Saturday, November 23, 2024

Liverpool vs Chelsea – Combined XI

Who makes the cut? (Image: Soccerlens)

One of the most interesting elements of football, apart from the game itself, is its unpredictable nature. Here, things can change very quickly. For instance, consider the case of Liverpool. The Reds were flying high under Jurgen Klopp and had moved to the top of the table in November. However, since the turn of the year, the Reds have won just once in their last eight games, and have been knocked out of two cup competitions. Their confidence brutally shaken, the title challenge slowly slipping out of Liverpool’s grasp.

Three defeats in a row. Three home defeats in a row. Anfield, the fortress, has been breached by teams like Swansea, Southampton, and Wolves. The Reds, ten points off the top spot, are narrowly holding on to the fourth position. It is with this pretext that they face Chelsea at Anfield on Tuesday night, where another defeat will put an end to their title dreams. You won’t find a better example of a team being pushed back to the wall.

Liverpool didn’t waste much time to bring Sadio Mane back to Anfield, after Senegal were knocked out of AFCON last week. With him in the side, Klopp will feel that his side is ready for a tough challenge. Can they win the battle? The stats show that Liverpool are a much better side with Mane than without, and they certainly have the bookmakers in favour, with the likes of Betway and others favouring Liverpool for a home win. A better outcome could be to bet on a score draw, and you can read our review on BettingExpert.com before using any free bet bonus offers from bookmakers.

Chelsea, on the other hand, have gone from strength to strength, ever since Antonio Conte changed his formation to 3-4-3. Diego Costa has been scoring for fun, Eden Hazard is enjoying his football again, and N’Golo Kante is driving the team from behind – this Chelsea side are just unstoppable at the moment.

Here’s the combined XI in a 4-3-3 system:

GK: Thibaut Courtois: It is an obvious choice. The Belgian is one of the best in the league, and probably in the world as well. While there’s no doubt about his goalkeeping ability, what concerns Chelsea supporters at the moment is how long will he stay at the Bridge.

RB: Cesar Azpilicueta: Jose Mourinho might feel that Antonio Valencia is the best right-back in the world, but frankly any neutral would admit that he is no where near the class of the Spaniard.

LB: James Milner: Alonso has been exceptionally good going forward, but his defensive abilities are yet to be tested. Milner, with goals, assists and all round display, is slightly better.

CB: Joel Matip: Strong, solid, and composed at the back, Matip adds a different quality to the Liverpool defence. His battle against Costa will be crucial in deciding the outcome of the match.

CB: David Luiz: The Brazilian has been rock solid at the back for Chelsea this season. His distribution from the deep is crucial to Chelsea’s style of play.

CM: N’Golo Kante: The French midfielder is the heart beat of this Chelsea side – a little dynamite. He tackles. He creates chances. He closes down opponents. He is a real asset for the Blues.

CM: Nemanja Matic: If Kante is full of energy and runs the game at full throttle, Matic controls the midfield with great precision. He brings balance to the side.

CM: Philippe Coutinho: Primarily, Coutinho plays in a more advanced role. The Brazilian, however, is versatile enough to play in multiple positions. His absence through injury has hurt Liverpool badly.

AF: Sadio Mane: With nine goals to his name already, Mane has proved why Liverpool were right to pay over £30m for his signature.

AF: Eden Hazard: The Belgian has returned to his old best, after a disappointing last season. He has scored nine goals and provided three assists. He, however, brings a lot more to the game.

AF: Diego Costa: The best thing about Costa is that he doesn’t miss many clear cut chances. With 15 goals already in the Premier League, he is one of the serious contenders for the golden boot.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nemanja Lazarevic


Working as editor-in-chief at Soccernews.com, Nemanja Lazarevic is responsible for organising and managing the team of writers to ensure the content produced on the site meets high industry standards and remains interesting to our readers. As our go-to guy for the football transfer news, he uses an extensive experience in the industry to dig up latest transfer stories from local sources.

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