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The UEFA Super Cup final is just around the corner, and Chelsea and Liverpool seem ready to fight it out.
Liverpool had a poor pre-season where they lost quite a few matches. However, Jurgen Klopp's side wreaked havoc on the opening day of the Premier League as they put four goals past a helpless Norwich City.
Chelsea had a decent pre-season where they seemed to have made some key improvements. But they ended up falling apart against a superior Manchester United side as they conceded four goals in what was an absolute embarrassment.
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With two sides coming in on the back of such contrasting pre-seasons and opening days, it seems that a fantastic battle is on the cards. Here, we take a look at three battles that will take centre-stage during the match:
1. Trent Alexander-Arnold vs Christian Pulisic
This is a battle between two of the most exciting young talents in the world. Trent Alexander-Arnold is widely regarded as the future of the English backline while Christian Pulisic a.k.a Captain America is already the talisman for the US men's national team.
Pulisic is probably the biggest thing at Chelsea at the moment because frankly speaking, not much else has happened at Chelsea this transfer window. Ever since the departure of the best left-winger in the world i.e. Eden Hazard, Chelsea have been hoping that Pulisic will be able to become their leader.
Meanwhile, the development of Alexander-Arnold's career shows what a young man can do if given the right circumstances. There has been a lot of debate about how young players are not being developed in the right manner, but Klopp decided to take a very simple yet effective approach to nurture Alexander-Arnold's talent: he decided to just continuously give him chances despite many sub-par performances.
When Pulisic goes one on one with Alexander-Arnold, it will likely make for a fascinating sight. Pulisic is a prolific dribbler of the ball while Alexander-Arnold is a fantastic modern-day fullback but lacks in the defensive department. So it will be very interesting to see how Alexander-Arnold manages to balance his defensive and attacking duties.
Pulisic will always be on the lookout to move forward into space and Alexander-Arnold will have a lot of backtracking to do.
2. Wijnaldum vs Jorginho
Georginio Wijnaldum is probably one of the most underrated footballers in the Premier League. Last season, Winjaldum was one of Liverpool's most influential players as he regularly chipped in with a goal or an assist at crucial junctures. Importantly, many of the goals he scored turned out to be deciding factors in the outcome of the match.
On the other hand, Jorginho has been judged harshly by the Premier League. Last season, he was often brushed aside as a one-dimensional player who could only play in one system. This argument was supported by statistics of goals scored and chances created. What went unnoticed though was the fact that Jorginho was the creator-in-chief behind many key chances created. It was to his misfortune that those chances could not be converted into goals due to the lackluster finishing abilities of the Chelsea forwards.
When these two go head-to-head the match, it will make for a great contest. Both players are key figures in their respective teams. Jorginho's passing is perhaps the most important factor behind the build-up play that Chelsea have tried to implement. Moreover, his partnership in the double pivot at the base of the midfield will be essential in linking the attack and defense.
As far as Liverpool are concerned, Wijnaldum's work-rate will be essential in moving the ball up the pitch. Things promise to get very interesting when these two go head to head as neither will allow the other to function freely.
3. Tammy Abraham vs Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk is probably the best defender in the world at the moment. He was one of the biggest reasons behind Liverpool's Champions League triumph as he was an absolute rock at the heart of the backline. His rise to the top has been nothing short of remarkable, and he has become one of the most authoritative figures in the Premier League.
At Chelsea, Tammy Abraham has been handed the No. 9 jersey as Frank Lampard has shown a lot of trust in him. Due to the transfer ban at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have decided to rely on their young brigade this season.
Now, Abraham is quite strong in the air and he is also a great dribbler of the ball. The most striking feature of his game is that he regularly contributes in the build-up play and links up well.
The battle between Abraham and Van Dijk will probably be like a tug of war. Both seem to be strong in the air, hence aerial battles could go either way. While Abraham is a great dribbler, Van Dijk is also known to be very difficult to dribble past.
