Robert Lewandowski’s brace powered Barcelona to a 4-0 win over arch-rivals Real Madrid in El Clasico. Lamine Yamal shattered a 77-year record while Kylian Mbappe capped off nightmare Clasico debut.
Photo:Getty Images
Hansi Flick has Barcelona dreaming
Hansi Flick simply can’t put a foot wrong as Barcelona boss. The German was at it again on Saturday night, overseeing an incredible 4-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu to round off a magical week.
The German once again named a young side, starting six players under the age of 22 years for the first time in 108 years of Clasico history. The kids did alright too. Pau Cubarsi continues to astound, Marc Casado put in another unreal performance and Lamine Yamal made more history with his goal.
Flick also made a key change at half-time. After a tricky first half, off went Fermin Lopez and on came Frenkie de Jong. The impact was felt straightaway as Barca began to dominate. The goals then started to flow with Flick kicking (and heading) every ball on the touchline.
Barcelona now sit six points clear of their fiercest rivals, while Flick has given fans a week that will live long in the memory. The Catalans have smashed Sevilla, Bayern and Madrid in the space of a week – scoring 13 goals in those three matches and conceding just twice.
Offside FC strikes again
A key theme of the match was, once again, the sight of Barcelona’s crazily high backline catching Madrid offside. And again, and again, and again. By half-time there had been eight offsides, with Kylian Mbappe a serial offender.
Flick’s tactic came as absolutely no surprise to anyone who has watched Barcelona this season but worked time and time again.
The German spoke about his tactics after the game and explained why he doesn’t think it’s “risky” to play such a high line.
“We started very well. In the first half, we did well. The defence was high up. It seems dangerous and risky, but it isn’t. It worked. In the end, we made the right changes at half-time,” he told reporters.
“The players did very well. The players showed their quality in front of goal. Everyone knew what to do, in defence and in attack. I always say that we like to improve. Today wasn’t easy, but we defended well. We believe in our idea. But we have to keep going.”
Lewandowski shows up Mbappe
Robert Lewandowski was on target again in El Clasico to continue his brilliant form this season. The striker added two more goals to his tally, although he probably should have ended the match with four.
Barcelona’s striker now has 14 goals in 11 appearances this season to lead the Pichichi standings. He is far clear of Kylian Mbappe – who was supposed to take La Liga by storm – but in contrast has managed just six league goals since arriving in Spain.
Mbappe did get the ball in the back of the net, and celebrated extravagantly, only to see it correctly adjudged for offside. The Frenchman then found himself regularly caught in Barca’s offside trip, or foiled by Inaki Pena on an underwhelming night.
Yamal already into Clasico record books
There was plenty of talk about Lamine Yamal ahead of El Clasico and, initially at least, the teenager struggled to make much of an impact.
Yet this is a player who has already shown he can rise to the biggest of occasions and did so again at the Bernabeu to score Barcelona’s third goal.
It was the goal that finally finished off Los Blancos and is the first, surely, of many for Yamal in this famous fixture.
Pena passes his biggest test
Inaki Pena came into Saturday’s match with plenty of question marks still hanging over him ahead of a test against the likes of Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe.
The arrival of Szczesny has fuelled the suspicion that Barca are simply waiting for one mistake from Pena to replace the youngster but it simply didn’t happen at the Bernabeu.
The goalkeeper then went on to produce what is surely the best performance of his career to date to deny Mbappe on several occasions and come away with a clean sheet.
We all know that Szczesny is still waiting in the wings, but Flick has placed his trust in Pena so far and was rewarded with a brilliant Clasico performance.
Erik ten Hag will be forced into changing his Manchester United lineup when they face Fenerbahce in the Europa League.
The Red Devils will be targeting their first Europa League win of the season when they face Fenerbahce in Turkey on Thursday evening.
Manchester United have been warned that Jose Mourinho will want “revenge” when they are reunited to face the former manager.
United’s European campaign has been underwhelming so far with Erik ten Hag‘s side down in 21st in the Europa League table after back-to-back draws with FC Twente and Porto.
Thursday’s clash is a huge opportunity for United to get their European journey back on track while relieving more pressure around Ten Hag’s future.
Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images
Bruno Fernandes suspended for Fenerbahce clash
United picked up a much-needed three points after their 2-1 comeback victory against Brentford, but Ten Hag will have to mix things up against Fenerbahce.
That is because club captain Bruno Fernandes is suspended vs Fenerbahce after being sent off in the chaotic 3-3 draw against Porto.
It was Bruno Fernandes‘ second red card in the space of a week after he was also sent off against Tottenham just days prior.
Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery has insisted his team are ready to compete for major silverware as they prepare to host Bologna in their third Champions League game of the season.
The Birmingham-based side have won both of their games in the competition so far having qualified for European football’s elite competition for the first time since the 1982-83 season.
“I don’t want to waste my time here, that is my message. You can’t waste your time here,” Emery told a news conference on Monday.
“My objective here is to keep the same level we have now, Champions League and add more to be contenders for titles.
“This is the message, we love football, we love our work and we want to be successful.”
Villa Park is set for its second Champions League game — the competition was rebranded from the European Cup at the start of the 1992 season — having played host to Jhon Durán’s stunning winner against Bayern Munich in the previous game.
Emery said he doesn’t want his team to merely be making up the numbers, and restated his intention to qualify for the competition on a regular basis.
“We want to achieve the objectives and one of them is to play in the Champions League. It is not about playing there only because of some circumstances — I want to us to stay there for a long time,” the Spanish coach said.
“But it is difficult. Maybe sometimes you can have some problems or struggle in our way, but you have to be resilient. We want to be strong in the idea in our mind and create a strong mentality to always break barriers.
“We can believe, working like we are doing, we can keep it. This is my challenge, this is my objective now.”
Bologna also qualified for the modern version of the Champions League for the first time after finishing fifth in Serie A last term.
They have one point from their two matches thus far, having drawn with Shakhtar Donetsk before succumbing to defeat against Liverpool at Anfield.
Manchester United defender Leny Yoro has been working hard on his rehabilitation on Carrington since sustaining a serious injury during our pre-season tour of the United States.
Yoro, who joined from Lille in the summer, has shared a video of himself training at Carrington as a teaser for what’s to come when he returns to full fitness.
The highly-rated French defender has reached the next phase in the process, as the photographers at Carrington gathered to show off the club’s new signing as he steps up his efforts to recover in training.
According to ManUtd.com, Yoro was put through his paces in the gym at Carrington on Thursday, under the watchful eye of the team’s medical staff.
United We Stand editor Andy Mitten adds that this marks the start of Yoro’s initial individual training in the outdoors since his injury. It’s encouraging news but he will be carefully managed throughout the rest of the recovery process.
The medical team had a busy weekend in the middle of a controversy at Old Trafford, as United overcame Brentford at Old Trafford.
Brentford opened the scoring while Matthijs de Ligt was receiving medical attention on the side of the pitch, despite needing any after having his cut cleaned up for a second time during the first half.
Leny Yoro has to put in the hard work
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
There is still plenty of work to do for the 18-year-old as he has yet to join group training.
He appeared against Rangers during the pre-season tour before picking up a foot injury against Arsenal.
Hopefully, Yoro can make his competitive debut before Christmas but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Yoro is not expected to start games immediately but he will provide cover at centre-back for Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt. The duo were joined by Jonny Evans for another star performance at the back against Brentford on Saturday.
The rest of the United squad is preparing to face Fenerbahce in the Europa League on Thursday night.
Despite undergoing something of a revival in form for Manchester United this season, Christian Eriksen may now be playing to attract potential suitors ahead of his 2025 release.
Indeed, the experienced Dane is poised to depart Old Trafford next June when his terms officially expire with the club.
That’s because, according to Fabrizio Romano, the Red Devils have not initiated talks with Eriksen regarding a potential extension, meaning ‘it’s likely’ he will bid the side farewell upon the culmination of the 2024/2025 campaign.
Yet, the news is unlikely to come as much of a surprise to supporters. While the midfielder has indeed proven to be a dependable figure when called upon this term, he’s now 32 years old and is far past the peak witnessed during his Tottenham Hotspur tenure – a time when United would’ve been better going all-out for his signature.
Having just made his seventh start in all competitions, Eriksen is already halfway to equalling his total starts from the entirety of 2023/2024 – a campaign in which he was forced to settle for a significantly reduced role when Kobbie Mainoo broke through into the first-team setup.
Eriksen enjoying significant upturn in form
(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
In his nine appearances thus far, he has returned three goals and three assists; two goals and one assist came during United’s 7-0 thrashing over Barnsley in last month’s third-round Carabao Cup tie, after which he was hailed as ‘unbelievable’ bySjy Sports pundit – and ex-Spurs teammate – Michael Dawson.
“He is unbelievable, he’s a gifted player, I’ve seen it with my own eyes on many occasions. He can see a pass, he brings calmness, he keeps the ball when you need to slow the game down, he can speed it up, he’s just a really, really intelligent footballer,” Dawson told the panel following the full-time whistle.
Last time out, Eriksen was deployed from the off against previous club Brentford, partnering fellow veteran Casemiro in the middle of the park.
He proceeded to record an impressive 100 per cent long passing accuracy and 98 per cent regular passing accuracy while registering five passes into the final third, five defensive actions and creating four chances, per StatmanDave.
Such exploits would undoubtedly make him a welcome addition to most top-flight clubs.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has confirmed that “discussions with the right people” have begun and are ongoing regarding his contract situation at Anfield.
Virgil van Dijk speaks about Liverpool contract talks
Reds skipper currently on course to become free agent in 2025
Dutchman’s future one of the main talking points for supporters
Van Dijk’s current deal is due to expire at the end of the season, by which time he will be just a few days away from his 34th birthday. It has brought uncertainty as to whether he will continue at Liverpool beyond then, especially with relatively recent admissions that nothing has been happening.
Now, in what feels like a more positive update for fans, the centre-back, regarded by many to be among the world’s best, still has no firm answer on where he is going to be playing in 2025/26 but is actively talking with the club.
“I can say obviously discussions are ongoing, but I don’t know, we will see what happens in the future,” Van Dijk explained this week ahead of facing RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
“My full focus is on Liverpool, wanting to win games that are ahead of me and nothing else. What the future will bring I have no idea at the moment. I can only tell you that discussions have been started and we will see. I feel very good, physically, mentally and I am having fun.
Van Dijk is currently due to become a free agent in 2025 /GettyImages
“Discussions are ongoing with the right people and when it’s time to make a decision or whatever, I think [the media] will know it as well.”
The Athletic report that sporting director Richard Hughes is the one ‘leading negotiations’ with Van Dijk’s agent over a possible extension.
Van Dijk isn’t the only senior Liverpool player who has been facing an uncertain future. Mohamed Salah is also out of contract next summer and remains heavily linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League. In recent days, league director Michael Emenalo has confirmed, “the stories that one of our teams went after him are true”, not ruling out a possible approach from a Saudi club again.
Resolving Trent Alexander-Arnold’s long-term future at Liverpool is another priority for many supporters. The 26-year-old, who has played 320 games for the club in all competitions, is also out of contract this summer and is thought to be a primary transfer target for 15-time Champions League winners Real Madrid.
Arsenal will look to bounce back from their weekend result as they resume Champions League action by hosting Shakhtar Donetsk.
Mikel Arteta was not happy with his side’s performance at the weekend, which saw Arsenal lose their unbeaten start to the campaign in all competitions as they get set to take on Shakhtar Donetsk this week. The Gunners were depleted to ten men midway through the first half when William Saliba was shown a straight red for blocking a clear goalscoring opportunity as Evanlison looked to go through on goal.
A sloppy backpass from Leandro Trossard created the moment for Saliba to react in the way he did, which had a big effect on proceedings from that moment. While Arsenal were seemingly decent in defending whatever came their way, a set-piece routine from a corner undid their backline, as Ryan Christie scored the opener. Another defensive error led to a penalty, from which Justin Kluivert converted.
The loss ensured Arsenal lost their unbeaten start to the campaign. They will now aim to bounce back in midweek as they host Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates. The Gunners are in a good position following two games in the competition, as they beat PSG in the fixture before this one. Arteta will want a good response from his players, especially ahead of the Liverpool clash at the weekend.
Shakhtar Donetsk manager Marino Pusic will want a response from his team to show they have what it takes to progress in this competition. After the first two rounds, Shakhtar only managed to collect a single point from their goalless draw to Bologna before being beaten comfortably by Atalanta with a 3-0 reverse scoreline.
They have since responded with two wins on the bounce in their domestic league, including a narrow 1-0 reverse over Kolos. There are question marks over whether Shakhtar are prepared to face Arsenal’s challenge, but Pusic will look to inflict more problems on Arteta, given how the weekend went for the Gunners.
Team News & Tactics
Arsenal
There are still some concerns within the Arsenal squad ahead of this home clash with Shakhtar Donetsk. Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber are closer to making a return than the other injured stars. However, Mikel Arteta may continue to lean towards caution and probably will not use the duo for this game.
At the weekend, Arteta used Sterling on the right to decent effect. But unfortunately, he had to be sacrificed following the Saliba red card. The on-loan attacker will get another chance to impress on that side, while the manager could keep Gabriel Martinelli on the bench. Saliba will keep his place in the backline alongside Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes.
Arteta could hand Oleksandr Zinchenko a start at left-back and allow Riccardo Calafiori to rest a bit. The Ukrainian is eager to get some minutes under his belt after a period on the sidelines. He was on the bench at the weekend, although the manager did not use him. There could be further changes as Arteta continues to find ways to manage the load on some of his players ahead of a crucial period.
Jorginho might come in for Thomas Partey, with Declan Rice and Mikel Merino keeping their places. Gabriel Jesus could also replace Kai Havertz, as the German might still be recovering from a knee issue picked in the Southampton clash before the international break, while Leandro Trossard should keep his place on the left wing.
Tymur Puzankov is the only known absentee for Shakhtar Donetsk. The fourth-choice goalkeeper is out for the long term with an ACL problem. It would not be as big a concern for them, as Marino Pusic could have all his other layers fit for selection ahead of the visit to Arsenal.
Pusic could continue lining up in his typical 4-1-4-1 formation, with Taras Stepanenko sitting at the base of the midfield. At the back, Valeriy Bondar and Mykola Matviyenko will assume their roles in the central defensive unit, with Yukhym Konoplya and Pedro Henrique taking on the full-back positions.
Ahead of Stepanenko, Pusic will field four midfielders. The highly rated the in-demand Georgiy Sudakov will assume the attacking midfield role, while Dmytro Kryskiv is likely to play a bit deeper and close to Stepanenko. Oleksandr Zubkov and Eguinaldo will provide the width, with Danylo Sikan set to lead the line for Shakhtar.
All four UEFA Champions League meetings between Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk have been won by the home side, in the 2000/01 and 2010/11 group stages; the Gunners won 3-2 at Highbury in 2000 and 5-1 at the Emirates in 2010.
Shakhtar Donetsk have failed to win any of their seven away UEFA Champions League matches in England, all in the group stages (D1 L6). They did avoid defeat on their last visit though, drawing 1-1 with Manchester City in November 2019.
Arsenal have not lost a non-knockout home clash in the UEFA Champions League since September 2015
Arsenal have kept a clean sheet in both of their games in the UEFA Champions League this season (0-0 vs Atalanta and 2-0 vs PSG). They last managed three clean sheets in a row in the competition back in September-November 2007 under Arsene Wenger (4).
Shakhtar Donetsk are one of four teams that have yet to score in this season’s Champions League.
It was rather unfortunate for Sterling to be sacrificed following Saliba’s red card at the weekend, and to be fair to him, the on-loan attacker was bright as an outlet. He will likely get another chance to showcase his skills on the right wing this midweek as Mikel Arteta continues to manage Bukayo Saka’s fitness.
It is imperative for Sterling to show he can replace Saka when the winger is unavailable and provide a solid attacking outlet for Arteta’s side. Shakhtar Donetsk will be a good chance for him to sharpen his skills, and if Saka is deemed unfit to play against Liverpool, he could even start at the weekend.
Prediction
Arsenal 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar Donetsk will come to London under pressure to get back into a respectable position in the Champions League but might face a similar outcome to the last matchday. Marino Pusic’s men might face a big test at the Emirates, with the Gunners the overwhelming favourites to take three points on Tuesday evening.
Arsenal will also look for a significant response after their result over the weekend, as Arteta will likely use this game as a springboard to get ready for the Liverpool clash over the weekend. Despite the possibility of missing some of their key attacking stars for this one, the Gunners are well-placed to get a big win under their belt against Skahktar Donetsk.
Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, last season’s Champions League finalists, are set to clash once again in a highly anticipated showdown.
Borussia Dortmund will have the opportunity to avenge the defeat they suffered in last season’s Champions League final when they hit the road to square up against Real Madrid at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night.
To everyone’s surprise, the defending champions find themselves 17th on the points table in the new UEFA Champions League format. While their league form has been top-notch, they suffered a massive blow at the hands of LOSC Lille in their last Champions League outing.
They failed to get on the score sheet despite all their efforts and ended up losing 1-0 on the night. Carlo Ancelotti’s team are heading into this fixture on the back of a 2-1 win over Celta Vigo and he will be confident of getting the right result at home.
The visitors are on top of the Champions League table after the first two matchdays. Last year’s finalists kick-started the new campaign with a 3-0 win over Club Brugge and in their second outing, they smashed Celtic 7-1. The German giants are high on confidence and will be eager to get one back on Real Madrid after losing to them in last season’s final.
Dortmund are heading into this fixture on the back of a 2-1 win over FC St. Pauli. They were a dominant force and will be looking to put up a similar performance against Los Blancos who are not really playing their best football at this point in time. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti will be without the services of Dani Carvajal, Brahim Diaz and David Alaba. Los Blancos went ahead with a back three where Lucas Vazquez and Fran Garcia were wing-backs in their last outing.
However, Carlo Ancelotti will most likely revert back to a four-man defence against Borussia Dortmund. Aurelien Tchouameni should shift back to midfield, and Ferland Mendy should come in for Garcia in this fixture. It will be a 4-3-3 formation, with Thibaut Courtois in goal. Vazquez and Mendy as full-backs, while Antonio Rudiger should partner Eder Militao in the heart of the defence.
With Tchouameni taking up the defensive midfield role, Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde should be in his support of either side. Rodrygo will most likely return to the starting XI. He will feature on the right with Vinicius Junior taking charge on the left and Kylian Mbappe leading the line.
Nuri Sahin will be without the services of Yan Couto, Karim Adeyemi, Julien Duranville, and Giovanni Reyna for this important fixture against Real Madrid. Meanwhile, the availability of Niklas Sule and Pascal Gross is a major doubt.
The visitors will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Gregor Kobel will take charge in goal. Julian Ryerson and Ramy Bensebaini will be the full-backs for the German club with Nico Schlotterbeck and Waldemar Anton featuring in the heart of the defence.
Emre Can will partner with Marcel Sabitzer in the centre of the park. They will form the double pivot in front of the back four. Apart from protecting the defence, they will look to help control the tempo of the game against a Madrid team that have not been playing their best football in the 2024/25 campaign.
Donyell Malen and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens will feature on the flanks, with Julian Brandt taking charge as the number ten. In attack, Serhou Guirassy will be leading the line for the away team against Real Madrid.
Real Madrid have won seven of the 14 matches played against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League. The visitors only have three wins to their name.
The previous meeting between the two was last year’s Champions League final at Wembley, and Real Madrid won 2-0 without much difficulty on that day.
Borussia Dortmund have failed to win any of their seven away matches against Los Blancos in the UEFA Champions League.
Borussia Dortmund’s previous trip to the Santiago Bernabeu ended in a 3-2 defeat back in 2017.
Borussia Dortmund last won against the team in white back in April 2014.
While recent reports suggest Real Madrid are not happy with the signing of Mbappe, the French superstar continues to do the magic on the pitch. He scored an exceptional goal from outside the box in their last outing against Celta Vigo. He already has eight goals and an assist in his 12 outings and will be eager to add to his tally against Dortmund on Tuesday night.
Prediction
Real Madrid 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
The defeat at the hands of LOSC Lille was a massive blow for the team in white, and they cannot afford to drop any more points in the UEFA Champions League. While they are not in the best of forms, Los Blancos have still managed to get the right result on most occasions, and they will most likely find a way to get past Dortmund who have been doing wonders under Nuri Sahin. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the home team.
Barcelona take on Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday night
Barca sit at the division’s summit having won eight from nine
Sevilla are unbeaten in previous three and secured huge win in Seville Derby before October break
La Liga leaders Barcelona are back in domestic action on Sunday night as they welcome a resurgent Sevilla to Catalonia.
Hansi Flick has enjoyed quite the start to his Barca tenure, with the German’s injury-hit outfit leading the division through the first two months of the 2024/25 campaign against the odds. They’ve started the league season with eight wins from nine, but tougher tests await in the form of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid over the next week.
For now, though, his focus will solely be on overseeing a victory against a Sevilla side that are unbeaten in their previous three games having endured a woeful start to the season under new manager Garcia Pimienta.
Sunday’s visitors currently sit 12th in La liga despite their upsurge before the international break, and they secured a huge victory over Real Betis in the Seville Derby last time out. However, they have a wretched record against the current league leaders with their last victory over Barca arriving in 2015.
Barcelona team news
Gavi is set to return to the matchday squad on Sunday after a year out / Pedro Salado/GettyImages
Barcelona’s injuries forced Flick to turn to La Masia before the break, but the German should be able to welcome several senior stars back into his matchday squad on Sunday.
The boss has confirmed that Gavi, Dani Olmo, and Fermin Lopez will all make their respective returns from injury this weekend, while Lamine Yamal has avoided a major issue and will be available.
However, if Flick opts to rest the teenager with huge contests upcoming, Pau Victor could start down the right.
Frenkie de Jong likely won’t be risked, and Wojciech Szczesny may have to wait a little longer to make his first start for the club.
Sevilla team news
Tanguy Nianzou is suspended for the trip to Barcelona / Fran Santiago/GettyImages
The visitors are without the suspended Tanguy Nianzou after he was sent off in Sevilla’s derby win two weeks ago, so Marcao will likely get the nod at the heart of Pimienta’s defence.
Djibril Sow misses out once again due to a hamstring injury, while Saul Niguez is nursing a thigh problem.
Arsenal loanee Albert Sambi Lokonga will likely have to settle for a place on the bench alongside veteran Jesus Navas and crafty playmaker Suso.
Barcelona vs Sevilla score prediction
Barcelona are bound to be buoyed by the returns of several key figures this weekend, and while Sevilla showed signs of life before the break, they have a wretched record in this fixture and it’s hard to envisage them securing a result on Sunday.
Flick’s coaching has allowed an injury-hit Barca to punch above their weight at the start of the new season, and their excellent start to the La Liga campaign is expected to continue on home soil ahead of a huge week which will reveal a little more about the league leaders.
Liverpool host Chelsea in the Premier League’s standout fixture this weekend
Reds sit atop of the table; Blues fourth
Liverpool haven’t tasted defeat in this fixture since 2021
The Premier League’s standout fixture this weekend arrives at Anfield as league leaders Liverpool take on fourth-place Chelsea.
These two classic rivals have duelled on many an occasion in recent times, including multiple domestic cup finals all won by the team in red.
Sunday’s bout sees two managers new to the English top flight battle it out on the touchline as Arne Slot goes head-to-head with Enzo Maresca. Slot has built on the sturdy foundations left by Jurgen Klopp on Merseyside but has undoubtedly imprinted his own style onto this excellent Liverpool team.
The hosts have won their previous six outings in all competitions.
Maresca’s Blues are unbeaten in seven, but this is comfortably their biggest test since they were beaten by Manchester City on the opening weekend of the season. The Italian boss overcame a tough pre-season to enjoy a prosperous start to his tenure in west London, but this will be a huge test of their credentials.
Liverpool team news
Alisson has returned to the sidelines / Alex Pantling/GettyImages
Alisson has sustained another injury setback which will once again thrust Caoimhin Kelleher into the limelight. The Irishman performed well in the Brazilian’s absence last season.
Liverpool are also without Harvey Elliott due to a broken foot, while the ill Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa, who’s said to be carrying a knock, are both doubts.
The Reds’ stellar backline will remain unchanged, as will their formidable and fluid midfield triumvirate which has burst into life under Slot. Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah will operate off Diogo Jota up top.
Chelsea team news
Reece James could make his first appearance of the season on Sunday / Lyndsay Radnedge/ISI Photos/GettyImages
The visitors received a huge boost during the break as Reece James made his recovery from a hamstring injury. Maresca confirmed that his captain’s workload will be managed, but he should be in contention for Sunday’s game.
Malo Gusto is likely to start at right-back with James earning minutes off the bench.
Chelsea are without suspended duo Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella, so there should be starts for Tosin Adarabioyo and Renato Veiga in defence.
Liverpool vs Chelsea score prediction
Slot’s Liverpool are the real deal. Whether they can sustain a title challenge is another matter, but we know they’re good. Maresca’s Chelsea have also shown plenty of promise, with the Italian efficiently utilising his deep squad, but more questions undoubtedly surround the Blues.
The visitors have benefitted from a kind run and have rarely played away from home in recent outings. This is a huge test, and while they shouldn’t succumb to a blitz as they did on their previous Anfield outing, Chelsea are likely to lose for the first time in the Premier League since the opening weekend.
Expect the hosts to exploit a few holes within Maresca’s framework in an impressive victory.
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