Liverpool host Chelsea on Thursday and will look to inflict upon Thomas Tuchel his first loss as a manager in England. A solitary point separates the two sides who will fight tooth and nail till the end of the season to secure a top 4 finish.
With the Premier League entering the business end of the season, let us look at 3 things that will be of interest ahead of the blockbuster clash.
Klopp vs Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel was the successor of Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund. Both know each other very well and have an immense mutual admiration. And now both the German managers are managing two of the biggest clubs in England.
Tuchel, who is yet to lose in the Premier League, would like to continue the solid form, which has been based on a solid defence.
Klopp would really need to think about whether to continue their high line press, something Chelsea haven’t had a chance to exploit yet against any team. The likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Timo Werner thrive in such a set-up and it will be interesting to see how much the Reds sit deep in their half.
But it is unlikely that Jurgen Klopp will change too much of his system and will look to play to his team’s strength. This is why we feel that the clash will be nothing like the dour affair between Chelsea and Manchester United.
Race for top 4
Both Liverpool and Chelsea are aiming for a top-four finish this season. With Manchester City running away with the title, this seems to be the best-case scenario for the rest of the big clubs domestically.
Leicester City, West Ham United, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are all contenders for two spots on the table along with Chelsea and Liverpool. The traffic for the Champions League spot means every point is crucial now till the end of the season and the games involving the teams listed above will all bear added significance.
Matchday lineup tinkering
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Alisson and Fabinho should return this week, and Diogo Jota is back in training as well.
If Fabinho can start, then, this time hopefully, he can play in the defensive midfield role, something Klopp will surely consider. If he takes the leap of faith in defence, we can see Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ozan Kabak, Nat Philips and Andy Robertson foom the back four.
Fabinho could join Thiago and Curtis Jones to strengthen the midfield. Gini Wijnaldum will also be there in the squad. Klopp must decide whether to start Curtis Jones or Wijnaldum. It would be difficult to drop Jones after his spectacular performance of late, though.
Mo Salah, Firmino and Mane will be the front three and Diogo Jota could get some minutes after his long injury layoff.
Tuchel would be worried about the front three of Liverpool and is likely to play a 3-4-3 formation. The defence has been more or less settled but it will be interesting to see whether Tuchel makes any noticeable change in attack for this stern test against the Reds.
Liverpool vs Chelsea is always big on paper, now its even bigger with their respective German managers looking to outsmart one another.