Liverpool vs. Chelsea – EPL, March 4, 2021

Both Liverpool will be desperate for the win on Thursday to help with their attempts of breaking back into the Champions League places.

It is very tight at the top of the Premier League at the moment – and beating one of your direct rivals gives even more impetus to hopes of a top-four finish.

It tells us a lot that BetOnline has declined to offer Liverpool as odds on to win at Anfield on Thursday, no matter who the Merseyside club is playing. To price Jurgen Klopp’s side in this way earlier in the season would have been unthinkable. But now the Champions are just trying to keep up with the top four, and Chelsea is in the same hunt. The draw bet might be worth a go here.

It would have been a huge surprise if Liverpool hadn’t won at Sheffield United on Sunday, but there was obvious relief from Klopp and the players as they celebrated the first victory in five EPL games. That run of form saw the champions drop out of the top four for the first time since the opening day of the season and has threatened to derail their entire season.

Liverpool will still do well to qualify for the Champions League next season – and a win over Chelsea on Thursday is probably required. Klopp should have first-choice keeper Alisson back after missing the previous game for family reasons. But he will still be without a whole host of defenders and his captain Jordan Henderson. The attacking players will really have to step up in their absence.

Chelsea has its own enviable group of forward players, of course. But it does seem as though Thomas Tuchel has not quite worked out how to use them to the greatest benefit. The Stamford Bridge club saw out a goalless draw with Manchester United at the weekend and rarely looked like troubling De Gea.

But Tuchel is still unbeaten as Chelsea manager. He has changed the fortunes – and belief – of the squad and will feel as though he only really has to tweak his tactics to push his team into a top-four side. Beating Liverpool at Anfield would play a huge part in that aim, but it all depends on whether the home side allows his players to get used to the new style of soccer at Chelsea.

Liverpool’s recent dip in form was alarming as it was predictable. There was always going to be a drop after the extreme highs of last season – and that was before Klopp’s entire defensive line limped out injured. The center-back partnership is still relatively flimsy, and Chelsea might be able to exploit that. But if Salah and Mane increase their effort, it could mean that we have an evenly balanced game on Thursday.