Allen Hamilton
What: English Premier League
Who: Chelsea vs Liverpool
When: Sunday 20th November, 2011, at 16:00 UK Time
Where: Stamford Bridge, London, England
Turn the Key Games Tables
Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas rightfully started the season with dreams of lifting the Premier League title and, while the Blues are most certainly still in the hunt, their record against sides considered title rivals has been less than perfect. Defeats to Manchester United and Arsenal can at present be viewed in an isolated light, but a loss at the hands of Liverpool would amount to a worrying trait. To win the title, Chelsea must beat the top teams.
Liverpool’s victory at Stamford Bridge last season, spurred on by a Kenny Dalglish revolution in full swing, in many ways heralded a downturn which resulted in the Premier League being lost and the Champions League exited, ultimately leading to Carlo Ancelotti’s departure.
This clash is the perfect opportunity too for Fernando Torres to get back on track. While the Spaniard has been producing notable performances in a Chelsea shirt, laying goals on, he has not had the impact expected. Torres was tipped to score for fun with Chelsea’s quality service on tap, but Villas-Boas readily admits he did that better in a Liverpool shirt.
"Fernando’s best moments in terms of goalscoring were the Liverpool days", said the Chelsea boss, while still believing that the lethal Torres of old will return. "That does not mean those days won’t arrive in this club", added Villas-Boas, "and that does not mean that at the moment he is not performing for the team, because he is."
First Signs of Pressure
Expected to return to the top four after splurging over £100M in transfer fees this year, Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has just started to hit a few bumps in the road. But it is a measure of the esteem in which the Scot is held that two successive home draws against newly promoted sides Norwich and Swansea have not seen gloom descend on Anfield, as would have certainly been the case under Dalglish’s predecessor Roy Hodgson.
Dalglish does have issues to address though. The failure of his front players to convert the chances being created is worrying, with only really Uruguayan Luis Suarez in reliable goalscoring form – and Suarez has a racism charge from the Football Association hanging over his head, which may affect his performances from here on in.
Liverpool have scored just 14 goals in the Premier League this season, placing an enormous burden on the defence to keep things tight. The Reds have fully 28 goals less than Manchester City, 14 less than Manchester United and ten less than Chelsea.
It is an area the Reds are desperate to improve upon, with summer recruit Stewart Downing vowing to do his level best. "It would be great to get a goal on Sunday at Chelsea", said the winger. "It would be a good start, but if not I’ll just keep carrying on, trying to create and play well."
Recent form
Chelsea:
Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal (29/10; Premier League)
Genk 1-1 Chelsea (01/11; Champions League)
Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Chelsea (05/11; Premier League)
Liverpool:
Stoke City 1-2 Liverpool (26/10; League Cup)
West Brom 0-2 Liverpool (29/10; Premier League)
Liverpool 0-0 Swansea City (05/11; Premier League)
Key absences
Chelsea: Michael Essien
Liverpool: Steven Gerrard
Players to watch
Chelsea – Didier Drogba: Talk has swirled around recently suggesting Drogba could be set to end his long association with Chelsea. With Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala offering the Ivorian €12M per year to move east and AC Milan ready to strike with a loan deal, the signs point to Drogba needing to remind Andre Villas-Boas of why he should be a first choice pick – if that is, he wishes to remain. Fit for this one, he should be dangerous if given the chance.
Liverpool – Jose Reina: With Liverpool’s strikeforce still struggling to finish teams off, the onus is on Reina to ensure Chelsea are stopped from scoring. The Spaniard is sure to have a busy afternoon against the Blues’ star-studded side, but has the talent to keep Liverpool in the hunt for the three points if he produces his best form.
Match Prediction
Chelsea have appeared off the boil a little recently, as have Liverpool, and this game offers each a chance to reboot their form. However, Liverpool’s misfiring strikers are a worry and there must be question mark over Suarez’ mental state if he is handed goal-getting duties at Stamford Bridge. This is not set to be a classic, but Chelsea should edge it. Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool.
Who will come out on top in this Premier League clash between Chelsea and Liverpool? Make sure you visit OLBG for tips and to compare the current odds and betting markets available at all the important bookmakers.
