We might only be a third of the way into the English Premier League season, but we're already left wondering if there are any challengers left for the Manchester City. Two of the more logical combatants will head into battle at Anfield in the showcase matchup of a full day of Saturday soccer in England when Liverpool plays host to Chelsea.
This English Premier League duel will go down Saturday, November 25, 2017, at 12:30 p.m. ET at Anfield. The match will be televised live on NBC.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Liverpool +115
Chelsea +225
Draw +250
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
There isn't much in it between these two teams, and it's hard to really discern of one is truly better than the other. The difference in this particular fixture is clearly just home field advantage.
Liverpool would be around a +225 underdog at Stamford Bridge, so it's only fitting that Chelsea is the +225 pup at Anfield. The Reds are set at +115, essentially giving them around a 45 percent chance to snare all three points.
This could be a big day at the office for both of these teams. Chelsea is three points clear of Liverpool for the time being, but the Reds can crush that gap with a win and keep the second through fifth or sixth place teams in line separated by basically nothing. A Blues win, though, and the gap between the top four and the rest of the pack will be wider than it has been at any point this season.
Key Injuries
A thin Chelsea team isn't dealing with many injuries at the moment, but the knocks that it does have to deal with are potentially substantial. Michy Batshuayi has a foot injury that is going to keep him out for a while yet while Victor Moses isn't quite yet ready to return from his hamstring injury.
Liverpool is getting close to being at full strength once again. There's a real chance that all three of Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Lallana and Joel Matip are out for this match, but the latter two have a chance at returning to the fold. Clyne's muscular problem is going to cost him much of this season.
Recent Form
Chelsea has put together two really good showings in a row against FK Qarabag in the Champions League and West Brom back home in the EPL. These matching 4-0 victories were the best of the season for a team that really needed the boost. That's now three wins in a row for Antonio Conte's side since losing to AS Roma on Halloween.
Liverpool can't say it's in nearly the same form. All of a sudden, this team can't really figure out how to keep the ball out of the back of its own net. The defense looked suspect at times in a 3-0 victory over Southampton last week, but that 3-3 draw against Sevilla was just woeful. The defense had a 3-0 lead to work with, and it looked for everything that the Reds were going to punch their ticket into the last 16 of the Champions League as a result. Instead, the Spanish side saved its bacon and scored three times in succession to snare a point.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
This Chelsea team is in really good form right now, and we would certainly fancy it so long as both Willian and Eden Hazard are in the lineup together. These two were a true terror against Qarabag on Wednesday night on the road, and they should be a nightmare again for the Liverpool defense.
Though it's worth remembering that there is a long road of travel ahead for the Blues to come back from Azerbaijan to get ready for this fixture, they're playing too well and with too high of a price on their heads to avoid in this match at Anfield.
English Premier League Odds: Chelsea 2, Liverpool 1
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