Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield on Saturday in a Premier League encounter where contrasting objectives collide, as the Reds seek to seal Champions League qualification while the Blues desperately attempt to end a six-match losing streak.
Arne Slot’s side can take a giant step towards securing a top-five finish with victory, or potentially even a draw depending on results elsewhere. Chelsea, meanwhile, are mathematically out of the race for Champions League football via league position but can still finish sixth, which may offer European qualification if results fall favourably.
The Blues are searching for confidence ahead of next weekend’s FA Cup final against Manchester City, having lost their last six Premier League matches. Only once in their league history have they suffered seven consecutive defeats, back in November and December 1952.
Liverpool’s Champions League Push
The Reds sit fourth on 58 points, six clear of Bournemouth and seven above Brentford with three games remaining. Victory over Chelsea coupled with a Bournemouth slip at Fulham would secure Champions League football for next season.
Liverpool have lost their last two Premier League games against Chelsea, as many as in their previous 20 (W8 D10). They last lost three consecutive fixtures against the Blues between December 2013 and November 2014. Following their 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge in October, Chelsea are seeking to complete the league double over Liverpool for the first time since 2013-14.
However, Chelsea have won just one of their last 10 Premier League away games at Anfield (D5 L4), a 1-0 triumph in March 2021 under Thomas Tuchel. Liverpool have won their last two Anfield meetings, including last season’s 2-1 success inspired by Mohamed Salah.
Liverpool have lost 11 Premier League matches this season, their most since 2014-15 under Brendan Rodgers (12). They have also lost 18 across all competitions, last losing more in 2009-10 (19). Defensively, they have conceded two or more goals in 16 different league matches – only in 2012-13 have they done so more often (17 games).
Dominik Szoboszlai leads Liverpool for combined goals and assists across all competitions this season (13 goals, 10 assists). He is the first Reds midfielder to record both 10+ goals and 10+ assists in a season since Steven Gerrard in 2013-14 (14 goals, 14 assists).
Chelsea’s Unprecedented Crisis
The Blues have lost each of their last six Premier League games and are experiencing their worst run since the 1952 sequence. They have conceded in their last 13 league matches, shipping three goals in four of their last five. They last endured a longer run without a clean sheet between March and August 1991 (17 games).
Interim boss Calum McFarlane has been unable to stem the tide following Liam Rosenior’s dismissal. Chelsea have scored just once in their last six Premier League outings while conceding 14, with João Pedro’s 93rd-minute consolation against Nottingham Forest barely breaking into consolation territory.
Pedro remains Chelsea’s top scorer in both the league (15) and all competitions (20). He has been directly involved in seven of the Blues’ last nine Premier League goals, scoring six and assisting one.
Should 19-year-old Estêvão score at Anfield, he would become only the second teenager after Romelu Lukaku (2012-13) to score home and away goals against Liverpool in a single Premier League campaign. Estêvão scored Chelsea’s winner in October’s reverse fixture.
The Blues are ninth on 48 points, four behind sixth-placed Bournemouth. They could qualify for the Champions League if they finish sixth and Aston Villa win the Europa League while securing a top-five finish, but their pitiful form suggests they are unworthy of Europe’s top table.
Team News
Liverpool
Alexander Isak and Giorgi Mamardashvili are back in training after respective absences. “Alex trains with us again,” Slot confirmed. “Only yesterday for the first time. Hopefully he can do parts – or everything – today and let’s then see how much we’re going to use him tomorrow.”
Mamardashvili has not featured since sustaining a leg wound in the Merseyside derby. “Giorgi will train with us today for the first time so let’s see how he’s going to react,” Slot said.
Alisson Becker and Mohamed Salah have not resumed team sessions. “Alisson not yet, doesn’t train with us yet but very close to,” the boss explained. “Mo also not trained with us yet but is also, like Ali, getting very, very, very close.”
Ibrahima Konate missed training earlier in the week for personal reasons but has returned, while Florian Wirtz was unwell but trained Thursday. Conor Bradley continues rehabilitation from his January injury at Arsenal.
Chelsea
Reece James and Levi Colwill – who made his long-awaited return as a substitute against Forest – could both start. “Levi has trained a full week with us, and so has Reece, so it’s really positive,” McFarlane said. “Both trained fully today and we’re hopeful they could start.”
Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are both carrying knocks and unlikely to feature. Robert Sanchez will miss out after sustaining a head injury against Forest, with Filip Jorgensen set to deputize.
Jesse Derry will miss the rest of the season after being taken off on his first Premier League start following a heavy blow to the head. “The early signs with Jesse are very positive,” McFarlane confirmed. “He won’t be available for us now until the end of the season, which is an abrupt end for him.”
Head-to-Head
This marks the 200th meeting between the clubs in all competitions. Chelsea have only faced Arsenal more often (215). The sides first met on Christmas Day 1907 when Chelsea won 4-1 at Anfield in Division One – the Blues’ biggest-ever victory over Liverpool, equalled in 2005-06.
Chelsea are playing at Anfield for the 95th time, more than at any other away ground in their history.
Form Guide
Liverpool
Still reeling from a painful 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford, where first-half defensive concerns were particularly evident. Prior victories over Everton (2-1) and Crystal Palace (3-1) didn’t answer questions about the team’s tendency to play in bursts and allow opponents to dictate tempo. The Champions League zone remains within reach with a comfortable cushion over pursuers. Slot will balance squad absences with the need for attacking aggression, with Alisson’s potential return bringing much-needed composure and Isak adding options.
Chelsea
Arrive in the midst of a deep crisis with Rosenior’s dismissal failing to provide a spark. McFarlane’s appointment appears more stopgap than solution. The 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest extended their losing streak to six matches. James’ return offers hope, but Chelsea’s problems run deeper than personnel – one goal scored in their last six league games while conceding 14 represents a grim record heading to Anfield. The Blues remain nine points adrift of a top-five finish but could still qualify for the Champions League via sixth place if circumstances align.
Predicted Lineups
Liverpool: Woodman; Jones, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Frimpong, Wirtz, Ngumoha; Gakpo
Chelsea: Jorgensen; James, Colwill, Chalobah, Cucurella; Santos, Caicedo, Lavia; Fernandez; Pedro, Delap
Prediction
Liverpool’s home advantage and desperation for Champions League qualification make them clear favourites against the division’s most out-of-form team. Chelsea’s six-game losing streak and defensive fragility suggest another defeat is likely, though the Blues showed against Forest they can at least find the net. Expect Liverpool to secure the victory that edges them closer to Europe’s elite competition.
We say: Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea
Kick-off: Saturday, 12:30 PM BST
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Referee: Craig Pawson
VAR: Tony Harrington
Last Meeting: Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool, October 4, 2025, Premier League
How to watch: TNT Sports 1 (coverage from 11am BST); HBO Max app/website (live stream)
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