Chelsea vs Liverpool score predictions: Mixed bag at the Bridge

Chelsea hosts Liverpool on Sunday in one of the most highly anticipated matches of the season to date. Both sides will be without a number of key players, and the visitors without their manager, but it’s going to be a heated contest regardless. This has the makings of a heavyweight title fight as the historic rivals battle it out for second place in the Premier League table.

The Blues are fighting off poor form without a pair of their best players. Ben Chilwell (ACL tear, out for season) and Reece James (hamstring tear, out for two months) make things very interesting ahead of the weekend headlining contest. There is a lot of speculation regarding which formation Thomas Tuchel will line his side up in. Furthermore, there is no telling whether or not superstar Romelu Lukaku will be included in the side or not after a series of controversial comments made a number of weeks ago. This clash has it all, from drama to injuries to world class talent on display and everything in between. Who will come out on top and have a leg up in the race for the Premier League runner-up position?

Here is how The Pride of London team sees the contest playing out:

Olaoluwa Nwobodo: 1-0 Chelsea

I have no idea how we’re going to pull this off, but I’ll say this: if anyone can find a way, Tuchel can. The Blues are in trouble as they need bodies through the door in this transfer window to even have a chance at coming out of January in a good place. Unfortunately, the club is not known to get deals done quickly, so good luck with those transfers.

Leighton September: 2-1 Chelsea

This is a difficult game to predict. Liverpool comes into this match on the back of an away defeat to Leicester City and the Blues come in on the back of a draw against Brighton at home. The visitors will be without Andy Robertson and manager Jurgen Klopp, which could prove enough of a disturbance in the squad for Chelsea to capitalise. Whether Lukaku starts or not, I back the Blues.

Anthony Gatt: 1-1 Draw

Klopp won’t be on the sidelines, so who knows what effect that will have on this Liverpool side. For that reason and the fact this is a very much depleted Chelsea side, I think this game will end as a 1-1 draw just like it did in August.

Hugo Amaya: 1-1 Draw

Not a good game for Chelsea, but enough to hold off Liverpool. All things considered, the Blues’ defense will be outstanding. The attack, however, will only get few chances. In the end, a tie would be a fair result.

Barrett Rouen: 2-0 Chelsea

To be entirely honest, I have no idea how this is possible and I know it’s completely unreasonable to even suggest. That said, Liverpool just came down with several COVID cases, so we’ll see who has been exposed and who the Reds’ last minute scratches will be. That and I think the Blues are going to feel particularly combative and deadly and as always, I just don’t predict losses. Ever.

Gabe Henderson: 2-1 Chelsea

Similar to my colleagues, I don’t know how it happens, but I feel as if it will happen. This is par for the course for the Blues. They have a chaotic December, everybody counts them out and then they remind everybody why they are Champions of Europe. Whether or not Lukaku plays impacts this prediction in a big way, but I believe logic will prevail in one of the most important games of the season thus far. January is a decisive month and it absolutely cannot start off with a loss. Lukaku’s comments were immature and ill-advised, but Tuchel needs to make his point behind closed doors, not on the pitch. Lukaku starts, Chelsea wins. The Blues take a four-point advantage over the Reds and cement themselves firmly second in the English top flight table.

Mike Malley: 1-2 Liverpool

Things aren’t as bad as they seem at Stamford Bridge, but they’re not particularly good either. Tuchel has handled the Lukaku situation about as well as he could’ve been expected to, and I personally don’t have a problem with benching the striker for a match. It sends a message that distractions will not be tolerated, which will be important given Chelsea’s number of players on expiring contracts. Liverpool is just the better side at the moment though, and will probably win.

What is your score prediction? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!