- Liverpool have won their last two home games, including a 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace.
- Chelsea have won just one of their last five fixtures (W1, D0, L4) and failed to win their previous two matches at Anfield.
- Liverpool have a solid home record in the Premier League (W10, D4, L3).
Slot and his Reds ready for Chelsea test
Arne Slot was appointed Liverpool head coach on 1st July 2024 and has retained much of the high-intensity, all-action DNA which has served Liverpool well in the past, but his side are perhaps more structured and build up more in possession than before.
Slot’s preferred 4-3-3 shape and style of play is still very much geared towards vertical football, rapid transitions and selective pressing to create overloads, but they do not sit as deep as previously and are a much more possession-based side than under Jurgen Klopp.
This Saturday’s clash with Chelsea, who have experienced managerial changes since Slot’s appointment (they appointed Calum McFarlane on 22nd April 2026), will be a test of his side’s maturity and progress to date as a tactically coherent and adaptable unit.
Chelsea’s pragmatic style has been good for their goalscoring
Chelsea have gone a different direction to Liverpool with their tactical blueprint and much more emphasis is placed on structured possession football, central overloads and inverted full-backs than it has been for many years.
However, the recent managerial upheaval at Stamford Bridge and the appointment of pragmatic Calum McFarlane seems to have made them an even more pragmatic unit.
Their only win in their last five was a 1-0 success over Leeds United in the FA Cup and they have lost four of their last five matches, including a 3-1 home defeat to Nottingham Forest last time out.
Expect goals at Anfield
Chelsea have won the last two head-to-head meetings between these two clubs but both of those matches were at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues edging a 2-1 win when they last met in the Premier League seven months ago.
Liverpool are the rightful favourites for this game at 93/100 and should get the job done at Anfield, where they have won ten, drawn four and lost only three of their 17 home matches in the Premier League. However, Chelsea can nick a goal and both teams to score looks a safer play than backing the hosts at short odds.
Reds are fourth in the league and Blues are ninth
Despite some poor results, Liverpool have been a model of consistency in the top tier of English football this season, sitting fourth with 58 points from 35 matches.
Chelsea’s season has been much more of a struggle and they are ninth in the table with 48 points from their 35 matches.
But while the Reds have the better form - W3, L2 - with two wins in their last two home games, Chelsea are the team in more disarray at present and without a win in their two previous visits to Anfield, so the value is with the hosts here.
Over 2.5 goals looks like the right play in the goals markets at 21/50 with Chelsea boasting a formidable goal return of 30 in 17 away trips in the league. Liverpool have been tight at the back, conceding just 18 in 17 at Anfield and with both teams scoring, this should be a high-scoring affair.
Hugo Ekitike has been the most consistent goal threat for Liverpool this season with 11 in 28 Premier League appearances, while Chelsea are reliant on Joao Pedro, who has 15 in 33.
