₦airaland Forum

ogododo:
Two giants of the English game languishing in mid-table obscurity kick off this weekend's Premier League action, as Liverpool take on Chelsea at Anfield on Saturday lunchtime.

The ninth-placed Reds and 10th-placed Blues only have 28 points to boast from their top-flight outings approaching the midway point of the season, although the hosts hold a game in hand over their capital counterparts.

Match preview


Preview: Liverpool vs. Chelsea - prediction, team news, lineups

Only a few days after being forced to witness the "worst" game of his Liverpool career in a 3-0 humbling at Brighton & Hove Albion, Jurgen Klopp got what he wanted in terms of a response when the Reds travelled to Wolverhampton Wanderers for their FA Cup third-round replay on Tuesday.

A wonder strike from Harvey Elliott booked Liverpool's spot in the fourth round via a 1-0 triumph - and with it another trip to the Amex Stadium to face Brighton - as the Merseyside giants finally claimed their first victory of 2023 at the fourth attempt.

Defeat at the Amex marked the first time since 1993 that Liverpool had suffered back-to-back league losses at the start of the calendar year, and a season without European football beckons lest the Reds enjoy a remarkable turnaround in the coming months, as they are two points off Brighton in seventh and a further 10 adrift of the Champions League spots.

A first clean sheet in seven games at Molineux was a sight for sore eyes, as is Liverpool's imperious home record in the Premier League, as they have lost just one of their last 32 top-flight contests at Anfield and have scored 23 goals on home turf so far - only Manchester City have more in the league this term.

Not since a 1-0 loss to Fulham in March 2021 have Klopp's men failed to score in a home Premier League match, and the German will take charge of his 1,000th game as a manager this weekend, no doubt eyeing a priceless three points to celebrate in the right way.

Preview: Liverpool vs. Chelsea - prediction, team news, lineups

Speaking of esteemed teams finally winning their first fixture of the calendar year, Graham Potter's Chelsea were indebted to both Thiago Silva and Kepa Arrizabalaga during the visit of Crystal Palace, but the West London powerhouses just about got over the line in a 1-0 triumph.

Kai Havertz's header with 64 minutes gone separated the two capital counterparts at Stamford Bridge, where new signing Mykhaylo Mudryk was unveiled after Chelsea pipped Arsenal to the signature of the highly-rated Ukrainian attacker - their fifth acquisition of a hectic winter window.


Having avoided a fourth game without victory in the Premier League, Chelsea are just about clinging onto their top-half spot in 10th place - behind Liverpool on goal difference and with an identical gap to make up to the top seven and Champions League places.

Potter continues to receive the backing of the Chelsea board, despite only winning two of his last 10 Premier League games at the helm, and the Blues have embarked on an abysmal five-game winless run away from home in the top flight since overcoming Aston Villa in October.

Both Premier League meetings between Liverpool and Chelsea ended level last term before the Reds overcame the Blues in the FA Cup and EFL Cup final on penalties, but Klopp's side cannot rely on their 12-yard prowess to inflict more misery on the Blues here.

Liverpool Premier League form:
WWWWLL


Liverpool form (all competitions):
WWLDLW



Chelsea Premier League form:
LWDLLW


Chelsea form (all competitions):
WDLLLW


Team News

None of Arthur, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino or Virgil van Dijk will be back for Liverpool just yet, but Klopp is expecting Darwin Nunez to bounce back from an unspecified issue in time to line up against the Blues.

Nunez's return should see Cody Gakpo revert to a wide role as Fabio Carvalho makes way, while Kostas Tsimikas suffered a knock to the back at Molineux but was always expected to cede his place to Andrew Robertson.

Alisson Becker, Joel Matip, Mohamed Salah and Fabinho will also be among those to return, with the latter expected to come in for Stefan Bajcetic, despite the 18-year-old's impressive performance in the FA Cup.

Over at Cobham, Chelsea new boy Mudryk will be in contention to make his Blues debut, and he could potentially be pressed into action straight away, as Kai Havertz was not seen in training on Wednesday for unexplained reasons.

However, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a more natural replacement for Havertz, and a full-capacity Chelsea treatment room still includes ex-Liverpool man Raheem Sterling alongside Wesley Fofana, Ben Chilwell, Christian Pulisic, Edouard Mendy, N'Golo Kante, Reece James, Armando Broja and Denis Zakaria.

Atletico Madrid loanee Joao Felix will serve the second of a three-game Premier League suspension after his sending off at Fulham, while Benoit Badiashile and Lewis Hall can both feel confident about keeping their places in the backline.

Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Konate, Robertson; Elliott, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo

Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Kepa; Chalobah, Badiashile, Silva, Hall; Kovacic, Jorginho, Gallagher; Ziyech, Aubameyang, Mount

We say: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Liverpool's defence had to withstand wave after wave of pressure from Wolves in the FA Cup, but they held out well in a marked improvement of their levels of resilience, which will serve them well against a Chelsea side still struggling for results on the road.

With the roar of the Anfield faithful behind them and the expected return of the nuisance that is Nunez, we have faith in Liverpool to continue their wonderful goalscoring streak at home and send Chelsea back to London with zero points to their name.

Harvetz is starting ahead of Auba

1:1 draw

This one over mature for stomach

He’ll likely be in puberty before his age mates

WannaHowzit:
Lol, at bolded, such as? 🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️

Last time I checked the only girls dating Nigerians were alcoholics and crackheads. That's why you guys always say they're cheap coz you can sleep with them for just 2 beers.

Get your story right and then return with your socks pulled up ok 👍🏾

This chick is right, it's a taboo💯. Ask your brothers if they ever get invited into SA homes or for braais just to chill with South Africans. Hardly ever happens❌. The girls just endup going up and down with them like Robin hoods, and Bonnie and Clyde (outcasts) - coz the chicks also get tainted in the eyes of the public that they're also involved in illicit dealings.

Just seeing a Nigerian on a phone means they're up to no-good in the minds of South Africans.

You don’t like Nigerians but you are on their forum, you shouldn’t be here since you don’t like Nigerians

Anyways I blame those Nigerians that go to your country, i rather travel to Ghana than your overrated SA.

Not matter how y’all hate Nigerians, We’ll always be better than y’all in everything

This is the reason Genevieve Nnaji is always getting depressed, all her friends don marry and yet no she never get companion

Who get TG number let me beg him, I wan make you teach me how to be video director 😢😪

😒

I pray Tuchel won’t accept this Tottenham job

Make Tottenham no turn my man to average coach

Tottenham is just bottlers, that’s why I don’t take them serious

Haland don dey experience goal drought small small

Reinamaria:
They're not in our faces every second, for god knows how long.
90mins+ and it's over!

You get time to explain to her, she called NL home of illiterate without knowing she sounded illiterate with her question

To win EPL don tire Pep, see the kind lineup he used

meobizy:
How is this not a distraction but BBNaija is?

Don’t compare shit to football

Tottenham and Man City won’t want to lose today since they both lost their last match.

It’ll be a draw match

Try get money for this life

E be like APC never drop money to gather people that’s why they’re postponing it

Naajjii:
Abeg you don't know what is rivalry your own is just bad belle. Arsenal real rival is Tottenham. It's the real derby match. Chelsea rivalry with Arsenal is just the same as Man U, Liverpool, Man City to Arsenal.

Arsenal is a London team oga

It’s called London derby

HopefulFuture:
Chelsea and Arsenal game isn't a derby game.. Tottenham and Arsenal is a derby game just like Liverpool and Everton

Chelsea and Arsenal is London derby

betshopagent:
u are wrong.Our fierce rival generally is Urinated.

You are not a Chelsea fan then

Chelsea real rival is Arsenal that is why it’s call derby match

Man United rival is Man City

betshopagent:
God forbid bat thing. Arsenal or city for the league. I am a die-hard Chelsea faithful

Arsenal is more of Chelsea rivals than Man United

Man United had opportunity to close the gap with Arsenal and they bottled it tonight

As a Chelsea fan I’m tipping United to win the Epl, Arsenal fans don too make mouth,

I no dey happy with United at all

This election will be unpredictable

PerfectStranger:
What happened to burna?

Check burna boy recent post on IG

ugwum007:
I also stammer. I have lost opportunities down the years because of it but one thing I did right was to learn from it.

I started developing my skills, reading books and gaining knowledge now if I want to speak, you must listen to me no matter how long it takes because I speak wisdom and sense.

My career in software development didn't require me to talk much. In as much as I head and participate in meetings, it is no longer an issue to me.

Teach me software development na
I’m also a stammer,

Jennyclay:
is it the same government that adviced NYSC prospective Corp members to make sure they have ₦10M ramson resting in their account just incase they are kidnapped .

My dear, you are on your own. OYO!

Abeg remove Aba there, they hardly kidnap in Aba
The person that put Aba there is stupid

My phone

pretydiva:
This Is all shades of wrong. I pray people boycott their show

I don’t thinking people will boycott it

Abroad is bored and people see something that will make them end boredom for some hours then you think they’ll boycott it

MarveworldG:
You can make your wife stay at home and faithful to you if you will engage our
With a beautifully designed home, no one will be unfaithful

I will definitely follow you,

I love this design, you gon do it for me one day

Bankowner:
Hoping Fulham will not be full harm to Chelsea today. I am so tired of what's happening with us right now.

I no longer wish for match day’s
Before I’m always excited if It’s match day

lhordspy:
Any small thing. You start threatening the mod

Bro
You are going through a lot today right �

Another day for Chelsea to give us HBP

Trollronaldo:
abia I guess

It’s Abia,You don’t need anyone to tell you

Pdp don do us strong thing


Wetin dey pain me now is i lost my voters card last week