Liverpool vs. Chelsea: Team News, Live Stream, TV Info, Ticket News
Chelsea travel to Anfield on Wednesday night for the final home game of Liverpool's season, with Guus Hiddink looking to secure a top-half finish following a rocky Premier League campaign for the Blues.
The west London side have experienced an upturn in fortunes since Hiddink took the reins from the departed Jose Mourinho in December, going undefeated under the Dutchman in the league until April.
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But having suffered a demoralising 3-2 loss away to relegation candidates Sunderland on Saturday, Chelsea head to Merseyside having suffered a major blow to their momentum.
Derailing Liverpool's strong recent form could provide enough motivation, however, with Jurgen Klopp keeping spirits high ahead of next Wednesday's UEFA Europa League final against Sevilla—a clash that is poised to make or break their 2015/16 campaign.
The Reds earned a 3-1 triumph at Stamford Bridge the last time the two sides met, so can they make it two for two on Wednesday, or will Hiddink's Chelsea respond to their weekend defeat with a victory?
Date: Wednesday, 11 May
Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (UK only) / NBCSN (U.S only)
Live stream: Sky Go (UK only) / NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S. only)
Form Lines (Last 5 Games)
Liverpool: D-L-L-W-W
Chelsea: L-L-W-D-L
Team News
After resting a number of key names for Sunday's 2-0 win at home to Watford, making eight changes to the side that sealed progress to the Europa League final with a 3-0 triumph over Villarreal, Klopp is set to select another strong side against Chelsea.
Only Simon Mignolet, Alberto Moreno and Philippe Coutinho kept their places in Klopp's lineup against the Hornets, and both Moreno and Coutinho were withdrawn before full-time, with Liverpool cruising to victory.
This allows Klopp to go all out for a confidence-boosting win, as he told reporters including the club's official website during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday:
"What I would prefer is that it’s Thursday next week and we have won two games against Chelsea and West Brom, and we are back on the way to Liverpool with the cup.
That is the only situation that would be better than sitting here now and talking about these three games. I like to play them but obviously I’m a normal human being so it would be no problem to say ‘OK, it’s over and we have all that we want’.
But it doesn’t work like this. I like this all or nothing, that’s true, but only because of the opportunity to get all. That’s what we’ll try to do.
"
Klopp is likely to be without captain Jordan Henderson (knee), Divock Origi (ankle), Danny Ings (knee), Joe Gomez (knee) and Danny Ward (knee), with the quintet still recovering from injuries.
Speaking to Sky Sports (h/t LiverpoolFC.com) on Monday, Henderson revealed that he was "being very positive and working hard," with his "main priority" being a return for next week's final in Basel.
Youngster Jordan Rossiter has returned to full training following a lengthy hamstring problem, but with the 19-year-old set to join Rangers on a free transfer this summer, as reported by Michael Gannon of the Daily Post, he is unlikely to receive game time ahead of the likes of Cameron Brannagan and Pedro Chirivella.
While Klopp is without his captain, Hiddink will be forced to work around the absence of his own skipper, following John Terry's red card at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon.
The centre-back was dismissed following two yellow-card challenges, possibly ensuring he has played his last game for the club—with no contract offer currently made to keep the 35-year-old at his boyhood club beyond the end of the season.
Per Simon Johnson of the Evening Standard, Hiddink explained that Terry had continued training, but he could not reveal whether the defender would remain at the club:
"Whatever will happen whether he stays, whenever he goes, he deserves a huge goodbye.
[...]
When you come on the pitch for training after being sent off, it's not the most beautiful face.
But training helped lift up his morale. Not being there in the last two games is a blow for him and for us because he played okay.
"
Terry joins Kurt Zouma (knee) and Loic Remy (groin) on the sidelines, while Hiddink also revealed that both Diego Costa (hamstring) and Branislav Ivanovic (groin) would miss out, and Pedro (broken nose) is a doubt.
The captain's absence could see left-back Baba Rahman come into a starting role, while the losses of Ivanovic and Costa are likely to see Matt Miazga and Alexandre Pato receive rare game time.
Predicted Lineups
If Klopp is to name his strongest available lineup in search of a final Anfield victory of the season, Liverpool are likely to be deployed similar to their Europa League semi-final win over Villarreal.
This should see Mignolet continue in goal, with Moreno, Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren and Kolo Toure looking to build chemistry as Klopp's new-look back four—navigating the absence of the suspended Mamadou Sakho.
In midfield, James Milner is likely to be joined by Germany international Emre Can, though weekend goalscorer Joe Allen is available as a solid alternative—with Brannagan and Chirivella in reserve.
Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana are set to support Daniel Sturridge, with the quartet firmly established as key players within Klopp's forward line.
Without Terry, Ivanovic and Costa for this clash, Hiddink will be forced to field a makeshift starting lineup as he pushes for victory.
Thibaut Courtois should keep his place between the sticks, providing a direct comparison with his Belgium international team-mate Mignolet, while Rahman, Cahill and Miazga are likely to be joined by Cesar Azpilicueta, with the Spaniard moving into his natural role at right-back.
Hiddink has deployed Nemanja Matic and John Obi Mikel as his favoured midfield pairing in recent weeks, and the defensive-minded duo are set to continue at Anfield, looking to stymie the threat of Firmino in the No. 10 role.
Pato is poised to come in to lead the line, supported by Willian, Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard.
Likely Liverpool XI: Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Toure, Moreno; Milner, Can; Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho; Sturridge.
Likely Chelsea XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Miazga, Rahman; Mikel, Matic; Willian, Fabregas, Hazard; Pato.
Players to Watch
Roberto Firmino
Firmino overcame a tough start to 2015/16 to develop into one of Liverpool's most important players, and after his goal in Sunday's win over Watford took his league tally up to 10 for the season, his success is unquestionable.
As Klopp told the Liverpool Echo's James Pearce on Tuesday, the 24-year-old has confounded initial perceptions from the Anfield support:
"It wasn’t a surprise to me when I heard people questioning him. That’s how it is in Germany too.
[...]
I knew about Roberto. When I heard that Liverpool had signed him I thought: 'how have they done this?'
[...]
What we can learn from Roberto’s situation going forward when it comes to next season’s signings is wait to make judgements. Don’t be too quick to judge players.
"
Likely to return to a starting role in his natural No. 10 position on Wednesday night, Firmino can continue to underline his quality with a star performance against the Blues.
Cesar Azpilicueta
Throughout a 2015/16 campaign in which a host of Chelsea players have underperformed and undermined their reputation as Premier League champions, Spanish full-back Azpilicueta can still be considered a strong performer.
A victim of his versatility, however, Azpilicueta has again spent much of the season deployed out of position at left-back, nullifying his attacking quality and reducing him to a relatively limited, defensive duty.
With Rahman set to come in at left-back, Azplicueta will be unleashed at right-back, and Chelsea supporters will be hoping to see the enduring quality of their No. 28.
Incoming Blues manager Antonio Conte should adore Azpilicueta, and the 26-year-old can provide a reminder of just why at Anfield.
Key Battle
Alexandre Pato vs. Kolo Toure
A surprise signing for the Blues in the winter, Pato remains something of an unknown quantity in the Premier League, having made just two appearances under Hiddink, but his fleet-footed, technical brand of attacking play could be a key feature of Chelsea's game plan at Anfield.
The 26-year-old should come up against a makeshift centre-back pairing in Lovren and Toure, which could set up an intriguing clash against a seasoned Premier League veteran.
Toure—now 35 but still boasting the pace, strength and perception to thrive in a squad role at the top—has successfully shackled a number of talented strikers when called upon by Klopp this season, and he will look to add another when lining up against Pato on Wednesday night.
Odds
Liverpool: 53/50
Chelsea: 14/5
Draw: 14/5
Odds according to Odds Shark and correct at time of writing.
Ticket Information
For ticket information on all Premier League games visit the official site or go to the ticket page on Liverpool's official website. Secondary ticket information for Liverpool can be found here.
Statistics via Transfermarkt.co.uk.
