Liverpool vs Chelsea preview, prediction, team news and head-to-head

• Under 3.5 goals

• Both teams to score

• Liverpool to win

Liverpool and Chelsea will get the ball rolling for this weekend’s round of Premier League fixtures as they clash at Anfield.

It is a big game for both sides, but for contrasting reasons as they bid to bounce back from defeats to Manchester United and Nottingham Forest respectively.

The reigning champions' winning streak came to an end in an agonising 3-2 loss to Manchester United last weekend, shortly before the Blues' 3-1 home reverse to Nottingham Forest – a sorry sixth straight top-flight defeat.

Liverpool are fourth in the Premier League table with 58 points, six clear of Bournemouth and seven above Brentford. They will qualify for the 2026-27 Champions League if they beat Chelsea and the Cherries drop points at Fulham.

A draw could also be enough depending on how Bournemouth, Brentford and Brighton get on.

As for Chelsea, they will be desperate to end a run of six consecutive Premier League defeats and build some confidence ahead of next weekend’s FA Cup showdown against Manchester City.

Points seem a largely foreign concept to Chelsea in the Premier League right now, and they head to Merseyside as the most out-of-form team in the division.

The ninth-placed Blues are mathematically out of top-five contention, sitting 10 points adrift of Aston Villa with three games remaining.

However, they are just four points off Bournemouth in sixth, which could suffice for UCL qualification if Villa finish in the top five and win the Europa League, though they risk no longer being in contention if results go against them this weekend.

Chelsea beat Liverpool twice at Stamford Bridge in 2025, most recently a 2-1 success in October.

However, the Reds have won their last two meetings at Anfield, including last season's Mohamed Salah-inspired triumph by the same scoreline.

Following their 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge in October, Chelsea are looking to complete the league double over Liverpool for the first time since 2013/14.

However, Chelsea have won just one of their last 10 away games against Liverpool (D5 L4), a 1-0 win under Thomas Tuchel in March 2021.

Liverpool Premier League form: 🟧🟥🟩🟩🟩🟥

Liverpool form (all competitions): 🟥🟩🟥🟩🟩🟥

Chelsea Premier League form: 🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥

Liverpool form (all competitions): 🟩🟥🟥🟥🟩🟥

Liverpool are hopeful Alexander Isak and Alisson Becker will be available for selection after injury.

Both players missed the defeat at Old Trafford, with Isak suffering a minor groin issue. Arne Slot said last week that he expected the Swede to return against Chelsea, and Alisson is not thought to be too far away from a comeback.

However, the Chelsea game may come too soon for Mohamed Salah, who is likely to play at least one more game before bidding farewell.

Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are all long-term injury casualties, and Giorgi Mamardashvili remains sidelined.

As for Chelsea, the loss to Forest was overshadowed by the sickening head injury to teenage attacker Jesse Derry, who was stretchered off to warm applause from both sets of supporters after his collision with Zach Abbott.

Derry-Abbott was one of two head clashes at Stamford Bridge, where Robert Sanchez and Morgan Gibbs-White also crashed into each other, so Filip Jorgensen may be required in between the posts in the former's place.

McFarlane is at least hopeful of having attacking trio Pedro Neto, Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens fit for the weekend, but Estevao Willian (thigh) and Mykhaylo Mudryk (doping ban) will play no part.

Liverpool: Woodman; Jones, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Frimpong, Wirtz, Ngumoha; Gakpo

Chelsea: Jorgensen; James, Colwill, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Palmer, Fernandez, Neto; Pedro

Liverpool are not without their problems, but Chelsea's Premier League season is ending catastrophically, and McFarlane's men could return to scoreless ways on Saturday.

Arne Slot’s side had put together a three-game winning run prior to defeat at Old Trafford, and while a classic is surely not in store, given their fitness issues, they’re ahead of Chelsea who have lost their last six in the league.

FA Cup wins aside, the Blues have looked poor in recent weeks and we can’t see that changing here. Form suggests this should be a routine Liverpool win. 

Correct score prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea