Chelsea

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter, at Stamford Bridge

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitted his surprise at the 22-point gap between his champions and Chelsea before kick-off.

It had been a two-point gap in December and Chelsea looked like challengers, even if manager Enzo Maresca kept playing it down, even after an impressive performance at Anfield in October which they were, again in Slot's words, unfortunate to lose.

Maresca was ultimately proven right as Chelsea plummeted down the table after a disappointing start to 2025.

For many at Liverpool, Chelsea will not have been on their radar and they have rightly been celebrating a historic 20th title.

However, this could be a pivotal moment for the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital ownership, who have failed to qualify for the Champions League since buying the club for £2.5bn in 2022.

It will also boost their rebuild around Maresca and allow them the stability of sticking with a coach, who can boast support from the fans having praised them for creating their "best environment" season at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

This squad, which is the youngest in the Premier League, will be one year older and Chelsea will be able to fill gaps in attack and in central defence with signings, upon an improved financial position with the double windfalls of around £100m for Champions League and Club World Cup participation.

Interestingly, Chelsea and Liverpool are also among the clubs battling to sign Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen this summer.

That full picture makes Chelsea a threat to Liverpool's hopes of retaining the title and failing to put them away in early May, 2025, could look like a mistake come 2026.

Image source, Getty Images

Enzo Maresca spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Chelsea's victory against Liverpool: "Very important [win] at this stage of the season.The way they deal with different plans, we didn't plan the game to defend it, we plan always to be high aggressive, high press and aggressive.

"They forced us to defend for moments in the game and the players dealt very well with that."

On Romeo Lavia: "Unfortunately he has been injured for most part of the season. You can see that the team with Romeo in is a better team. Hopefully we can now keep him fit until the end [of the season]."

On Chelsea's future: "For me, Chelsea because of the squad the future is bright for the club."

On Champions League qualification: "The win has been important, but it is not done. We need to play three games and go game by game."

"Now on Thursday we haver the second leg - we need to be focused on that and try to reach the European final."

Image source, Getty Images

Only Liverpool (44) and Manchester City (39) have won more Premier League points at home this season than Chelsea (38), who have won seven of their last eight league games at Stamford Bridge.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Chelsea's performance

What did you make of Liverpool's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies.

Intro referencing day, competition and number of matches.

• Brentford v Manchester United

• Brighton v Newcastle - BBC Radio 5 Live

• West Ham v Tottenham

• Chelsea v Liverpool (16:30) - BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 14:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

I would usually be asking which Chelsea side will turn up, but that applies to Liverpool too this week.

Arne Slot's side could have been out all week celebrating their title win and we don't know how that will affect them.

You often play at your best when you have been on the lash in a scenario like theirs. For example, some of my best games for Celtic came after nights out where we had won something and were allowed to have a couple of beers, but I don't know what to expect here.

Chelsea have nicked a couple of results recently, to stay in the race for the top five, but their performances have not been too convincing and their fans still don't seem to have taken to Enzo Maresca's playing style.

This is not the test for them that it would be if Liverpool were trying to close out the title but I don't think Slot is the type to let anyone take their foot off the gas. He will put out a strong team and even if they play with more freedom, I still think Liverpool will leave with the points.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Chelsea are winless in their past 10 meetings with Liverpool in all competitions (drawn seven, lost three). Only once before have they gone longer without a win over the Reds (11 from 1985 to 1990).

Mohamed Salah, 32, has 28 Premier League goals for Liverpool this season and needs one more goal to equal the record for goals by a player aged 30 or older in a campaign, held by Didier Drogba for Chelsea in the 2009-10 season (29).

Image source, PA Media

Earlier, we asked you to name the current Chelsea player from a series of clues.

The correct answer is Jadon Sancho.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has spoken to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge (kick-off 16:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• He said he will wait for the medical team to update him on the availability of Christopher Nkunku and Robert Sanchez, but goalkeeper Sanchez "is in a better situation" as he is already training on the grass.

• He confirmed they will give Liverpool a guard of honour as it is "tradition" and because "they won the Premier League and deserve it".

• In response to whether his players can learn anything from doing this: "I don't think we need that to understand how good it is to win the Premier League. I think we know that it's something very nice. But, for sure, when you are there, our players are probably thinking, 'I would like one day to be there.'"

• He said you can "clearly see" the gap between the two teams in points, but feels they are moving "in the right direction and hopefully this gap can be smaller and smaller and smaller".

• Despite title celebrations taking place over the week, he does not think Liverpool "are going to be different or relaxed" so will still pose a challenge.

• On what has changed since they last played the Reds and dominated the game: "The difference is they have been consistent compared to us. For part of the season we were very good, and then we lost some games. This has probably been the main reason why. And also in terms of experienced players that know how to win games and these kinds of things, I think they have something more compared to us."

• Adding to that, Maresca said Blues will "for sure" have to look at gaining experienced players, "to close the gap with these kind of clubs", but he is hopeful the likes of defender Levi Colwill will step up because "he is growing a lot in terms of leadership" this season already.

Listen to live commentary of Chelsea vs Liverpool on BBC Radio 5 Live from 16:30 on Sunday

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts on Chelsea's Conference League semi-final first leg at Djurgarden in Norway.

Here are some of your comments:

Robert: A difficult challenge on the 4G pitch, but once Chelsea adjusted the weight and precision of their passes, the result was never in question. Pleased to see Jackson bag his two goals.

Steve: It was a solid performance, against a team we should beat everytime. We controlled the game for 70 minutes, but dropped in the last 20. The most important fact for me was Nottingham Forest lost, so a perfect night for my team.

Michael: Great to see the determination of the players to win the match. Also good to see those that played earlier in this competition still being picked. There's no cup or medal for coming fifth in the Premier League.

James: Good performance and Jackson back amongst the goals will do his confidence good. Great to see another academy player (Reggie Walsh) make his debut.

Keith; Very good first half performance. We dropped off in the second and went back to our usual passive, boring football. Poor goal given away, but should be good for the final in Poland.

Guess the current Chelsea player from these three clues:

• I am currently on loan at Chelsea from another Premier League club.

• I enjoyed success early in my career playing in Germany.

• I appeared in the 2023-24 Champions League final.

Come back to this page at 17:00 BST for the answer

Chelsea are not looking to offload their record £107m signing Enzo Fernandez, 24, who is a long-term target for Real Madrid. (Sky Sports, external)

Real Madrid are happy for Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, 26, to leave the club this season, with Chelsea's 30-year-old Spaniard Kepa Arrizabalaga, currently on loan at Bournemouth, being considered as a replacement. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Enzo Maresca spoke to TNT Sports after the 4-1 win against Djurgarden in the Conference League semi-final first leg: "It was the perfect night - an important semi-final and it is a good result. We need to be focused on the second leg.

"The first 70 minutes was good but then in the last 20 minutes we dropped a little bit. But we cannot drop, we cannot relax because otherwise it is complicated. We have done a good job but now we need to finish the job at home."

On how to keep the players' minutes in check: "We try to manage players - we know that we need to protect players. We decided to start in one way and to finish in a different way. I think it worked well.

"But now we have a game in two, three days. We are going to arrive back in London at 5am in the morning and we have a game on Sunday so we need to recover the energy."

On whether everyone is fit and ready to face Liverpool on Sunday: "I think so, from tonight's game, yes."

On giving Reggie Walsh his Chelsea debut: "He is young, he looks very good but he needs to continue to work and learn and grow."

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea are the Conference League's Death Star, continuing to wreak havoc in Uefa's third-tier galaxy.

They are only getting more dominant as they put one foot, both arms and four of five toes into the final in Poland.

Can anyone, certainly not Djurgarden, stop the squad which is worth as much as the rest combined? (according to player valuations on Transfer Room).

Real Betis and Fiorentina may be the only proper game Chelsea actually play to win this trophy - as they avoided the only two teams with serious resources through the luck of the draw.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson spoke to TNT Sports after the 4-1 victory at Djurgarden: "Very good performance. The most important thing is that we won. It is one step forward and we hope to reach the final.

On his second goal: "I saw the goalkeeper [Jacob Rinne] was always out [of his box] so I just shot and it went in. We won the game, the manager is happy and we are happy."

On Reggie Walsh making his Chelsea debut at the age of 16: "He's a very good player, top quality. For sure he is going to go far. I'm very happy for him to make his debut. I hope there is more to come for him and I am very happy for him."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Chelsea's performance

Come back to this page on Friday to find a selection of your replies

Three English teams feature in Thursday's Europa League and Conference League semi-finals, and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

Europa League

• Athletic Bilbao v Manchester United - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Tottenham Hotspur v Bodo/Glimt - BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

Conference League

• Djurgarden v Chelsea

• Real Betis v Fiorentina

All kick-off times 20:00 BST

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Chelsea's latest high-profile academy prospect Tyrique George's breakthrough season has included Carabao Cup games against Barrow and Morecambe, substitute league appearances against Arsenal and Brighton, and almost 600 minutes in 10 Conference League games, including a goal in the quarter-final first leg win at Legia Warsaw.

George was promoted from the academy team to the first team on 19 December, six months after he and defender Josh Acheampong signed new deals in June 2024.

That decision to sign a three-year contract, plus an optional fourth year, raised eyebrows among multiple academy sources at Chelsea.

Internal talk was that he might get lost among £1bn of talent - including another summer influx of talented young forwards - signed since the change of ownership in 2022.

However, head coach Enzo Maresca gave George a chance in pre-season and sources say the Italian's backing helped keep him at Stamford Bridge.

And FootballTransfers.com says George's rapid progress has seen his estimated transfer value increase from £2m in December to more than £10m now - and rising.

He has now scored two goals, got four assists and made a total of 21 appearances across all competitions this season.

Speaking in December, George said: "The trust Enzo has in me gives me a great feeling. He knows me from training with him all season."

Maresca had studied Chelsea, including the academy before joining, impressing in his interviews with the club of his knowledge of players. He will have known George racked up a combined 33 goals and assists last season while being nominated for goal of the season for a strike against Crystal Palace.

Fellow academy graduate Colwill said of George this month: "He's here because he is an amazing player. He is not here to sit on the bench - he is here to play."

Read more about George's Chelsea rise here