Chelsea's tough final month of the 2024-25 season begins on Sunday afternoon as they welcome title-winners Liverpool to Stamford Bridge.
The Blues' serene pursuit of Conference League glory continued in the week, as they cruised to a 4-1 victory at Swedish outfit Djurgården in the first leg of their semifinal.
However, arguably a more important goal for Chelsea is securing Champions League football via a top-five Premier League finish. The Blues edged a tight encounter with Everton last week and would've been thrilled to see Nottingham Forest lose at home to Brentford on Thursday night.
Chelsea currently occupy fifth with four games to go but challenging away days at Newcastle and Forest beckon.
Liverpool, meanwhile, can enjoy the campaign's finale after they were confirmed as champions last weekend. It's been a stroll at the summit for the Reds due to the lack of a distinct challenger, with Arsenal struggling to take advantage of any slip-ups over the spring.
Arne Slot's side have won three on the bounce, including last week's 5-1 dismantling of Tottenham Hotspur, and they're now aiming to finish the campaign with as big a points total as possible.
Here is Sports Illustrated's guide Sunday's standout Premier League clash.
What Time Does Chelsea vs. Liverpool Kick-Off?
- Location: London, England
- Stadium: Stamford Bridge
- Date: Sunday, 4 May
- Kick-off Time: 16:30 BST / 11:30 ET / 08:30 PT
- Referee: Simon Hooper
- VAR: John Brooks
Chelsea vs. Liverpool Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Chelsea: 0 wins
- Liverpool: 3 wins
- Draws: 2
- Last meeting: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea (October 20, 2024) - Premier League
Current Form (All Competitions)
How to Watch Chelsea vs. Liverpool on TV
Chelsea Team News
Maresca once again shuffled his pack in midweek, as his team took a big step towards the Conference League final. Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Trevoh Chalobah and Moises Caicedo all appeared off the bench in Sweden and will be back in the XI this weekend.
Levi Colwill and Pedro Neto were unused subsititutes on Thursday.
The boss has said that both Robert Sanchez and Christopher Nkunku will be assessed ahead of the game due to the knocks they've recently sustained. Filip Jorgensen will retain his place between the posts if Sanchez isn't deemed fit.
The Blues have lost Wesley Fofana for the season.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Liverpool
Chelsea predicted lineup vs Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Lavia; Neto, Palmer, Madueke; Jackson.
Liverpool Team News
Slot has said that he will rotate his starting XI during Liverpool's final four outings of the season, offering minutes to those who have only played sporadic roles in the club's title triumph.
While we shouldn't expect an array of changes on Sunday, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott could both get chances to impress in attack. Mohamed Salah certainly won't be coming out of the side as he aims to break the Premier League's single-season goal involvements record.
Conor Bradley is a doubt due to a knock, while Joe Gomez remains out of action for the visitors.
Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea
Liverpool predicted lineup vs. Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Jones, Gravenberch; Salah, Elliott, Chiesa; Jota.
Chelsea vs. Liverpool Score Prediction
Chelsea's form looks positive on paper, and this game undeniably means more to them after Liverpool wrapped up the title last weekend. However, the Blues cannot think that the visitors will be taking their foot off the gas on Sunday.
Maresca's side, in truth, haven't been all that convincing as of late despite enjoying a prolonged unbeaten domestic run. Moreover, Stamford Bridge has hardly been a fortress this term, with Ipswich Town the latest team to steal points off the Blues in west London.
Thus, a jubilant Liverpool, despite the changes Slot could make to his team, are well-placed to take advantage of what can often appear an insipid Chelsea outfit, hindering the hosts' top-five challenge.
Prediction: Chelsea 0-2 Liverpool
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chelsea vs. Liverpool: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
