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Liverpool can close to within a point of Champions League qualification if they continue to pile misery on Chelsea this Saturday afternoon.
Both sides head into the weekend fixture in fairly gloomy spirits, with the hosts left deflated after suffering their first Manchester United double in ten years. Arne Slot's men simply failed to deliver at Old Trafford despite a brief resurgence early in the second half, as Kobbie Mainoo's goal settled a rollercoaster contest.
The Red Devils, in doing so, secured their place among Europe's elite for next season. Liverpool have rarely looked like a side capable of competing at the highest level this campaign, with fans largely eager for the season to come to an end.
That end is approaching, but Liverpool must make sure there's no unnecessary drama over the coming weeks.
Liverpool Still Without Key Leaders
The embattled Slot was compelled to make a significant tactical adjustment last week at Old Trafford, with Alexander Isak's absence prompting Liverpool to field a pair of false nines. A repeat at Anfield on Saturday seems unlikely, with Cody Gakpo potentially deployed as a lone frontman against the Blues.
Slot downplayed the severity of Isak's groin problem ahead of last week's loss, but the Swede has yet to return to training. The same applies to Mohamed Salah, who is still expected to recover from a hamstring issue before the season concludes, as well as Alisson.
The Brazilian is reportedly nearing a comeback, though it remains unclear whether he'll be fit in time for Chelsea's visit.
Giorgi Mamardashvili is unlikely to shake off a leg injury, while Hugo Ekitiké, Wataru Endō, Conor Bradley, and Giovanni Leoni face extended spells on the sidelines.
Ibrahima Konaté was absent from training on Wednesday for undisclosed reasons.
Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea
GK: Freddie Woodman—Alisson appears to have a chance of making yet another long-awaited return, but if the Brazilian isn't fit, third-choice Woodman will earn his third Premier League start for the club.
RB: Joe Gomez—An unused substitute last weekend, Gomez has featured intermittently this season but could be called upon to shore up Liverpool's right flank.
CB: Ibrahima Konaté—Konaté could be a doubt heading into the match after missing Wednesday's training session. That said, there don't appear to be significant concerns over a serious injury.
CB: Virgil van Dijk—Liverpool's skipper is among those who'll be glad to see the back of 2025–26, with the commanding presence he rediscovered last season having faded once more.
LB: Milos Kerkez—Slot has leaned on the experience of Andy Robertson for Liverpool's more important fixtures of late, but the Scotsman struggled at Old Trafford. With Gomez providing greater stability on the opposite side, Kerkez could be restored to the starting lineup.
CM: Ryan Gravenberch—Liverpool's dynamic midfield hasn't clicked as smoothly as it did last season, but Chelsea's leaky engine room could give the Reds a chance to rediscover their 2024–25 form.
CM: Dominik Szoboszlai—The Hungarian gave everything to drag Liverpool back into the game at Old Trafford, pulling one back with an impressive solo run at the start of the second half. Alexis Mac Allister doesn't need to start here.
RW: Jeremie Frimpong—Salah has an outside chance of returning to the squad this weekend, but the Egyptian may be kept in reserve. Frimpong is a far from ideal replacement, yet it's the route Slot will likely be forced to take at Anfield.
AM: Florian Wirtz—Wirtz at least found some dangerous pockets of space last time out and should be given similar room by Chelsea this weekend. Nevertheless, the German has fallen well short of expectations after showing flashes of brilliance earlier in the year.
LW: Rio Ngumoha—The youngster was exposed defensively last weekend, perhaps justifying Slot's reluctance to trust him against the Premier League's top sides. However, the Liverpool manager has little to worry about by starting Rio against this Chelsea outfit.
ST: Cody Gakpo—Assuming the dual false nine setup isn't revisited, Gakpo will once again take up the central striking role. This is the position he occupied for much of his time under Jürgen Klopp at Anfield, before Slot unlocked his best form out wide last season.