Chelsea v Liverpool predictions, news and free betting tips

EFL Cup final: Chelsea v Liverpool

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Football, 4.30pm Sunday

90-minutes odds

Liverpool 11-8, Chelsea 23-10, Draw 23-10

Form

Both teams go into this game in fine fettle. Chelsea have lost just one of their last 17 games while Liverpool have tasted defeat once in their last 23 games.

Liverpool have made a title race of this season again, sitting three points off Manchester City. Chelsea are ten points behind the Reds with a game in hand.

Jurgen Klopp’s men have won their last nine in all competitions, including a 2-0 victory away to Inter and a 6-0 home win over Leeds. Wednesday’s demolition of Marcelo Bielsa’s side took Liverpool to 70 Premier League goals in 26 games, more than Leicester scored in their title-winning season.

The pair have already played twice this season - a 1-1 draw at Anfield where Chelsea were down to ten men for much of the game, and an end-to-end 2-2 stalemate at Stamford Bridge that was one of the games of the season.

Team news

Chelsea
Hakim Ziyech and Mateo Kovacic will undergo fitness tests after coming off against Lille with knocks. Callum Hudson-Odoi is a doubt while Ben Chilwell and Reece James are still long term absentees.

Liverpool
Roberto Firmino is out while Diogo Jota may well feature after recovering an ankle problem.

The tactical battle

Liverpool are unlikely to deviate from the 4-3-3 system that has served them so well under Jurgen Klopp.

The Reds will look to use the runs of Mo Salah to target the space in behind Marcos Alonso, who is probably Chelsea’s weak link defensively. The Egyptian scored the second goal against the Blues in January through that avenue. Keep an eye out for a long diagonal pass from Virgil Van Dijk to Salah, a preferred and direct route that Klopp’s side often take.

With both first-choice wing-backs missing, Chelsea have switched to playing a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 in recent weeks, a move away from their traditional 3-4-3.

Tuchel has opted to play three at the back both times he has faced Liverpool this season, however, and may revert to their familiar formation. All eyes will be on whether Romelu Lukaku starts after he was dropped for their midweek clash with Lille.

Verdict

Chelsea have proved to be very difficult to beat in big cup games, while Liverpool could hardly be in better form. The two games the pair have played this season have been enthralling encounters and the same may well be the case here.

However, Liverpool’s attacking stars may just prove the difference in contrast with a Chelsea side who could lack the cutting edge Romelu Lukaku was supposed to provide. It is sure to be a tight affair but the Reds can edge it.

Liverpool 2 Chelsea 1

Key stats

• Liverpool have lost just two of the last ten meetings between these two in all competitions
• In Thomas Tuchel’s 26 cup games in charge, Chelsea have a record of 18 wins, five draws and three defeats.
• The two managers have met 17 times in their careers, with Klopp winning nine, Tuchel three, and five stalemates.

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