The Pride of London
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Chelsea key clashes at Anfield: Olivier Giroud vs. Virgil van Dijk

By Gabe Henderson

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Christian Pulisic of Chelsea celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea FC at Selhurst Park on July 07, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Justin Tallis/Pool via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Christian Pulisic of Chelsea celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea FC at Selhurst Park on July 07, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Justin Tallis/Pool via Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 22: Frank Lampard, Manager of Chelsea looks on during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) /

2. Both sides vs. Outside factors

The mindset of these two sides could not be any further apart. Chelsea is hanging on for dear life in the top four race—despite leading. The Blues currently sit one-point above Manchester United and Leicester City. The road ahead is tough for the Blues with a trip to Anfield and a match against Wolves remaining.

On the other hand, Liverpool is still celebrating its domestic triumph. The Reds locked up the Premier League title a few weeks ago—thanks to Chelsea—and have nothing to play for now aside from pride. Jurgen Klopp’s side won the league, got eliminated from the Champions League and found itself knocked out of the FA Cup—again, thanks to Chelsea—so there isn’t much to look forward to besides the trophy ceremony. Oh, and beating a rival side to cap off the title celebrations at Anfield.

How each side handles these outside factors will be key in determining a winner for the match. Recent trends favor the Blues, but nobody is doubting the Reds’ capabilities any longer. Chelsea has only lost two of its last 11 matches, albeit big matches, but the squad is in good form. Liverpool has doubled its loss total for the pre-Coronavirus season since the restart, losing two matches as well. The Reds look a shell of their pre-COVID-19 selves, but who can blame them? Klopp’s side capped off one of the greatest seasons ever by an English champion, only losing out on the opportunity to break numerous records with a loss last week.

Everything is on the line for the Blues compared to nothing for Liverpool. Chelsea’s performed extremely well under pressure this season—look no further than the Man United match at the weekend for proof. That doesn’t mean one should expect Liverpool to simply roll over and hand the west London club three points. The hosts will roll out the metaphorical (and maybe physical?) red carpet for its celebrations on Wednesday, a win over Chelsea would make the special occasion even sweeter.

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