There are many key battles to look out for in Liverpool’s conflict with Chelsea this weekend, with Luis Diaz probably benefiting from the guests’ method.
The Reds host the Blues within the Premier League on Sunday afternoon in considered one of Arne Slot‘s hardest assignments up to now.
Liverpool high the desk going into the weekend assembly with a harmful Chelsea outfit, however this could possibly be the largest check of their title credentials but.
The west Londoners are largely impressing below new supervisor Enzo Maresca, with Cole Palmer beginning the season in sensational kind to have his facet in fourth place, 4 factors behind Liverpool.
Forward of a much-anticipated recreation, we spoke to Chelsea fan and author Oli Birch (@OliBirch1) to get the lowdown on the Blues, Sunday’s key battles and rather more.
How would you assess Chelsea’s season up to now?
Early doorways, however I’d say a seven-out-of-10 for me up to now.
4 wins and loads of objectives from our first seven video games after what was a fairly tumultuous summer time is unquestionably a stable begin, and there appears to be a transparent strongest XI rising which hasn’t been the case for a while now.
Jadon Sancho has been a superb addition, slotting straight into the group with three assists in his first 4 appearances.
Marc Cucurella has carried on his kind from the Euros and Nicolas Jackson has seemed sharp in entrance of purpose. In the meantime, Palmer has carried on doing what he does finest.
You can argue it’s been a pleasant begin to the season, and there have been a number of shades of final season with irritating attracts at house to Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest.
However, on the entire, we’ve began fairly effectively and we’ve gained some good momentum heading into a tough run of fixtures now.
What has Maresca achieved to enhance your fortunes?
I’ve been impressed by how Enzo Maresca’s dealt with his first few months in cost.
Throughout pre-season, he recognized the gamers who would swimsuit his type of play and let those that wouldn’t go, like Conor Gallagher, Raheem Sterling and Trevoh Chalobah – although I didn’t wish to see the previous go away.
With such a big squad we wanted somebody to come back in with this method and introduce some stability, and that’s precisely what he has achieved.
Maresca has additionally been sincere about his type of play, stating through the summer time that we’re more likely to concede objectives taking part in within the method we do.
It’s clearly not what the followers wish to hear from a brand new supervisor, however unusually, I feel it’s eased the strain on the gamers and given them confidence to play the way in which we’re, understanding they’ve the backing of the boss.
Have there been any standout performers? Who has struggled?
Palmer has been the apparent one, with six objectives and 5 assists within the first seven Premier League video games. However fortunately, he’s not been the one one performing up to now this season.
As I discussed above, Sancho has seemed a brand new participant since his arrival and carries a real risk each time we’ve gone ahead, whereas on the opposite wing, Noni Madueke has thrived as a daily starter, scoring 4 in six begins.
In midfield, Moises Caicedo has been glorious. We had fairly a number of query marks following an inconsistent begin to life on the Bridge following such a giant transfer, however he has maintained the degrees we noticed in direction of the tip of final season and has been actually spectacular.
When it comes to those that have struggled, it’s tough as we’ve had a constant beginning lineup within the league who’ve all performed fairly effectively.
That being stated, Robert Sanchez has made a handful of errors resulting in objectives already, so I feel he’s nonetheless a slight concern in purpose.
Mykhailo Mudryk has fallen out of favour and has solely managed one begin within the league this season, and the likes of Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile have been demoted to Maresca’s second XI, which is one thing I’m personally pleased with as neither seemed overly spectacular on the again final season.
Is Palmer the very best participant within the league at present?
I feel so.
He has proven already that final season wasn’t only a flash within the pan by way of his objectives and assists, and it’s exhausting to seek out one other participant within the league who’s taking part in at that degree so constantly in the intervening time.
Erling Haaland is clearly up there from a goalscoring perspective, however Palmer’s affect on the Chelsea group goes past that.
He’s glorious on the ball; his motion off it’s distinctive; he’s scientific in entrance of purpose; he places a shift in defensively and is deadly from set items.
What are your ideas on Liverpool’s begin?
Spectacular. We’ve seen with the likes of Man United and Arsenal lately simply how troublesome it may be to interchange a longstanding supervisor who has had a lot success at a membership.
However in Arne Slot, Liverpool seem to have made that transition seamlessly.
He appears to have introduced extra defensive stability in, evident by the actual fact you’ve conceded simply twice up to now within the league and continued the efficiency in assault.
Clearly there are slight chinks within the armour as Nottingham Forest highlighted, and just like Chelsea, the fixtures have been sort up to now.
And on one other day, the win towards Crystal Palace might’ve been completely different had VAR given the penalty for Virgil Van Dijk‘s pull on Marc Guehi.
However high of the league after seven video games positively deserves lots of credit score.
What do you consider Arne Slot total?
I’ve appreciated what I’ve seen from Slot within the early days.
The actual fact he prefers an identical type to soccer as Jurgen Klopp has helped, as he’s not tried to reinvent the wheel.
As a substitute, he has subtly launched modifications which seem to have paid dividends on the again and in possession.
It appears as if he’s the kind of supervisor who likes to develop people, with the likes of likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch all having fun with glorious begins to the season.
Looking forward to Sunday, the place will the important thing battles happen?
One of many essential battles will likely be down Liverpool’s left between Luis Diaz and Malo Gusto at one finish, and Madueke and Andy Robertson on the different.
Gusto likes to get ahead to help Chelsea‘s quick counter-attacks, however doing so on Sunday might give Diaz the liberty of Anfield to run at our defence.
And with the shape he’s been in up to now this season, that would effectively show pricey.
In the meantime, Madueke has the flexibility to pose Robertson some questions given the previous’s kind this season.
His versatility in assault means he’s comfy staying vast and attending to the byline or slicing inside to help Jackson and others.
Then it’s the query of who Liverpool deploy to thwart Palmer.
Gravenberch would seem the apparent candidate given his spectacular kind in his new position, however does he have sufficient defensive nous to maintain Palmer quiet?
Possibly doubling up alongside Alexis Mac Allister is the way in which to go?
Lastly, what’s your prediction?
My intestine feeling is an entertaining 1-1 with Madueke and Salah getting the objectives.
I feel either side have sufficient of their armoury going ahead to bother the respective defences.
The principle concern for Chelsea is who will exchange the suspended Cucurella and Wesley Fofana on the again, each of whom have featured in all seven league video games this season.
For Liverpool, it’s how they cope in transition after we are on the counter-attack.
