Liverpool have the chance to claim arguably their biggest scalp of the season so far when they take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Friday night.
Whilst their domineering performance against last season’s champions Leicester City was impressive in itself, the Foxes start to the season raises more questions about their chances of survival than it did for Jurgen Klopp’s team; who took advantage of Ranieri’s men lacking any cohesion without midfielder N’golo Kante.
The Frenchman, meanwhile, has made a good start to life at Stamford Bridge, proving that his contribution to that title winning side last year was just as vital as that of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, and should Chelsea challenge for the league as predicted, then his contribution will seem to be vital.
However, the Reds have also shown their title credentials; scoring nine goals against three of last season’s top four teams; more impressive is the fact that two of these games were played away from Anfield as the I dotting and T crossing was taking place for Liverpool’s shiny new stand.
But it was their first game in their regenerated home that impressed the most, with Klopp singling out praise for Daniel Sturridge, who looked back to his best last Saturday:
“Staying greedy. The movements were brilliant. Daniel was involved in three or four goals. For the first one, it was a brilliant run. Roberto (Firmino) can make exactly the same run but if Daniel hadn’t made that run he wouldn’t have been free. Being that flexible is the key for all games.”
Klopp’s men also have the edge in recent meetings, having not lost to Chelsea in a competitive match in their last three games, and putting on a clinic against the Blues last year to win 3-1 when at Stamford Bridge.
Although this is a different Chelsea side to the one that stuck the knife in Jose Mourinho’s time at the club, with the ‘Pep Guardiola of Turin’ as Klopp described Antonio Conte, restructuring their defence to good effect.
Chelsea’s re-signing of David Luiz from Paris Saint Germain could be the final piece in the puzzle as the west London club look to push for the title once again, with the Brazilian claiming he has returned as ‘better player’ and that Conte can make him even better.
