Chelsea v Liverpool predictions, betting odds and bet builder tips: Reds should grind out win against depleted hosts

Where to watch Chelsea v Liverpool

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 4.30pm Sunday

Best bet

Liverpool to win & under 3.5 goals
1pt 11-4 Betfair, Paddy Power

Chelsea v Liverpool odds

Chelsea 19-10
Liverpool 11-8
Draw 14-5

Odds correct at time of publishing

Chelsea v Liverpool team news

Chelsea
Christopher Nkunku and Wesley Fofana are sidelined after suffering serious knee injuries in pre-season. Noni Madueke, Armando Broja and Benoit Badiashile are still recovering from injury while Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech and Callum Huson-Odoi have not been training with the first team.

Liverpool
Curtis Jones has joined fellow Midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic on the sidelines.

Chelsea v Liverpool predictions

Chelsea and Liverpool have been involved in a dramatic tussle over Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo this week and their rivalry moves from the boardroom to the Stamford Bridge pitch on Sunday.

The Blues and the Reds both appear prepared to break the British transfer record for Ecuador international Caicedo but, for now, managers Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp must focus on landing three points in their opening fixture of the 2023-24 Premier League season.

Neither club will look back fondly on last term's efforts although Liverpool finished strongly with seven wins and two draws in their final nine games taking them to fifth place in the table.

Chelsea, under Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and finally interim manager Frank Lampard, limped home in 12th, picking up just 44 points and scoring only 38 goals in 38 league matches.

Their squad has been gutted over the summer with captain Cesar Azpilicueta, N'Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy among the senior players to leave while Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech are also in the departure lounge. 

Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic have been sold to Premier League rivals Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City and the rebuilding process is likely to take time – as Pochettino's first starting line-up will demonstrate.

France forward Christopher Nkunku who, along with Villarreal striker Nicolas Jackson, was signed to revitalise an ailing Chelsea attacking unit, is set to miss the first four months of the season after suffering a serious knee injury.

That is a major blow for the Blues, although it offers Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk a chance to put their 2022-23 woes behind them.

The last four meetings between Chelsea and Liverpool have ended goalless, including the Reds' penalty-shootout victories in the 2021-22 EFL Cup and FA Cup finals, and a low-scoring away win looks the best bet at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea, crowned European champions in May 2021, won just one of their 20 matches against top-half teams last season and that success came against an Aston Villa side struggling under soon-to-be-sacked Steven Gerrard.

Liverpool's pursuit of Caicedo makes sense after the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho but their current first 11, backed up by some classy attacking reserves, should be strong enough to grind out a win in west London.

Alexis Mac Allister, up against his fellow World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez, looks a cracking signing and Hungary playmaker Dominik Szoboszlai should pose a serious goal threat from midfield.

The Reds won only six away matches last term but three of those came in their final four road trips of the campaign and, with the dangerous Trent Alexander-Arnold drifting into midfield and the prolific Mohamed Salah up front, they should be backed to win a game featuring under 3.5 goals.

Key stat

Chelsea won only one of their 20 Premier League matches against top-half teams last season

Probable teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Kepa; James, Silva, Colwill, Chilwell; Gallagher, Fernandez; Sterling, Chukwuemeka, Mudryk; Jackson
Subs: Disasi, Cucurella, Chalobah, Moreira, Santos, Ugochukwu, Hall

Liverpool (4-1-2-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister; Gakpo, Szoboszlai; Salah, Jota, Diaz
Subs: Nunez, Elliott, Tsimikas, Gomez, Matip, Doak, McConnell

Inside info

Chelsea

Star man Enzo Fernandez
Top scorer Raheem Sterling
Penalty taker Enzo Fernandez
Card magnet Reece James
Assist ace Reece James
Set-piece aerial threat Thiago Silva

Liverpool

Star man Mohamed Salah
Top scorer Mohamed Salah
Penalty taker Mohamed Salah
Card magnet Ibrahima Konate
Assist ace Trent Alexander-Arnold
Set-piece aerial threat Virgil van Dijk

Chelsea v Liverpool bet builder predictions

Under 3.5 goals
Just one of Chelsea's 11 home games against teams above them in 2022-23 featured more than three goals

Alexis Mac Allister to have a shot on target
Only two Premier League midfielders had more attempts at goal than Mac Allister's 86 last season

Conor Gallagher to be shown a card
The Chelsea midfielder picked up ten league bookings, seven of them at home, last term and can expect a busy shift against Liverpool

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