Team
news, stats and prediction ahead of Liverpool vs Chelsea in the Premier
League on Thursday (kick-off 8.15pm).
Team news
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker will return to Liverpool's starting line-up for
the visit of Chelsea after sitting out their last match following the death
of his father.
Midfielder Fabinho returns from injury while forward Diogo Jota, who would
have been in the squad for Sunday's win at Sheffield United but for late
illness, is set for his first involvement in three months after a knee
problem.
Manager Jurgen Klopp has to decide whether to keep the inexperienced
centre-back partnership of on-loan Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips after they
became the 17th different central defensive pairing of the season at Bramall
Lane.
Thiago Silva will miss out for Chelsea, with the Brazil defender not yet
ready for match action after a thigh issue.
Winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is fully fit after a minor knee niggle though, and
will be in the squad.
Striker Tammy Abraham remains a doubt due to an ongoing ankle complaint that
he has managed over a number of weeks.
Jones Knows prediction
For all the control and defensive solidity Chelsea have shown at the start
of Thomas Tuchel's reign, they have rarely looked ready to cut loose and
make their dominance count in matches. They've scored just 10 goals in his
nine games. When Liverpool are at their best, they are the antithesis of
what Tuchel is doing at Chelsea. It's all about direct, to the point
football where chances are created and every bit of possession comes with a
purpose. Of course, this isn't vintage Liverpool on show at the moment with
too many of their players still finding their top form.
However, one player looks to be playing himself back into good nick and
that's Trent Alexander-Arnold.
It was yet another encouraging display from him at Sheffield United. The
rampaging Liverpool full-back averaged an assist every 0.4 games last season
as he racked up 13 in total across the title-winning campaign, going off
around 5/4 every week for an assist. His return has dropped sharply this
season with just three assists grabbed at a rate of one every 0.1 matches.
However, there are signs of improvement in recent weeks as he's created 11
chances in his last five games for his teammates, producing an expected
assist figure of 2.2 but an actual assist record of zero. With Chelsea still
vulnerable defensively in behind either Ben Chilwell or Marcus Alonso, the
3/1 with Sky Bet on offer for Alexander-Arnold to register his fourth assist
of the season should be snapped up.
JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 2-1
Opta stats
Liverpool have won each of their last four Premier League meetings with
Chelsea, netting 11 goals and conceding four. The only team to win five in a
row against the Blues in the competition is Blackburn (7 between February
1993 and May 1996).
Chelsea have lost their last two away league games against Liverpool, last
losing more consecutively at Anfield between September 1992 and October 1997
(6).
Of all the 15 fixtures between the six ever-present Premier League sides,
only Everton vs Manchester United (1) has seen fewer goalless draws than
matches between Chelsea and Liverpool (3).
Chelsea have won just 10 per cent of their 10 Premier League games against
Liverpool taking place between Monday-Friday (W1 D4 L5), compared to a 40
per cent Premier League win rate against the Reds at the weekend (W19 D10
L18).
Liverpool have lost each of their last four Premier League home games, as
many as they had in their first 100 at Anfield under manager Jürgen Klopp.
The Reds have never lost five consecutive home games in their history,
either in the league or all competitions.
No team has benefitted from more own goals in the Premier League this season
than Liverpool (3). The last campaign to see the Reds benefit from more own
goals was in 2014-15 (4).
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