Chelsea and Liverpool are two teams who need wins in the worst possible way. While the other “big” teams are lounging in the top four, the other two preseason challengers for the top four spots, Chelsea and Liverpool, are lagging behind.
Shockingly, Liverpool is doing way better than Chelsea. If being in 9th place is deemed being “better.” Liverpool is in 9th with 14 points, six points behind Manchester United for a top four spot. Chelsea, however is all the way back with the relegation fodder and back in 15th place but only three points behind Liverpool. So while Chelsea may look like they’re in a terrible position, a win Saturday will put them even with Liverpool.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 28: Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool encourages his team during the Capital One Cup Fourth Round match between Liverpool and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield on October 28, 2015 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Getty Images)
But that is much easier said than done. Chelsea has been in a terrible inconsistent slump and was just eliminated by Stoke in the Capital One Cup. Liverpool, on the other hand, has consistently gotten points ever since Jurgen Klopp became manager. It may be a surprise, but Liverpool hasn’t lost a game since the demolition by Manchester United on September 12. Now in the ten games since, Liverpool has only won twice but they eight draws, six times by the 1-1 variety. All while going through a managerial change.
And speaking of managers, we couldn’t talk about Chelsea and not talk about Jose Mourinho. If Klopp is the guy with unlimited optimism and hope to Liverpool, Mourinho has been bringing unlimited pessimism and despair to Chelsea in recent months. There doesn’t seem to be a sense of direction with Mourinho’s side and including him saying controversial things every week and getting himself suspended to what happened last week and likely getting suspended for trying to get into the referee’s locker room during halftime of the West Ham game, it’s become more of a sideshow than the defending champions.
But even through all of these issues, Chelsea can get back into the thick of it with a win against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Start here and string together a few wins and Chelsea can get back into the Champions League hunt. But they have to do this against a Liverpool team. A Liverpool team who may not have the talent on paper, but have a very solid base to build off of and just need a simple spark to climb up the table to catch up to the top four. A win against the defending champions, regardless of the form they are in, can do the trick.
