 

When Tottenham went to Stamford Bridge in late November, they were struggling a bit and with the Blues running into incredible form, a heavy loss looked quite possible. Chelsea did win, but had to come from behind to edge home 2-1 and Spurs were all over the home side for the first 45 minutes and totally dominated the first half until Pedro equalised just about as the half time whistle blew and that was a game changer. However, you can take comfort from a performance like that and Spurs have, winning 6/7 since and scoring 21 goals in the process. All the clubs in title contention will be rooting for them today, possible even Arsenal, although Gunners supporters would never admit it !

It is very hard to pick holes in the Chelsea current run, but if I were to try, they have come in games against the other top clubs, especially early in matches, Spurs we have already discussed and they could have been two up at the half, the Blues won at Manchester City, but trailed and Kevin de Bruyne missed a sitter when the hosts were leading and dominating , Liverpool were 2-0 up at SB inside 37 minutes and Arsenal 3-0 at the Emirates after 41, so there is a pattern of Chelsea struggling early in most of the big games.

 

Spurs were 1-0 up at the half, the goal came late but they should have been leading before that and finally won 2-0. Chelsea did not exactly fly out of the box in the opening 15 minutes on Saturday and Brentford had their best spell of the game in the first 20 after the break and had a couple of half chances. I have been thinking a little about this and can only imagine how detailed the Conte instructions are per match and at the break , that probably goes double in the big EPL fixtures and maybe it is a lot (too much) for the players to process and there is no doubt that Chelsea have played better the longer the key matches have gone on after struggling early.
 

Chelsea have scored in 8/9 visits to Anfield, both teams have scored in the last five h2h Premier League meetings and I certainly expect both trends to continue as a minimum this evening. Sadio Mane is an option for Liverpool tonight if Klopp feels he is fit enough after only just returning from the ACN, surely he will at least make the bench and the temptation to throw him in from the start, will be HUGE. When Mane plays Liverpool are 15-5-1 this season, the only loss was away to Bournemouth and Pool led 3-1 there when he left the pitch with 21 minutes remaining !
 

Just to have him back in the matchday squad will be a huge boost and also the Reds will not be playing with ten men behind the ball all the time like 7 of their last 8 opponents, although Chelsea are capable of that for periods in games .
 

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