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Liverpool 0-1 Chelsea

Is James Milner playing the Chelsea players on here?

Thiago Silva's shot hits the post following a Benoit Badiashile bundles ball from corner and Kai Havertz pokes in on the rebound. But will it stand?

Oooh, the first naughty tackle of the day, Andy Robertson catching Conor Gallagher to send him spinning to the turf. No messing about.

It's a foul, but the refereee lets it go with no further punishment.

It's a game with plenty of history, a lot of needle and one very famous slip.

Neither side can afford to trip up today.

It's ninth against tenth, red and against blue, it's crucial, and it is under way...

Liverpool have lost both of their league games in 2023 so far, going down 3-1 at Brentford and 3-0 at Brighton. They've not lost their first three league matches in a calendar year since 1953.

The three losses that year? They came against Stoke, Manchester City and Portsmouth. The Reds did bounce back after that, though, to win their next three, but ultimately finished 17th.

Chelsea have won just two of their last 10 Premier League games (D3 L5), though they did beat Crystal Palace 1-0 last time out. Away from home, the Blues are winless in five Premier League games (D2 L3), their longest run since September to December 2015 (7).

Leon Osman
Former Everton midfielder on Football Focus

Most of Liverpool's starting XI are on the subs bench, but they've struggled for form. Jurgen Klopp made changes against Wolves this week and got a reaction.

I'm not surprised to see the likes of Harvey Elliott still in the team.

The two league games between Liverpool and Chelsea last season were both drawn; this fixture has never been drawn in three consecutive league meetings.

The home team has won just three of the last 17 Premier League games between Liverpool and Chelsea (D7 L7), though two of those have come at Anfield (2-0 in April 2019, 5-3 in July 2020).

Liverpool have lost just two of their last 15 Premier League matches against Chelsea (W6 D7), although one of those was at Anfield in March 2021.

BT Sport

Chelsea manager Graham Potter speaking to BT Sport:

On building on the victory against Crystal Palace: "We can't think too much about the past. We are looking forward to the game today."

On Marc Cucurella coming into the starting 11: "Marc could come in and help today, Carney [Chukwuemeka] can help towards the end of the game. It's a different challenge and we are getting used to it."

On whether Mykhaylo Mudryk could play: "Mudryk can come on at the back end of the game. Like I said in the press conference, he hasn't played much lately. Playing Liverpool is always a tough challenge. Jurgen [Klopp] is a great manager, I have huge respect for him and it will be a tough game."

For the latest round of Premier League predictions, Chris Sutton is up against The Courteeners frontman Liam Fray.

Image source, BBC Sport

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

How on earth can you call this game? Both sides have been incredibly inconsistent this season, and it is impossible to know what they will do next.

I've been unconvinced by Liverpool for a while now, because of their lack of energy and legs in midfield, and their defeat at Brighton last weekend was not even that big a surprise.

I know the Reds then went and beat Wolves in the FA Cup, but I've not seen anything that makes me think they are going to bounce back and clinch their first league win of 2023.

It is a similar story with Chelsea, because we don't know which Blues team will turn up at Anfield.

They got an important win over Crystal Palace last time out but they needed some big saves from Kepa Arrizabalaga to get over the line.

A win would be a huge boost in confidence for both teams, but it is hard to make a case for either of them to take the three points.

Liam's prediction: 1-1

Find out how Sutton and Liam think the rest of the games will go and cast your vote here

Another Klopp 1,000th-game (with an added bit of Chelsea thrown in) stat for you...

Klopp's 1,000th game as a manager (270 with Mainz 05, 319 with Borussia Dortmund and 411 with Liverpool) comes 21 years and 327 days after his first (Mainz 1-0 Duisburg on 28th February 2001).

He's won just six of his 19 meetings with Chelsea (D9 L4), his lowest win rate (32%) against any English side he's faced 10+ times.

Ryan: Unless Havertz is banging in 30 yard screamers during training, I really don’t know what Potter, Tuchel or Lampard saw/see in him!

Will Faulks, Chelsea News, external

Chelsea's co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali are hard to get a handle on.

When they speak it tends to be at private equity conferences and tech summits and, since their bid to buy the club was announced, they've not been afraid to put their ownership in that context - it's a business, not a toy.

Recently, Eghbali lavished praise on Brighton for achieving more than their rivals with a fraction of the spending.

The owners' stated aim is to make Chelsea profitable and successful, and that will start with slashing wages and signing smart, not stupid.

Their model is the Red Bull system - seen in practice at the likes of Leipzig in Germany and Salzburg in Austria - and the Premier League teams run by the big brains of betting.

Yet so far, their actions have been more ex-Blues owner Roman Abramovich than Brentford's Matthew Benham.

They have largely ignored the obvious holes in the team and picked targets seemingly at random. They have then happily paid whatever it takes to sign them. The capture of Mykhailo Mudryk this week was a jaw-dropping example.

Perhaps, behind the scenes, these moves are all part of a grand plan which aligns perfectly with their ambitions.

From the outside, however, it's hard to square the talk with the walk.

Everything Chelsea in one place – bookmark the page or if you’re using the app hit the bell icon for club notifications

Alex Howell
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace would be interested in re-signing Conor Gallagher on loan - if the midfielder was allowed to leave Chelsea during this window January transfer window.

Gallagher started the Blues' 1-0 win over the Eagles at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, playing the full 90 minutes.

However, it is thought Patrick Vieira’s side wouldn't be the only interested party in Gallagher, with Newcastle United reportedly also watching to see if the 22-year-old England international becomes available.

Gallagher’s stock is high at the moment following his inclusion in Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad and his performances for Crystal Palace last season, when he scored eight goals and registered three assists in the league.

It is also unclear whether Chelsea would let Gallagher leave until they have a number of injured players back to full fitness.

Palace are in a period of poor form, having lost three of their past four Premier League matches, and host Manchester United at Selhurst Park on Wednesday.

Everything Palace in one place – bookmark the page or if you’re using the app hit the bell icon for club notifications

James Mountford
Reporter, BBC Radio Merseyside Sport

Image source, Getty Images

When Jurgen Klopp was asked if the result at Wolves could kick-start Liverpool's season, he wisely answered, in as many words, that he was not going to go that far just yet.

The Reds have had too many false dawns in 2022-23, and questions about having turned a corner are a little premature.

The main positives from Tuesday were work-rate, determination and some 'over my dead body' defending, which evaded them at Brighton and left Klopp so disappointed.

Yes, they will need more excellence to match the top sides in the Premier League - not to mention the forthcoming Champions League tie with Real Madrid - and Wolves were misfiring.

However, having conceded three goals in three of their past four away matches, a first clean sheet in eight games was welcome.

There were some unlikely heroes too. Stefan Bajcetic was a workhorse in midfield. Kostas Tsimikas, Fabio Carvalho and Harvey Elliott were the Duracell Bunnies. And Cody Gakpo showed glimpses of the quality he will bring to the table.

On Saturday, the Reds will be even more reliant on the Anfield crowd to drive them over the line.

The corner has not quite been turned, but at least the engine has been restarted.

Everything Liverpool in one place – bookmark the page or if you’re using the app hit the bell icon for club notifications

The latest Football News Show is now live on the BBCiPlayer.

Ben Croucher and Michael Brown take a look at the current ongoings off and on the pitch at Chelsea. They speak to Chelsea fan and writer Daniel Childs to discuss their recent run of bad form and if they are willing to keep patience with Graham Potter as manager.

So far this season Chelsea have spent four hundred and 15 million pounds, a English record, football finance expert Rob Wilson joins to explain how Chelsea are able to stay within financial fair play.