This Sunday could be the day the Premier League title is decided. Manchester City travel to Crystal Palace carrying the scars from their damaging defeat to Roy Hodgson’s team back in December, before Liverpool play arguably their final difficult game of the season.
Jurgen Klopp’s side might move clear at the top of the table, but even if they don’t they can send a message to City with a confident attacking performance against Chelsea.
Here are five tactical questions ahead of
Liverpool v Chelsea :
1) Will Klopp preach caution to create another ‘chess match’?
The 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in September was a fascinating game, but it was what pundits often refer to as a ‘chess match’; few clear-cut chances at either end because of a deadlocked midfield and positional cautiousness. Reminisce with 16 Conclusions here.
Both sets of full-backs remained deep while the centre of the park was clogged up with bodies. It was an intense, abrasive game between two teams playing at their most intelligent, their most tactical.
A lot has changed at Chelsea since then, and yet Klopp may once again preach caution, as he did in away draws to Everton and Manchester United as well as the fortunate 2-1 victory over Tottenham a fortnight ago. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson may again be told to stay close to the centre-backs, wary of the threat of Eden Hazard and Callum Hudson-Odoi, while Klopp will probably pick three robust midfielders – which usually means a slight disconnect from the front three.
Chelsea’s most recent away game against a Big Six side was the 6-0 defeat at Man City, and since then a humbled Maurizio Sarri has eased up on the high press away from home. The visitors will certainly be cautious.
2) Can Salah, Mane and Firmino capitalise on an error-prone Chelsea defence
Klopp would be making a mistake to play conservatively. Chelsea have only won twice on the road in the Premier League this calendar year, at Fulham and Cardiff, and their performances are getting worse. Their 2-0 defeat to Everton was utterly bereft, Marco Silva’s side winning by out-thinking and out-moving them at every turn. If Liverpool play with energy and purpose they can blow Chelsea away.
Mohamed Salah is finally back to his best, and if well supported he should be able to isolate, then turn, the continually struggling Marcus Alonso. David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger are both guilty of wayward passes when faced with a high press, and since Cesar Azpilicueta still looks awkward at right-back, an assertive Liverpool performance could force mistakes, giving Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane the space they need in the final third.
The Chelsea back four is considerably weaker than the Liverpool front three. Now is the time for Liverpool to be brave, to ease the tension inside Anfield and show their supporters they do not intend to stumble over the finish line.
3) Will Hazard get the better of Alexander-Arnold?
Eden Hazard has contributed 28 goals and assists in the Premier League this season, more than any other player in the division and 49% of Chelsea’s total. The Belgian is arguably in his best ever form at the moment, too, averaging nine successful dribbles per 90 minutes across his last four appearances. Obviously Liverpool need a specific plan to deal with Hazard.
He will be attacking Trent Alexander-Arnold this weekend, a defender still occasionally guilty of getting caught out of position by more intelligent wingers.
The battle between these two players could prove decisive, particularly if Klopp starts Georginio Wijnaldum on the right of his midfield three. He needs a more defensively astute player in this role to come across and cover Alexander-Arnold.
Alternatively, Klopp may start James Milner at right-back, although by doing so he risks Hazard winning a foot race on that side.
4) Can Loftus-Cheek and Hudson-Odoi inject the energy needed to match Liverpool?
Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi were both impressive in the victory over West Ham on Monday night, adding a sense of urgency and directness Chelsea have lacked throughout the season.
These two will prove particularly important in attempts to match Liverpool’s energy, and so perhaps the biggest question from a Chelsea perspective is whether Sarri trusts his academy graduates for such an important game.
Hudson-Odoi is the bigger gamble. The 18-year-old’s threat on the dribble could pin Andrew Robertson back, limiting Liverpool’s attacking threat and providing an outlet for Chelsea counters, or Hudson-Odoi could leave Chelsea light defensively. At Stamford Bridge on Monday Sarri and Gianfranco Zola frequently berated the young winger for failing to track back, with Aaron Cresswell getting in behind on a couple of occasions
5) Will Kante v Keita define the midfield battle?
Assuming this match will indeed be a claustrophobic midfield battle, rather than a Liverpool gegenpress versus Hazard/Hudson-Odoi counters, then the most important head-to-head is between N’Golo Kante and Naby Keita, who will be attempting to play similar games on Sunday.
Both are expected to pierce the lines in possession while breaking up opposition attacks, driving their team forward in mirroring box-to-box roles. And both have improved significantly in the last couple of weeks, Kante bursting through the West Ham midfield with ease on Monday and Keita scoring in each of his last two matches.
Their tussle will likely define the territorial lines drawn by Liverpool and Chelsea – and determine whether the clubs will swarm from end to end or simply butt heads in the middle.