Match Preview: Liverpool need a response against managerless Chelsea

Arne Slot enters this game under enormous pressure despite the likely top-five finish. The mood around the fanbase remains deeply fractured, with growing acceptance that an end-of-season review may ultimately lead to a change in management. The football simply has not matched the quality available within the squad.

Photo: IMAGO

That places greater importance on the senior core.

Virgil van Dijk must continue to organise a defence that still looks vulnerable to transitions. Dominik Szoboszlai, comfortably Liverpool’s player of the season, will once again be tasked with driving intensity through midfield, while Florian Wirtz continues searching for the kind of dominant display that justifies his elite reputation.

In the attack, much will depend on Alexander Isak, if passed fit. With Mohamed Salah still sidelined, Liverpool needs their Swedish striker to become the decisive focal point. His movement and finishing offer genuine quality, but the service around him must improve dramatically.

The concern for Liverpool is simple: when games become chaotic, this team often loses control.

And Chelsea—even in their current state—still possesses enough dangerous individuals to exploit that.

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Chelsea: Collapse and Confusion

Chelsea arrive at Anfield looking like a club completely disconnected from itself.

The managerial change has not sparked improvement. If anything, performances have become even more unstable, with confidence shattered and direction absent. Injuries, poor recruitment balance, and another failed coaching appointment have left the London side drifting toward the end of the season with little momentum and even less identity.

But unpredictability can still be dangerous.

With pressure effectively gone, Chelsea may approach this game with a level of freedom Liverpool cannot afford. That makes them awkward opponents. There is talent throughout the squad, even if the collective structure remains poor.

Liverpool cannot afford complacency.

The opening stages will be crucial because if Chelsea gains confidence early, the anxiety around Anfield could quickly return. Liverpool’s inability to consistently control matches means momentum swings have become a recurring issue all season.

And in a lunchtime kickoff, intensity and concentration are often difficult to establish.

Predicted Liverpool XI (4-2-3-1)

GK – Alisson Becker

RB – Curtis Jones

CB – Ibrahima Konaté

CB – Virgil van Dijk (c)

LB – Milos Kerkez

CM – Alexis Mac Allister

CM – Ryan Gravenberch

AM – Dominik Szoboszlai

RW – Florian Wirtz

LW – Cody Gakpo

CF – Alexander Isak

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Final Word

This feels like a game being played in the shadow of bigger decisions.

Liverpool may still secure fourth place. Chelsea may still limp into Europe. But neither fanbase truly believes the current direction is sustainable. Both clubs feel caught between eras, waiting for the summer to bring clarity.

For Liverpool, the objective is now simple: finish strongly, secure Champions League football, and prepare for what increasingly feels like a major reset behind the scenes.

Anything less than victory at Anfield against this Chelsea side would only deepen the frustration surrounding Slot and his struggling project.

But given the unpredictability surrounding both teams, confidence remains difficult. This may not be a classic. It may simply be survival.

Steven Smith’s Score Prediction:

Liverpool 2 – 2 Chelsea