Preview: Chelsea vs. Liverpool

Chelsea and Liverpool meet at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday for the second leg of their League Cup semi-final, with the tie hanging in the balance.

The two teams played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at Anfield last week as Raheem Sterling's second-half strike cancelled out Eden Hazard's first-half penalty.

Chelsea's away goal gives Jose Mourinho's side the slightest of advantages ahead of the return leg in West London, though the away-goals rule will not come into play unless the game is still level after extra time.

The Blues were humiliated on the weekend with a shock 4-2 defeat at home to Bradford City in the FA Cup fourth round, so beating Liverpool has taken on extra significance for the team and their quest for silverware.

Meanwhile, Liverpool make the trip to the Bridge on a 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Brendan Rodgers's men have seemingly turned the corner in recent weeks following a shaky first half to the season.

Not counting last week's first-leg encounter between the clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool's only other clash this season saw Chelsea earn a 2-1 win on Merseyside in the Premier League.

The hosts are expected to welcome back a number of key names after they were rested against Bradford. The likes of Thibaut Courtois, John Terry, Cesc Fabregas, Hazard and Diego Costa are all likely to be recalled.

Brad Jones and Joe Allen remain sidelined for the visitors, but reports have suggested that Daniel Sturridge could start on the bench after a lengthy spell out of action with hamstring and thigh problems respectively.

Chelsea:

Form in League Cup: WWWD Form in all competitions: LWWWDL

Possible starting lineup: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Luis; Matic, Mikel; Willian, Fabregas, Hazard; Costa

Liverpool:

Form in League Cup: WWWD Form in all competitions: DWWWDD

Possible starting lineup: Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno; Henderson, Lucas, Gerrard; Markovic, Coutinho, Sterling

Sports Mole says: 2-0