After a stuttering start to the season, where they lie seventh on the log and trail their opponents by a massive 12 points in 10 games, The Super Reds know what a loss would mean this weekend.
Chelsea remain the only side yet to lose a game thus far, while Brendan Rogers’ Liverpool – a pale shadow of the high-scoring outfit they were last season, are smarting from a fourth straight loss, having succumbed 1-0 to Newcastle United last weekend.
Falls are not usually the problem with big teams, but how they pick themselves up and launch a new attack after that fall, is ultimately what counts.
To say that The Reds are a pale shadow of what they were last season is an understatement. Like Chelsea this season, Liverpool had not lost a game in the league at this mark in the last campaign, yet the four they have lost and the two they have drawn in their first 10 games this season have soiled their reputation as one of the pre-season favourites.
Redemption is usually born out of the ability to beat the so-called favourites and the home side will march onto the Anfield turf hoping to be the first side to send Jose Mourinho’s Blues to the cleaners.
Should that happen, the great revival would be well on track. But will it be that easy? Mourinho has previously shown his ability to frustrate Rogers.
Chelsea were one of the few sides to win at Anfield last season and remain the side that stopped Liverpool from winning their first league championship in 20 years. The Blues were also the only side to have beaten Liverpool both home and away, a feat that escaped even eventual champions, Manchester City.
Liverpool, as unconvincing in the league as they are in Europe, go into this tie at the back of an away trip to Real Madrid, in a UEFA Champions League fixture and could find fatigue as one of the negatives to contend with against a side that is clearly on a roll.
Chelsea will themselves have to contend with the same, following their away UEFA Champions League trip to NK Maribor.
In other fixtures, second-placed Southampton host Leicester City, hoping for a Chelsea slip that would help them close the four-point gap, should they win themselves. Tenth-placed Manchester United host Crystal Palace, while Manchester City are away to Queens Park Rangers, also on Saturday.
Revived Arsenal will be away to Swansea on Sunday, as they wrap-up the weekend fixture hoping to climb above their current fourth position on the log.
Other Fixtures:Saturday: West Ham vs Aston Villa; Burnley vs Hull City; Tottenham vs Stoke City;
Sunday: West Brom vs Newcastle; Sunderland vs Everton
Post published in: Football