Mix ‘n’ Match: Liverpool and Chelsea midfield dispels England myth

Liverpool aim to dent Chelsea’s Champions League ambitions when welcoming them to Anfield next time out, and the hosts recent record opposing the reigning European champions suggest they can do so.

The Reds are 23/20 to gain a sixth win in their past eight attempts over the Stamford Bridge outfit, but the numbers in our combined 11 suggest that the visitors have more than a squeak of a chance at reversing form at 9/4.

In what was a tough decision to start with, Petr Cech is chosen to don the gloves in our mixed starting line-up, gaining the nod over Pepe Reina amidst a typically consistent season for Chelsea.

Having recently surpassed the all-time record for Blues clean sheets, we opt for the Stamford Bridge stopper over Reina, whose ability to spark quick counter-attacks was not enough to win him a starting berth, considering the erratic nature of many of his displays this term.

An all-English back four provides Cech’s protection meanwhile, with John Terry marshalling a defence very familiar to the Czech Republic international.

In addition to his three current Chelsea team-mates in Terry, Gary Cahill and Ashley Cole, former Blues man Glen Johnson is handed the right-back slot, after vastly improving the defensive side of his game to complement an insatiable desire to support attacks.

Between them, the backline have contributed 23 goals in all competitions over the past two seasons, proving their worth at the other end of the pitch too.

And whilst it could be argued that a lack of pace in the heart of that defence would be detrimental to the side, Lucas Leiva’s employment in front of the back four should negate such fears.

In an anchor man role, the tough-tackling Brazilian’s inclusion tasks him with cutting off the supply of balls in behind the defence, thus curtailing the playmaker now so often employed behind the striker in modern English football.

Frank Lampard starts deep too, but his selection is warranted by his proficiency in possession rather than out of it, and evergreen ability to ghost into the penalty area unchecked, to contribute from a goalscoring perspective.

And disregarding the belief that the pair can’t play in the same team, Steven Gerrard’s occupation of the position behind the lone striker sees him in the area of the pitch where he is most effective, with the dynamism that once defined his game gradually deteriorating.

A long-range shot master, Gerrard would also significantly chip in with goals, whilst his assist numbers could also swell in such an advanced role.

Either side of him, Eden Hazard and Juan Mata can interchange from flank to flank, with Hazard’s eye for a pass one of the sharpest in the Premier League, and Mata’s ability to find space in and around the penalty area apparently effortless.

Those notions are supported by Hazard’s 12 top-flight assists this term, along with Mata’s 18 seasonal strikes across all competitions.

The prospect of the pair feeding leading Premier League goalscorer Luis Suarez is somewhat irresistible, especially considering the Uruguayan’s effervescent will to run in behind defences.

Having notched 29 times in all competitions so far during this campaign, Suarez is the ideal spearhead of a side with goals flowing from every pore.

He is 9/2 favourite to open the scoring when Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.