Game Week 7 Predictions: Liverpool to hurt Chelsea at Stamford Bridge?

Chelsea vs Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Reds defend top spot amid Euro woes; Blues chase statement win despite absences. Verdict: Both teams to score

It's a tale of two teams that need results to calm nerves, who will come out tops between Chelsea and Liverpool at the Stamford Bridge Stadium. (Photo credit: GOAL)

 Chelsea vs Liverpool

Stamford Bridge Stadium

5:30pm

The marquee fixture of the weekend is this one at the Stamford Bridge Stadium, one that Liverpool must pay attention to if they don’t want to lose their top spot on the log.

The international break is upon us, and no one wants to go into the break on the back of a loss, making this a potential cracker at the home of Chelsea. The Blues have huffed and puffed this season, but this one could be a statement win which would galvanise their season.

The champions lost in Europe on Tuesday; it wasn’t pretty, as they struggled to break down Galatasaray, and, to make things a little more difficult, they lost their goalkeeper Alisson as well as Hugo Ekitike, but the latter could be available for this one following Arne Slot’s revelation that the Frenchman isn’t seriously injured.

Chelsea will be without eight of their players, including Cole Palmer, who is expected back after the international break; Liam Delap; Levy Colwill and Trevor Chalobah, who got a red card last weekend; and Wesley Fofana. However, their squad depth should give them enough to prosecute this game.

Speaking of depth, the Blues have the duo of Axel Disasi and Raheem Sterling in the cold. Enzo Maresca insists he doesn’t need them, but with three key defenders unavailable, shouldn’t the Italian be thinking about Disasi at least?

For Liverpool, this is an opportunity for them to show they’re not a spent force. The champions haven’t been exciting for a while now, and despite winning all their games prior to the defeat at Palace last weekend, you could tell that they’re struggling; they must get a grip now.

This fixture was won last season by Chelsea, a 3-1 win that helped Chelsea’s quest to return to the Champions League, but Liverpool was already in party mood at the time, having already won the league. If the Reds want to win the league again, they need to win games like this one.

It’s not a title decider, and it isn’t expected to have lots of bearing on standings; however, with Arsenal playing at home to West Ham, the Reds could start this game in second spot on Saturday, and only a win would return them to the summit if Arsenal beats the Hammers.

Mohammed Salah hasn’t been at his best, and the Liverpool defence is a shadow of itself. Chelsea doesn’t have a lot of excitement in their squad right now after another loss to Brighton last weekend. This game is one both sides must go for, and that makes it a great one for us, the spectators.

Verdict: Both teams to score.