Good morning! In around two hours Premier League champions Chelsea will host Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Neither side have had the best start to the season, but a win this afternoon could kickstart the campaign for either party.
Chelsea have had a difficult week. A late goal from Andy Carroll at Upton Park in their last Premier League fixture saw the Blues slip to their fifth defeat of the season, before Chelsea were knocked out of the League Cup in a penalty shootout against Stoke City. Chelsea's struggles at the start of this season have resulted in questions being raised over Mourinho's position at the club, with speculation that the Portuguese could be relieved of his duties if the team lose again today.
Liverpool have already changed their manager this season, with Jurgen Klopp taking over from Brendan Rodgers earlier this month. The Reds have secured draws with Spurs and Southampton since the former Borussia Dortmund boss's arrival, and saw his side progress to the quarter-finals of the League Cup with a narrow 1-0 win over Bournemouth earlier this week. Draws have been a real problem for Liverpool in the league this season, with half of their 10 fixtures finishing level.
Liverpool have not beaten Chelsea in their last eight meetings with this afternoon's opponents, with the last three fixtures between the two sides finishing level. The Anfield side last beat Chelsea during the 2011-12 season, securing a 4-1 win at Anfield, and haven't won at Stmaford Bridge since 2011. In 162 previous matches in all competitions, Liverpool marginally edge the head to head record, with 69 wins to Chelsea's 56. Last season at Stamford Bridge, it was a 1-1 draw, with captains John Terry and Steven Gerrard getting the goals.
This will also be the fifth time that Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho have been in opposing dugouts, with the Normal One and the Special One meeting each other four times while in charge of Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid respectively. Mourinho has only claimed one win over Klopp, and that was in the second leg of a Champions League tie that the German side had already all-but won in the opening tie.
Mourinho's side come into this match with six losses in their last 12 outings in the Premier League. Prior to that run, Mourinho had lost just six times in 64 matches in the Premier League, stretching back to his first stint in charge of the club.
Chelsea have struggled defensively this season, keeping just two clean sheets in their opening 10 games. They haven't been helped by the knee injury suffered by first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, but Branislav Ivanovic has also come in for criticism for his performances in recent weeks. The team have conceded 19 goals - only four teams have let in more in the top flight.
The visitors have kept twice as many clean sheets as their opponents, with Simon Mignolet earning praise for his performances over the last couple of weeks, particularly in the goalless draw with Tottenham earlier this month.
Liverpool's problems have been down the other end of the pitch, with the Reds finding the back of the net just nine times - only Watford and West Bromwich Albion have been less of a three up front. Injuries have hurt the squad, with Daniel Sturridge only recently returning from a lengthy absence, while Christian Benteke has been in and out of the team since joining from Aston Villa over the summer. As we mentioned earlier, Liverpool have drawn five times in the league so far. Had they been able to find just one more goal in those matches, the club would be two points clear at the top of the table.
Chelsea haven't been the same attacking threat that they were at the start of the 2014-15 campaign, but the team have still shown plenty of intent going forward, netting 15 times in their first 10 fixtures. Diego Costa has just two goals in the league so far - at this point last season he was already on 10.
This is a match that has seen a few red cards over the years, with four players being sent off in the last 10 years when these two sides have met. Chelsea in particular have had a problem keeping 11 players on the pitch this season, with three players sent off so far, while both teams have been picking up plenty of bookings, so it could be a busy afternoon for referee Mark Clattenburg.
Speaking of Clattenburg, he's been on the busier referees this season, handing out 48 yellow cards and two reds in 12 matches. This will be the first time that he has taken charge of a Liverpool fixture this term, but he's already had a run in with Chelsea, sending off John Terry in their win over West Bromwich Albion back in August.
We should be getting the team news in the next 15 minutes or so. Both sides have doubts coming into this match, with Diego Costa forced to go to hospital after picking up a rib injury in the defeat to Stoke during the week. Pedro also had a knock, while Nemanja Matic available again after serving a ban as a result of being sent off last weekend. For the visitors, Christian Benteke is expected to be available, despite missing out during the week, while Daniel Sturridge and Kolo Toure are both out, but James Milner comes back in after serving a suspension.
The managers haven't been the only ones talking in the build up to this fixture. In an interview for Liverpool's website, Benteke said: "I think it's the right time to go there, because they are under pressure to be fair. They have to win, we have to win. So it's going to be a good game and hopefully we can come back to Liverpool with the three points. With the game of game we play now, with the high pressing, we have a chance to put them under pressure. Then let's see what's going to happen."
Meanwhile, Ramires, who signed a contract extension with Chelsea this week, told the Blues' website: "It's a big fixture, there has always been a big rivalry with Liverpool and this is the type of game where everybody wants to play, everybody wants to be involved. These games usually bring the best out of our players. My favourite game against them was the season before last at Anfield. They were close to winning the title but we went up there and won 2-0, Demba Ba score and then Willian got another in the last minute on the break. That win left us with a lot of satisfaction but it also made us feel that if we'd won more home games we would have been further up the table ourselves."
After this fixture, Liverpool will have an eight-day break from the Premier League before hosting Crystal Palace next weekend, although they do have a Europa League fixture on Thursday. Chelsea are back in Champions League action this week though, as they host Dynamo Kiev at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, having drawn with the Ukrainian side earlier this month, before another trip to Stoke next weekend, where they will be looking to avenge their League Cup exit.
For the home side, there's just one change to the side that lost in the League Cup in the week, with Cesar Azpilicueta returning in place of Baba Rahmen. Diego Costa is fit enough to continue up front despite the injury he sustained earlier this week, while Matic is only included on the bench, despite being available again after serving a suspension during the week. Cesc Fabregas also starts on the bench, with John Obi Mikel and Ramires continuing in midfield.
Jurgen Klopp made plenty of changes to his side for the League Cup match, and there are more again today, with goalscorer Nathaniel Clyne the only player retained by the 1-0 win over Bournemouth. Compared to their last league match though, there's just one change for the visitors, with Roberto Firmino taking over from Divock Origi up front. Despite declaring himself fit for this match, Christian Benteke is only included on the bench.
Also hitting a new landmark today is James Milner, who is making his 400th appearance in the Premier League. The midfielder has previously appeared in the top flight with Leeds United, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Manchester City, before joining Liverpool over the summer:
400 - James Milner is set to make his 400th @premierleague appearance, becoming the 24th Englishman to reach this milestone. Landmark.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 31, 2015
Eden Hazard may be the reigning PFA player of the year, but the Belgian hasn't matches his form from the 2014-15 campaign so far this season. He keeps his place in the side for today, but with Radamel Falcao and Loic Remy both on the bench, along with the likes of Fabregas and Matic, the manager has options if Hazard is off the pace again today. The 24-year-old is yet to score in 15 appearances for his club this season, although he has netted in all four of his appearances for his national side.
Perhaps a surprise omission for the visitors today is Divock Origi. With Sturridge and Benteke both struggling for fitness, the Belgian has been starting regularly for Liverpool over the last month, although he has failed to find the back of the net in eight appearances for the club. Klopp has insisted that Origi is not injured, but he has not traveled with the squad.
It's not just been Chelsea's results that have kept Jose Mourinho in the news this season. The manager finished the last match against West Ham in the stands, having already been fined and warned for comments made about referees earlier in the season. The controversy surrounding former first team doctor Eva Carneiro has also been back in the spotlight this week, with the medic reportedly filing a claim of constructive dismissal against the club after she was dropped from the matchday team for treating an injured Eden Hazard against Mourinho's wishes in the opening match of the season.
While Chelsea cannot finish this weekend in the relegation zone, a loss for the Blues could see them slip further down the table, with Bournemouth and Norwich City both in striking distance, although the latter would have to beat league leaders Man City to move above the champions. No side that have made such a slow start to the season have ever gone on to secure a place in Europe at the end of the campaign. If Chelsea are to become the first, they need to start looking above them in the table, and a win today could move them up to eighth.
For Liverpool, a win would likely move them up to seventh, with sixth-placed Spurs, who are three points ahead of Liverpool, having a much better goal difference. A loss would leave the team vulnerable though, with the seven sides behind able to go above them with a win this weekend.
If Liverpool are hoping that this match will be one for their strikers to finally find some form, well, they've probably picked the wrong match. Liverpool have scored more than once against Chelsea in just one of their last eight matches against the London side. However, they have only failed to score in one of their last four visits to Stamford Bridge, so it seems likely that Asmir Begovic will be tested at some point this afternoon.
We've already mentioned that Milner is making his 400th appearance in the Premier League. He's still a couple of months away from his 30th birthday, which makes him one of the youngest players to reach the total:
Youngest to reach 400 #BPL appearances...
29y4m26d - Rooney
29y5m22d - Barry
29y9m27d - Milner
30y3m1d - Lampard
30y3m3d - Heskey
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 31, 2015
This isn't the only Premier League match taking place today, with seven fixtures schedule for this afternoon. The rest are all 3pm kickoffs, but if you want to read our previous for any of those matches, you can find them here.
PREDICTION! It won't be too long until the teams are heading out at Stamford Bridge, so it's time for a prediction. Chelsea would have been the favourites for this match, even with their recent form, but the team news suggests that Mourinho is playing not to lose rather than to go for the win. It's hard to see Liverpool creating too much up front though, given their shortage of strikers, so I'm going for a closely-fought 1-1 draw.
The players are in the tunnel ready to make their way out, led by referee Mark Clattenburg. The sun is still shining at the ground, which is packed as kickoff draws ever nearer.
Hazard might not have scored so far this season, but he has been on target in his last three appearances against Liverpool. If he scores today, it will be his 50th goal for Chelsea.
Liverpool just seem happy to keep possession in the opening moments of the fixture, with Clyne, Skrtel and Sakho passing the ball around at the back. Firmino suddenly charges forward, trying to create something for Milner. The captain can't get a shot away, but the ball comes back to the Brazilian, who scuffs it away from the Chelsea penalty area.
Well that didn't take long! With their first attacking move of the match, Chelsea have opened the scoring. Hazard takes it down the left before Cesar Azilicueta flicks the ball into the penalty area, setting up the arriving Ramires for a bullet header into the bottom left corner. Alberto Moreno was the nearest man to Ramires, but he just didn't spot the run.
CHANCE! Klopp is out of his seat and barking instructions at his side, but it's Chelsea on the move again as Willian looks to weave his way through the middle before being brought down by Lucas, giving the home side a free kick in a promising position. Willian takes it himself, with John Terry trying to get on the end of it, but Moreno does just enough to turn it around the post, although there was an offside so it wouldn't have counted anyway.
Liverpool are struggling to cope with Chelsea on the break as Lucas gives away another free kick for a late challenge on Diego Costa. Willian curls it in again, but Sakho is able to clear it for the visitors. Lucas was given a warning by the referee, having given away a couple of free kicks now, so presumably will be in the book if he makes another foul.
Liverpool finally get the ball back, resulting in Lallana and Firmino battling hard on the left-hand side of the penalty area to try to get the ball into the box, but Oscar is back to help out. Lucas wins it back and sends Clyne on a run down the right, but the defender's low cross it claimed by Begovic. Slowing the pace of the match and keeping possession should help Liverpool recover from the disappointment of conceding so early on though.
Hazard suddenly bursts down the other end before laying the ball off to Oscar, who is completely unmarked. The pass is slightly overhit though, forcing the Brazilian to cross it back in rather than take on the shot, giving the visitors time to make the clearance. Liverpool look so vulnerable at the back though, Oscar certainly shouldn't have been given that much space. Had Hazard's pass been good, they'd have been in real trouble.
CHANCE! Liverpool are heading back down the other end, with Clyne picking up the ball on the edge of the box. He's got Milner in space to his right, but having scored in the midweek fixture he tries his luck, slicing the ball well wide.
Liverpool force the first corner of the match as Ramires turns the ball behind to stop Firmino getting a shot away, but Begovic is on hand to grab the ball as it comes back in. Liverpool are definitely posing more of a threat going forward now, but there hasn't been too much to trouble the Chelsea keeper so far.
CHANCE! Begovic has to make his first save of the match as Lucas flicks the ball on for Adam Lallana, but the England international doesn't catch the ball quite right, rifling it straight at the Chelsea stopper.
Chelsea have another corner to defend as Liverpool continue to press for an equaliser, but Moreno's ball in from the right has a bit too much on it, going over the heads of several of his teammates before being claimed with ease by Begovic.
CHANCE! Clyne and Milner work together down the right, with a cross from the latter eventually setting up Lallana for another shot, but once again it's straight at Begovic. He appears to catch Gary Cahill as he gets his shot away, which has left the Chelsea defender limping a bit, but it looks like he'll be ok.
Emre Can is probably lucky not to be in the referee's book following a reckless challenge on Willian, who is left grabbing his back in pain. The Brazilian quickly recovers to take the resulting free kick, but it's easily dealt with by Liverpool, who seem to have found some degree of organisation at the back now following a sloppy opening 10 minutes.
Oscar, Mikel and Ramires move the ball around in midfield as the home side try to find a way through. Liverpool are hurrying the home side when they're on the ball though, allowing Lucas to win it back for Klopp's side.
Moreno tries to slide the ball in low for Lallana, but Cahill makes the clearance for Chelsea. Willian tries to dig out a cross after making a run down the right, but he can't beat the near defender.
PENALTY APPEAL!Nathaniel Clyne is insisting that he should have a penalty as he tries to tee the ball up for Firmino, only for it to deflect away off the arm of John Terry. The Chelsea captain was just a few feet away from Clyne when the ball was played though, and really didn't have a chance to get out of the way.
CHANCE! Lucas, who only has one previous Premier League goal to his name, manages to outjump Kurt Zouma to get a header away after James Milner curls the ball in, but Begovic gets down low to prevent the ball going in. Lucas appears to have caught Zouma with a flailing arm as well, but the defender looks like he'll be alright after briefly being seen to be the medical staff.
Coutinho plays the ball through to Firmino, but he gives the ball away to Oscar, allowing Costa to make a run down the other end, but he's muscled off the ball by Skrtel, giving Liverpool the goal kick. The Spaniard isn't happy, claiming Skrtel pushed him in the face, and there was a bit of a shove, but nothing that merits the referee stepping in.
Liverpool are finishing the first half on the front foot with Milner and Clyne both trying to work it through to Lallana, but the home side are able to clear.
Milner is on the move again, looking to get a volley away from an Emre Can ball, but the effort is blocked. The midfielder is left grabbing his back too, so might have twisted the wrong way while looking to get the ball away, but he'll be fine.
What a finish from Coutinho! The forward gets the ball just outside the box as the final seconds of the first half tick down, and he just manages to unleash a curling finish before John Terry can block it, beating Begovic to level the scores.
So, a late strike from Philippe Coutinho cancels out the early goal from Ramires. Liverpool looked nervous and disorganised in the opening 15 minutes, but have responded well since then, dominating the final 20 minutes of the first half to get what feels like a deserved equaliser. Interestingly, Mourinho didn't stick around to see the end of the first half, heading down the tunnel as soon as Coutinho's strike crossed the line.
In the opening 45 minutes, Liverpool enjoyed the majority of the possession with 64%, and had seven shots, including four on target, while Chelsea's only effort was Ramires's fourth-minute header. The visitors have been rather physical though, conceding 10 fouls to Chelsea's three, including one which resulted in a yellow card for Coutinho.
Chelsea fans might be a little unhappy with the referee given that the first half went on long enough for Coutinho to get his equaliser. The fourth official had put two minutes on his board, and the Brazilian's finish came almost 30 seconds after. As the 47th minute finished, Liverpool had the ball near the halfway line, but Clattenburg left them to play on, giving the visitors enough time to create the equaliser.
Here's the Chelsea goalscorer doing battle with Alberto Moreno in the first half. Ramires's goal is his first in a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge since December 2013.
Chelsea are on the charge early on as Oscar tries to carve out some space on the edge of the box, with Moreno letting him slip past before he nutmegs Sakho, but Skrtel finally gets the ball clear, while Mignolet gathers as the ball comes back in.
Whatever Mourinho has said to his team at half time seems to have sunk in as the home side look much sharper now than they did at the end of the first half. Coutinho wins the ball back off Willian though, but is unable to get his shot away thanks to a quick run back from Zouma.
Liverpool win a free kick around 35 yards out, allowing Skrtel and Sakho to get forward as Moreno launches it forward, but it's swiftly cleared by the home side. Firmino fires a long ball back in, but there's a misunderstanding between Cahill and Begovic, giving Liverpool a corner.
CHANCE! Cahill scrambles it away for a corner, which leaves Milner lining up a shot from the edge of the box, but he gets too much under it, blasting it well high of the crossbar.
Willian gets himself in a bit of a knot as he attempts to clear from Coutinho. The Liverpool goalscorer briefly gets the ball back, but Willian eventually manages to get it away. Meanwhile, there are bizarre scenes on the sideline as Klopp appears to have had a heated exchange with a member of the Chelsea backroom staff.
CHANCE! Kenedy almost has an immediate impact as he makes a surging run forward, beating Clyne to try to get a shot away from a tight angle, firing just wide.
CHANCE! Chelsea are starting to threaten again as Willian picks out Ramires just inside the penalty area. He tries to smash the ball in on the turn, but Skrtel gets across to make the block.
CHANCE! The home side have a free kick in a promising position, which Willian curls in towards Kurt Zouma, but he can only nod it down for Mignolet to claim.
BOOKING! John Obi Mikel is the first Chelsea man in the book following a busy few minutes for the referee. The Chelsea man wiped Adam Lallana off his feet, resulting in his name going in the book.
Mourinho bursts out laughing and is sarcastically applauding as the already-booked Lucas makes yet another reckless challenge. Clattenburg is giving him one final chance, despite the Chelsea players surrounding him urging the referee to send the midfielder off.
With substitutions, yellow cards and fouls over the last five minutes, it's been a pretty stop-start spell As the action gets back underway, Willian thinks he's through on goal as he benefits from a long ball forward, but Clyne makes a bursting run back to prevent the shot.
CHANCE! Oscar almost scores from 45 yards out as Chelsea quickly win the ball back in midfield, allowing the Brazilian to try to lob the keeper, who was off his line. Mignolet just manages to scramble back and tip it over the crossbar though.
Benteke nods a long ball down for Lallana, who is unable to control it, but Coutinho is waiting behind the midfielder, and is able to curl it into the top right. It looks like it took a slight deflection off John Terry, but Coutinho is certainly claiming it, and what a strike it was for his second of the day.
CHANCE! Liverpool come close to adding a third as Moreno breaks through on the counter-attack, just seeing Begovic tip the shot around the post for a corner, before the keeper punches the ball back in from the resulting set piece.
CHANCE! Moments after Oscar loses the ball on the edge of Liverpool's penalty area, the visitors charge back towards Chelsea's box, with Terry almost deflecting the ball into his own net while trying to clear the danger. The atmosphere has changed since Chelsea fell behind, with the crowd much quieter than it had been through the first 70 minutes.
As casual as you like, Christian Benteke adds a third for the visitors as Ibe squares the ball on the edge of the box for the Belgian forward, who is completely unmarked. He takes a couple of touches as he lines up the shot before slicing it into the bottom corner. Liverpool fans break into a chant of "you're getting sacked in the morning".
Chelsea clearly haven't given up on this as Willian passes to Fabregas, who fires forward to Oscar. Falcao tries to get his boot to it as Oscar fires it towards goal, but Liverpool hold on.
Liverpool are just keeping the ball at the back as the match head into four minutes of stoppage time. Many of the home fans have started to drift away, but the travelling supporters are making themselves heard in the final moments.
CHANCE! Coutinho is looking to complete his hat-trick, but Cahill is just able to deflect it behind for a corner. Liverpool don't attack from it, instead keeping the ball to run a few more seconds off the clock.
The ball drops to Zouma on the right-hand side of the box, with the defender lining up a cross back in with Falcao waiting in the middle, but he completely overhits it.
Mourinho hangs around just long enough for a quick handshake with Jurgen Klopp before stomping down the tunnel as Chelsea slip to their third home defeat of the season. The hosts made a bright start with Ramires's early goal, but their defence crumbled as the match progressed, allowing Philippe Coutinho to net a brace before Christian Benteke put the win beyond doubt late on.
So, that's all from Stamford Bridge for now, but stick around as we'll have plenty of reaction from this match, plus further analysis, player ratings and loads more. There are also six more matches kicking off in the Premier League shortly. Thanks for joining me this afternoon. Goodbye.
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