Two of the season’s biggest underachievers meet at Anfield in the Gameweek 36 curtain-raiser.
Liverpool v Chelsea kicks off at 12:30pm BST.
A win for the Reds would all but seal UEFA Champions League qualification, with Bournemouth, the only team that could then catch them, having an inferior goal difference.
As for Chelsea, defeat would all but end their Champions League hopes. Already out of reach of fifth spot, they’d be rank outsiders for sixth place without a positive result today.
Remember, sixth could end up being enough to qualify for Europe’s top-tier competition in 2026/27.
TEAM NEWS
Arne Slot makes three changes from the side that lost to Manchester United last weekend.
Giorgi Mamardashvili returns in goal after recovering from injury, so Freddie Woodman makes way.
There’s the expected change at left-back, too, with Milos Kerkez replacing Andrew Robertson.
The other alteration is an enforced one, as Florian Wirtz misses out with a stomach bug. The German had missed training in midweek but had actually returned to the grass by Thursday.
Rio Ngumoha starts in his place.
Alexander Isak is back on the bench after a brief absence, meanwhile.
Mohamed Salah and Alisson, described as “close” to a return to training on Friday, remain out.
As for Chelsea, interim boss Calum McFarlane makes five changes from the defeat to Nottingham Forest.
The fit-again Levi Colwill gets his first start of the season, while Jorrel Hato and Wesley Fofana also come in to a new-look defence.
Andrey Santos is brought into midfield, as Filip Jorgensen gets the nod between the posts.
Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo and Romeo Lavia drop to the bench, while Robert Sanchez and teenage attacker Jesse Derry miss out with head injuries.
Reece James has to make do with substitute duty again.
Thanks to the chronic shortage of fit wingers, it looks like Cole Palmer and Marc Cucurella are tasked with the wide-midfield roles today.
LINE-UPS
Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili, Jones, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Frimpong, Szoboszlai, Ngumoha, Gakpo.
Subs: Woodman, Gomez, Isak, Chiesa, Robertson, Nyoni, Morrison, Wright, Ndiaye.
Chelsea XI: Jorgensen, Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Hato, Andrey Santos, Caicedo, Palmer, Fernandez, Cucurella, Joao Pedro.
Subs: Slonina, James, Acheampong, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Lavia, Eboue, Kavuma-McQueen, Delap.
