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Chelsea logo
Premier League | Gameweek 7
Sep 29, 2018 at 5.30pm UK
 
Liverpool logo

1-1

Hazard (25')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Sturridge (89')

How Chelsea could line up against Liverpool

Ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, Sports Mole looks at how the Blues could line up.

Three days on from knocking Liverpool out of the EFL Cup, Chelsea can overtake their opponents in the Premier League should they win Saturday's latest clash at Stamford Bridge.

Eden Hazard inspired a much-changed Blues side to a 2-1 win at Anfield in midweek, and now Maurizio Sarri's charges will be looking to grab top spot from the Reds, depending on how Manchester City fare against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Chelsea have three more matches to cram in before the second international break of the season, with this top-of-the-table showdown very much taking priority for Sarri.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the Italian may set out his side for this weekend's meeting.

Possible CHE XI vs. LIV

Out: Marco van Ginkel (knee)
Doubtful: Andreas Christensen (knock), Antonio Rudiger (groin), Pedro (shoulder), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (shin)

Sarri is left sweating over the fitness of centre-back Rudiger, who has started all six of Chelsea's league games to date but limped off in the goalless draw with West Ham United.

Gary Cahill has profited from the German's absence, being given his first minutes of the season in the stalemate at the London Stadium and then playing a full part in the EFL Cup tie with Liverpool.

A knock sustained by Christensen at Anfield means that Cahill could well be Sarri's only realistic option alongside David Luiz, and there is further bad news as Pedro is still recovering from a shoulder injury picked up away to PAOK.

Sarri does at least have Willian and an in-form Hazard to call upon in his forward line, while Olivier Giroud - who has five goals in his last six Premier League starts against Liverpool - is now preferred to Alvaro Morata through the middle.

Elsewhere, the Italian has favoured a midfield triumvirate of Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and N'Golo Kante in the league, which should remain the case for the visit of Liverpool.

Kante is no longer indispensable, and it could well be that a fit-again Cesc Fabregas gets the nod against more defence-minded teams in the future, but the Reds are not exactly known for sitting back and the Frenchman's battling qualities will be needed this weekend.

> Click here to see how Liverpool could line up for this fixture

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Ross Barkley in action with Naby Keita during the EFL Cup clash between Chelsea and Liverpool on September 26, 2018
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014


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