'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABhAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABwgQAAICAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQAEgUGERRBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACBREAAwACAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIRAAMFEhMUIUH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AMp2e43K1etNTrwVWPpIDEio28jbMxKgbKfqHyuUGHr03JRJdfl+SRrKiZlWw4UGQbEAAgAYxh0iaL7vWwtyhyE81gFRR2tRiqFFKD4M/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Liverpool and Chelsea will lock horns at Anfield tonight in a high-profile Premier League contest. With both teams neck deep in mid-table mediocrity this season, the fixture does not carry as much hype as it often does.
It's not a great time to be a fan of either side. Liverpool have lost both of their league matches so far in 2023. The Merseysiders are currently ninth in the table and Chelsea are hot on their heels at 10th. Chelsea have not been any better though.
The Blues are a team without an identity under Graham Potter and look extremely vulnerable right now. Both Liverpool and Chelsea's European aspirations are slipping away and it's high time they got their campaigns back on track.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five reasons why Liverpool will beat Chelsea tonight.
#5 Liverpool's attackers could have a field day against an unsettled Chelsea defence
With Darwin Nunez set to return to the lineup, Liverpool has three quality attackers to rely on. Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo could both cause problems for the Chelsea defense, which has been in a state of flux this season, with a rotating cast of players and a lack of cohesion at the back.
It will be crucial for Chelsea to maintain their concentration and focus at the back, and to limit the space and time given to Liverpool's attacking players. With Reece James and Wesley Fofana unavailable, Potter is likely to give Benoit Badiashile his second successive start.
The Blues have kept one clean sheet in their last 14 outings in all competitions and that is a reflection of how unsettled they are at the back.
#4 Chelsea's horrendous form
Chelsea have struggled recently in the Premier League under new coach Graham Potter, with just two wins in their last 10 games. This poor run of form has put their European aspirations in jeopardy.
The team has been facing different issues on and off the field, from defensive mistakes to a lack of creativity in midfield, and poor finishing in front of goal.
Potter has inherited a team that has been underperforming and is yet to turn things around. He has tried different tactics and formations to improve the team's performance, but the results have not been as expected.
#3 Chelsea's injury issues
Chelsea have almost a full XI in the treatment room. Key players like Reece James, Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, N'Golo Kante, and Edouard Mendy are all sidelined with various injury problems.
Additionally, Armando Broja, Wesley Fofana, Christian Pulisic, and Denis Zakaria are also injured. Joao Felix is serving a three-game ban after picking up a straight red on his debut against Fulham.
As a result, Chelsea are short on players and quality both on the pitch and on the bench.
#2 Chelsea's goalscoring woes
Chelsea have scored just 22 goals in 19 Premier League games so far this season. That is, by quite some margin, the worst attacking record in the top half of the league table. The Blues don't really have a reliable goalscoring outlet in their ranks.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been poor and Kai Havertz has been largely deployed as their striker. Sterling and Felix's absences will worsen this problem and they will find it hard to find a way past the Liverpool defense at Anfield tonight.
#1 The Anfield factor
Chelsea has had a poor run of form of late, securing only two victories out of their last 10 matches, while drawing in three and losing the remaining five.
However, when playing away from home, Chelsea has struggled even more, failing to secure a win in their last five matches with two draws and three losses. This is their worst run away from home since September to December 2015, when they had a run of 7 games without a win.
Although Chelsea has won at Anfield in the recent past (in March 2021), Liverpool will be difficult to beat on their own turf. Anfield comes alive in games like these.
