Premier League: This Season Will be Better!

Chelsea vs Liverpool

The pick of this weekend’s Premier League fixtures brings together two of the biggest hitters of all, but two clubs which barely landed a blow in the 2022/23 campaign.

Chelsea vs. Liverpool would have been a top of the table clash in very recent times, but neither made it into the top four last term, finishing fifth and 12^th in the table.

But the pundits, the Premier League 2023 betting odds, and most importantly of all the fans at Anfield and Stamford Bridge reckon this year will be better. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are third favourites to win the title behind Manchester City and Arsenal at a price of 9.00 to win the league, while Chelsea are ranked fifth at 20.00.

In pre-season, the Blues have already looked a different prospect under Mauricio Pochettino, and they will fancy a tilt at the top four without the distraction of European football, while the Reds have the Thursday/Sunday routine of the Europa League to look forward to.

But this is the greatest show on Earth, and both Liverpool and Chelsea have big parts to play. Bring it on!

Talking Points

Poch and Thiago can lead Chelsea to greater heights

Pochettino is the man to make Chelsea less of a soap opera this term, and his calming influence makes the current changes at Stamford Bridge seem more like an evolution than the chaotic revolution that has engulfed West London since the arrival of Todd Boehly.

So many players (and head coaches) have arrived and left the club that the playing staff is virtually unrecognisable from the team of 2020.

Thiago Silva remains at the Bridge. The 38-year-old Brazilian is still a Rolls Royce of a defender and, since his 2020 arrival, he has been the one beacon of outstanding quality as lesser players have huffed and puffed around him.

While wing-back Reece James has been given the captain’s armband, Thiago can help the young England man to be Pochettino’s mouthpiece on the pitch, and his experience at the back will allow Chelsea’s creative players to thrive.

World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez is one of the few big money stars who arrived last season who looks like he can settle comfortably into a first team role, while the signing of Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig has set the pulses racing among the fans.

The 25-year-old France star has been one of the standout players in the Bundesliga over the past two campaigns, and he has been mightily impressive in pre-season. Nkunku will produce plenty of Premier League 2023 highlights to get the fans off their seats, that’s for sure.

They won’t be getting ahead of themselves, but the Chelsea faithful certainly have more reason to be optimistic this season.

Salah stays loyal to Liverpool

While Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane are now in the Saudi Pro League, the third member of the best striking threesomes in recent history, Mohamed Salah, is still a Liverpool player with two years left on his contract.

Since the retirement of the legendary Sergio Aguero, the Egyptian has jostled with Tottenham talisman Harry Kane for the mantle of the Premier League’s most lethal hitman until, of course, the arrival of Erling Braut Haaland.

Salah has been a model of striking excellence, scoring 30 goals or more in all competitions in each of the last three campaigns. Liverpool’s supporters simply love him, and he has returned their love in spades.

Reds fans will be excited to see their two new signings in action. Alexis Mac Allister, a World Cup winner with Argentina, has arrived from Brighton, and he is one of the league’s most improved players over the past two campaigns.

As an attacking midfielder, he will link up with Salah to devastating effect. And Liverpool could also unveil another creative talent in Dominik Szoboslai, who has arrived in a big money deal from RB Leipzig.

Liverpool fans will be cautiously optimistic this season, but they know their team needs a good start, which would mean at least a draw on Sunday.

History

These are two of the Titans of Premier League football, and the head-to-heads could hardly be closer with Chelsea edging it at 31 victories to 30 in the Premier League era, while there have been 23 draws.

Both games ended 0-0 last season, but we’ll hopefully see some goals at the Bridge on Sunday.

Betting Tip

Chelsea are at SBOTOP odds of 2.67 to win this blockbuster tie with Liverpool at 2.16 and the draw at 3.44, and I think Poch will get off the mark with a much-needed win.

But it will be a hard-fought game, so I’m taking the Draw no Bet option, and 1-1 is the most likely outcome at a price of 5.80.

 

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