Chelsea vs Liverpool: Premier League preview, team news, stats, prediction, TV channel, kick-off time
Chelsea have omitted Romelu Lukaku from their squad; Defender Reece James out with a hamstring injury; Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to miss game after suspected positive Covid test; watch Chelsea vs Liverpool live on Super Sunday on Sky Sports Premier League from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm.
Sunday 2 January 2022 16:10, UK
Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Chelsea vs Liverpool in the Premier League on January 2; kick-off 4.30pm.
Team news
Chelsea have omitted Romelu Lukaku from their squad for game against Liverpool on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League.
In an interview with Sky Italy recorded a few weeks ago but aired this week, Lukaku said he was unhappy with his role at the club and would like to return to Inter Milan in the near future. Head coach Thomas Tuchel said on Friday the comments by Lukaku, re-signed by Chelsea for a club-record £97.5m from Serie A champions Inter in August, are "just not helpful", and it has cost the Belgium international his place in the matchday squad.
Chelsea defender Reece James's hamstring injury will hand the Blues a major wing-back problem. The England right wing-back faces an extended spell on the sidelines after damaging his hamstring in Wednesday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Brighton.
Chelsea were already without left wing-back Ben Chilwell, who is out for the season with knee trouble, but Thiago Silva and Timo Werner trained fully on Friday.
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has reported a suspected positive Covid-19 test and will miss Sunday's game.
Liverpool have also had three unnamed players test positive for Covid.
Midfielder Thiago Alcantara (hip) and forward Takumi Minamino, who has only just returned to light training after a muscle injury, will not make the trip to Stamford Bridge.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker and forward Roberto Firmino were absent from training on Thursday while left-back Andy Robertson completes his three-match ban so Kostas Tsimikas will deputise again.
How to follow
Live Renault Super Sunday
Chelsea vs Liverpool is live on Sky Sports Premier League from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.
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- Watch free highlights of this game after full-time
Jones Knows predicts...
I'm all over a Liverpool away win at 11/8 with Sky Bet.
My tendency in these 'monster' encounters between two title capable winning teams is to go searching for value for the game to be a low-scoring, tactical affair. Not this time. Even at this stage of the season draws are no use for both in their pursuit of Manchester City. Three points or nothing has to be the method of attack.
This game has the hallmarks of a classic, involving plenty of goalmouth action and shots - and on the basis of what I've seen from Chelsea in the past few weeks, most of the attacks will be steamrolling in their direction.
Whether it would be fitness issues or just a general lack of confidence in the camp, they are miles away from their early-season performance levels. The way in which Brighton cut through their midfield time-after-time on Wednesday will have got Jurgen Klopp licking his lips as will have the lack of chances created from open play from the Blues. Remember, this is a Chelsea team that against Arsenal on the second week of the season created 18 chances from open play in one fixture. Such is their current malaise, they have created a total of 18 chances from open play in their last three fixtures combined against Brighton, Aston Villa and Wolves.
Liverpool haven't got that problem. Yes, they head to Stamford Bridge on the back of a defeat to Leicester but it's not a time to panic for them. The attacking process remains frighteningly good, averaging just over 2.5 expected goals per 90 minutes in their last eight fixtures. Chelsea have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight Premier League games. It's hard to see them improving that record against the rampant Reds forward line.
With the expected match scenario being one of high tempo, goals and draws being no good to either team, the match shots market is also worth a visit. Liverpool are averaging 19.5 shots per 90 minutes this season and I'd expect them to hit just below that number in this one as Chelsea are shipping more shots on their goal than earlier this season.
Brighton managed 18 in midweek, Leeds hit 12 and Watford 14. With Tuchel's team unlikely to be allowed to sit back by the home crowd, they'll be flying forward and should also be relied on to get shots away. That makes the shots lines with Sky Bet very appealing with 27+ (11/10), 29+ (15/8) and 31+ (3/1) worth a nibble.
SCORE PREDICTION: 1-3
BETTING ANGLE: Liverpool to win and 28+ total match shots (5/1 with Sky Bet)
Last time out...
Opta stats
● After losing four consecutive Premier League games against Liverpool between 2019 and 2020, Chelsea are unbeaten in their last two against the Reds (W1 D1), though both of these games have come at Anfield.
● Liverpool have won their last two Premier League away games against Chelsea - only one visiting team has won three consecutively at Stamford Bridge in the competition, with Blackburn Rovers doing so between 1993-94 and 1995-96.
● The away side won just 12.5% of the first 32 Premier League meetings between Chelsea and Liverpool (W4 D7 L21). Since then, the visiting team has won 41% of the 27 games between the sides (W11 D8 L8).
● Liverpool are winless in their three Premier League games in London this season (D2 L1), with the Reds conceding as many goals in these games as they had in their previous 12 visits to the capital in the competition (8).
● Since a 4-1 win at Manchester United in March 2009, Liverpool are winless in six games against reigning European champions in all competitions (D3 L3). All three of their draws in that time have come against Chelsea.
