Liverpool poised to complete Premier League double over Chelsea
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The first piece of hard evidence that Jurgen Klopp’s influence on Liverpool was taking hold came at Stamford Bridge back in October. That was five games into the German’s tenure when Chelsea were rolled over 3-1.
Even in the context of a really poor start to their Premier League defence under Jose Mourinho, the visitors’ display stood out for Liverpool’s blend of industry and inventiveness, a knockout combination where Chelsea were concerned.
Fast forward to the last throes of the 2015/16 season and while the Blues are once again struggling for form, this time under Guus Hiddink, their hosts are finishing the season with something approaching aplomb under Klopp.
This is especially true of Liverpool’s results at Anfield, where the former Borussia Dortmund coach has got the Kop rocking (and rolling) again it seems.
While Chelsea succumbed 3-2 at Sunderland last time out, their third league loss in their last five top-flight matches, the Reds defeated Watford 2-0, to record their fifth win in six outings at Anfield in all competitions.
The differing form and momentum of the two rivals seem to mark Liverpool out as decent 20/21 bets for victory. A win for Liverpool would keep the route into Europe open via a strong Premier League, in case their Europa League campaign falls at the final hurdle.
More impressive still, though, is the regularity with which the Merseyside outfit are hitting the net as the season winds down.
In those half-dozen recent outings on their own patch, the least amount of goals bagged in a single match by the Reds is two, while they have scored 3.3 goals per game on average in their last six Anfield assignments in the league.
Liverpool to notch over 2.5 goals therefore looks a peachy punt at 5/2, especially as Blues skipper John Terry will be missing from the visitors’ defence through suspension.
A summer of rebuilding for the most dysfunctional Premier League champions in history is on the cards at the Bridge, but not before a little more misery on Merseyside.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
