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A genuine blockbuster awaits in the round of 16 of the English League Cup, as Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield on Wednesday. The hosts enter the match in excellent form, while the Londoners are looking to bounce back after a painful defeat. Adding extra spice to the occasion, Xabi Alonso returns to his former club—this time as Chelsea’s head coach.
Liverpool are performing superbly under Andoni Iraola. The Reds have lost just once all season and have since won four competitive matches in a row. In the Champions League, they came back from 0–2 down to beat Villarreal 4–3, and at the weekend they defeated Brighton 2–0.
In the previous round of the League Cup, they knocked out Tottenham with a 3–1 win. However, the weekend’s league clash against Arsenal also carries huge importance for Liverpool, so Iraola is expected to rest several key players.
Chelsea have had a fairly inconsistent season. The Blues have won six of their ten competitive matches, but suffered a surprise 2–0 home defeat to Tottenham at the weekend.
The Londoners reached the last 16 by beating Luton and Leeds. Facing Liverpool, however, will be a tougher test, especially considering they last won at Anfield back in 2021.
Liverpool–Chelsea: injuries and absences
Liverpool will be without several key players. Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Giovanni Leoni, and Dominik Szoboszlai are all out injured. Florian Wirtz and Víctor Muñoz are doubtful.
Iraola is expected to make significant changes to the starting lineup. Rio Ngumoha, Cody Gakpo, and Lewis Koumas could all get a chance, while Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk may be rested ahead of the Arsenal clash.
For Chelsea, Cole Palmer is suspended after being sent off against Tottenham. Reece James and Emiliano Martínez are injured, while João Pedro is expected to be sidelined for several weeks with a thigh problem. As a result, Estevão Willian and Danny Welbeck are likely to play key roles in the visitors’ attack.
Liverpool–Chelsea betting tips
Liverpool arrive in better form, but the expected squad rotation could significantly narrow the gap between the two sides. Despite the absences of Palmer and João Pedro, Chelsea’s attack still has plenty of quality, while the hosts’ defense hasn’t always looked convincing either.
From a betting perspective, we see the Both Teams to Score market as the most interesting option. Three of Liverpool’s last four competitive matches have produced at least four goals, while Chelsea have scored 25 and conceded 18 in ten matches.
As an alternative, the Over 2.5 Goals market is also worth considering. Given the likely rotated lineups and attacking style of play on both sides, we expect an open, chance-filled encounter. Odds were taken from Boabet.
Liverpool–Chelsea: Wednesday, October 28, 21:00, Anfield.
Sources:
https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/carabao-cup-liverpool-chelsea-stat-pack