1. Ben Chilwell vs Mohamed Salah
The battle of the wing corridor promises to be a big decision to the outcome of the great battle at Stamford Bridge Stadium. As always, Salah received great expectations from Liverpool fans. Despite the erratic form this season, the Egyptian striker still managed to bring back 12 goals and 7 assists after 2389 minutes of playing in the Premier League.
Salah can rip through any defense if he is at 100%. Therefore, limiting and restraining the former AS Roma star becomes an important task for the Chelsea defense. Ben Chilwell is more likely to take on that task.
The 26-year-old defender gradually regained his form after the first period of the season was sidelined by injury. Chilwell vs Salah promises to be a notable Һoт spot in the upcoming battle.
2. Reece James vs Darwin Nunez
According to Whoscored’s prediction, Nunez is likely to be arranged by coach Jurgen Klopp to 𝗸𝔦c𝗸 left on Liverpool’s attack. That means the Uruguayan striker will face James directly in the Chelsea right corridor.
If Nunez gets past James, the Chelsea defense will be in a state of alarm. In the opposite direction, James is capable of creating many threats to the Liverpool defense if he is free to attack. Will Nunez or James be the winner?
3. Enzo Fernandez vs Fabinho
Fernandez gradually integrates, proving his worth in the Chelsea shirt. Fernandez can hold the ball, launch passes that put teammates in a favorable position to score. The Argentine star will start from the beginning against Liverpool if he does not suffer an unfortunate injury.
On the other side of the line, Fabinho’s seasoned experience is extremely useful for Liverpool in big matches. Despite the decline in form from the beginning of the season, Fabinho is still an important card for Jurgen Klopp in big matches.
The midfield battle promises to be an important bottleneck of the upcoming battle. Fernandez is more appreciated than the current Fabinho.
4. Joao Felix vs Virgil van Dijk
Felix promises to become a powerful attack trigger for Chelsea. “He’s a special player. You won’t find a No 10 with the same technical background as Felix. He can play a role in scoring goals, creating assists, contributing to the game,” said coach Unai Emery share.
Tactical thinking and technical background help Felix be able to take on both goalscoring and assistive roles well. The task of catching the Portuguese striker will be placed on Van Dijk’s shoulder.
The Dutch midfielder is considered the leader of Liverpool’s defense, although he has fallen a lot this season. It’s time for Van Dijk to show the right level, of inherent bravery when the home team needs him the most.
5. Kalidou Koulibaly vs Roberto Firmino
Firmino is a reliable choice for Jurgen Klopp in big matches. The Brazilian striker can play in a deep role to increase pressing, playing the role of a passer when needed.
On the other side of the line, Koulibaly is Chelsea’s most seasoned midfielder when Thiago Silva is absent. The Senegal star will be tasked with locking down Firmino.