By Daniel Ghorbal @GhorbalDan
It’s hard to say that the third game of the season is a good indicator of where the Premier League title could be heading, but Saturday’s mammoth fixture between Liverpool and Chelsea is certainly one which could if either side were to pick up three points. Both sides come into the game on the back of two wins out of two, looking solid at the back and full of ideas going forward. Anfield is bound to be a cauldron of noise for what is only the second game back at a full house, coupled up with the fact it’s a 5.30 kick off against the European Champions and fierce rivals Chelsea.
Despite Thomas Tuchel’s inspired arrival at Chelsea, firing them into the top 4 and winning the Champions League, Liverpool actually managed to finish above them which is a testament to the reds’ late season form. Chelsea’s defence had let them down on numerous occasions under Frank Lampard, but Tuchel came in and reverted to a 3-4-3 formation which made them incredibly hard to beat, notably keeping clean sheets against Liverpool, Real Madrid and of course Manchester City in the Champions League final.
The likes of Jorginho and Rudiger became rejuvenated under the new man in the dugout and are now a key part of his side that have started the 2021/22 season so strongly. Obviously one concern for the Blues was Timo Werner’s lack of goalscoring form, with the German international constantly getting into dangerous positions but unable to take his chances. To fill this void of goals, Belgium superstar Romelu Lukaku was signed for a club record fee of £97 million, with Abramovic and those at the top of the club hoping he is the missing piece of the puzzle. Lukaku was immediately thrown into the side that defeated Arsenal, and his imposing figure was key in Chelsea’s 2-0 win.
The former Inter Milan man opened the scoring with a typically powerful run into the six yard box and calm finish, and his general build up play throughout was impressive. Although there will be key matchups across the pitch this Saturday, none are more exciting than Lukaku vs Van Dijk, two of the most commanding players in their positions. It will be fascinating to see how Van Dijk and Matip deal with the threat of Lukaku whilst also keeping close tabs on the likes of Mount and Havertz too.
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Chelsea are yet to concede a goal this season and look as strong as anyone at the back. Thiago Silva was a shrewd signing for them last summer, with his experience seeing them through big games, and it is looking likely that they are going to add Jules Kounde to their rearguard too, an exciting young defender from Sevilla who has been tipped to go to the very top. This is on top of Christensen, Rudiger, Silva, Azpilicueta and also Trevor Chalobah who impressed in pre-season. Tuchel now has the option to rotate, trusting different combinations and players for different occasions.
I expect him to start with the same back three that started against Arsenal, and although Thiago Silva’s pedigree would be beneficial in games like this, Christensen’s form towards the back end of last season and throughout the European Championships have proved just how good he can be, and a show of faith by starting him at Anfield will go a long way in bolstering his confidence.
The midfield battle will also be fascinating to see, and although Jorginho and Kovacic played so well against Arsenal, Ngolo Kante’s return to fitness makes him a great option to bring straight in and I fully expect that to be the case. Kante will help his wing-backs in dealing with Salah and Mane, whilst also breaking up play and driving Chelsea up the field. Likewise, Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech will both feel like a starting place could be warranted and I think the latter’s pace in behind could be an issue for Liverpool, either from the bench or from the start. We saw how well Dwight McNeil played up against Alexander-Arnold last weekend, and Chelsea may target this area to get at Liverpool from the off.
Overall, this will be an enthralling tactical affair between two of the best sides in Europe, and although Chelsea have started so well and look really vibrant all over the pitch, Anfield on a Saturday evening at 100% capacity is a whole new test for them.
By Daniel Ghorbal @GhorbalDan
