Chelsea v Liverpool Match Result
Chelsea have an implied probability of 47.6% which is unusually high for any team hosting Liverpool. After all, the London side are twenty-two points behind the Reds in the table after thirty-four games played. We should also mention that Arne Slot’s side have only lost one game on the road all term. This was a recent 3-2 reverse away to Fulham although the other sixteen matches away from Anfield have seen eleven wins and five draws.
The reason why the Blues are warm favourites is because their need is greater at this stage of the campaign. While Liverpool can bask in the glow of being champions for the final four matches, Chelsea are focused on making sure they land a top five finish. They have only won ten of their seventeen home games and it’s noticeable how their form has dipped in recent months.
Enzo Maresca’s side also have the small matter of a Europa Conference League double header against Djurgardens either side of the game, although the manager will be more focused on domestic form. There was a slender 1-0 win over Everton in their last game at the Bridge and this came after a 2-1 win at Craven Cottage where two late goals landed the spoils.
However, Chelsea were denied a victory at home to Ipswich where the London side trailed by two goals before claiming a 2-2 draw. By rights, you wouldn’t normally back them at a short price although Liverpool might not work their way through the gears. They have spent the week celebrating their title success and that might be reflected in the performance.
Even so, there’s no pressure on Liverpool and you can hardly ever back the Reds at such a big price. Perhaps the Merseyside team can land a victory against the odds and they clearly have the class to turn the screw, with Mohamed Salah chasing more goals against his former club.
Goals Under/Over
Over 2.5 Goals is trading as the warm favourite here and it’s hardly a surprise. Three of the past four Liverpool games have seen the net bulge at least three times. Last Sunday, the Reds claimed a 5-1 victory over Tottenham where Arne Slot’s side were able to run riot after going a goal down. Previously to that, there was a more slender 1-0 victory at Leicester although the opposition were parking players behind the ball.
There was a 2-1 win at West Ham which came after a 3-2 defeat at Fulham. We know that the visitors will create chances but they might also concede goals. Chelsea have scored thirty-one goals in seventeen home encounters, with the team also averaging one conceded in every match.
However, some might go for Under 2.5 Goals instead. Enzo Maresca might want his team to run a tight ship, especially if they take the lead. There’s also the fact that Cole Palmer has completely gone off the boil in recent months.
BTTS
There’s a strong chance of both teams finding the net according to the Premier League betting odds. The bookies have BTTS Yes as roughly 66%, with Liverpool having bagged a healthy eighty goals in the space of thirty-four matches. There aren’t many games where the Reds fail to find the net, especially in the Premier League.
According to our data, Liverpool have only drawn a blank in one of their thirty-four top-flight matches this term. It’s an incredible stat, with Nottingham Forest thwarting the Merseyside team although they have drawn blanks against Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham in cup competitions.
Chelsea are also likely to find the net. The Blues have found the net in their past five encounters, with Enzo Maresca’s side looking to make sure they outscore the competition. Despite only beating Everton 1-0 last weekend, they actually had seven shots on target in that game and they had a further eight shots on target as part of that 2-1 win at Fulham.
First Goalscorer
The curious case of Cole Palmer. The twenty-two-year-old had notched fourteen top-flight goals by the middle of January, with the midfielder then somehow hitting a stumbling block. It means that he has failed to score ever since and one wonders if he’ll find the net between now and the remainder of the season. However, he’s likely to be selected in a match of this magnitude.
Nicolas Jackson also had a goal drought before scoring the winner against Everton last weekend. The Senegalese forward has now reached ten goals for the season, with Pedro Neto another player worth considering on the basis that the Portuguese will offer a lively threat from out wide.
Mohamed Salah is the division’s top scorer although some might prefer to look beyond the market leader. Cody Gakpo has returned to form in recent weeks and perhaps Alexis Mac Allister can find the net. The Argentine has plenty of prowess when taking shots from long range, with Trent Alexander-Arnold also looking to sign off with more goals before a likely departure.