Liverpool vs Chelsea: prediction, head-to-head stats and probable lineups — 09.05.2026
One of the marquee matchups of Premier League Matchweek 36 will take place on Saturday at Anfield, where local giants Liverpool host London’s Chelsea. The home side remain favorites on paper, but Arne Slot’s squad’s inconsistency and the visitors’ turbulent state make this clash far less straightforward than the league table might suggest.
Match preview
Liverpool come into this contest after a painful 2-3 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford, a match in which Arne Slot’s men looked especially shaky in the first half. Prior to that, the Reds edged Everton 3-2 and Crystal Palace 3-1, but those victories didn’t answer the main question: the team still plays in bursts and too often lets the opponent dictate the tempo.
Still, Liverpool’s position in the table remains manageable: the Champions League spots are within reach and the cushion over their pursuers is still comfortable. The return of Alisson should bring calm to the backline, and the possible inclusion of Isak in the squad adds options up front—although starting him from the first minute would be a gamble, so Slot will once again have to balance squad losses with attacking aggression.
Chelsea arrive at Anfield in the midst of a deep crisis: the sacking of Liam Rosenior failed to spark an emotional response, and interim boss Callum McFarlane looks more like a stop-gap solution than an instant fix. In their last outing, the Blues fell 1-3 to Nottingham Forest, and their losing streak in the league has now stretched to six games.
There are some positive squad updates: Reece James is back in contention, Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are expected, and with Robert Sánchez sidelined by a head injury, Filip Jorgensen is likely to get the nod in goal. But Chelsea’s main problem runs deeper than personnel—over their last six Premier League matches, the team has scored just once while conceding 14, a statistic that looks almost damning ahead of a trip to Anfield.
Probable lineups
- Liverpool: Alisson, Robertson, Van Dijk, Konaté, Jones, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Frimpong, Gakpo.
- Chelsea: Jorgensen, Gusto, Chalobah, Adarabioyo, Cucurella, Caicedo, Lavia, Palmer, Fernandez, Neto, Pedro.
Match facts and head-to-head
- In four of the last five Premier League clashes between Liverpool and Chelsea, there have been at least two goals scored after half-time.
- Liverpool have won four of their last seven home league games against Chelsea at Anfield.
- In their last ten home meetings with Chelsea, Liverpool have suffered just one defeat, with four wins and five draws.
- Liverpool have avoided defeat on a (0) handicap in seven of their last eight home Premier League fixtures against Chelsea (four wins, three pushes).
- No more than three goals have been scored in ten of the last twelve head-to-heads at Anfield in the Premier League (two pushes).
- No more than four yellow cards have been shown in seven of the last nine head-to-heads at Anfield in the Premier League.
- Chelsea players have received more red cards than any other team in the Premier League this season (seven).
Prediction
Liverpool are far from their peak, but even in their current state, Slot’s side look more cohesive and predictable than a disjointed Chelsea. For the Reds, this is a chance to quickly shake off the negativity from the Manchester United defeat and take another step toward securing Champions League football. Chelsea have players capable of creating chances through individual brilliance, especially if Neto and Palmer find space between the lines. But the Blues’ current defensive frailties and disorganization without the ball are a dangerous recipe against a side that always brings relentless pressure at Anfield.
