Chelsea host Liverpool in a Premier League title blockbuster to welcome in 2022.
Both sides have fallen off the pace set by leaders Manchester City and this will be a key game in the title race.
Chelsea take on Liverpool to welcome in 2022
Chelsea are a point above Liverpool in second but the Reds do have a game in hand.
The Blues drew with Brighton last time out while Jurgen Klopp’s men lost at Leicester meaning both will be eager to return to winning ways.
These two drew 1-1 in August with Mohamed Salah cancelling out Kai Havertz’s opener.
Chelsea v Liverpool: Date and how to follow
The Premier League clash is set to take place on Sunday, January 2 at Stamford Bridge.
Kick-off is scheduled for 4:30pm.
Updates will be live on talkSPORT throughout the evening while talkSPORT.com will be running a live blog for all the action.
The match will also be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League with live coverage starting from 4pm.
Sky Sports customers can live stream this via the app using their mobile, tablet or computer devices.
If not, you can purchase a Sky Sports Day Pass from NowTV for £9.99.
Mo Salah cancelled out Kai Havertz’s opener in a 1-1 draw between these two earlier this seasonAFP
Chelsea v Liverpool: Team news
Chelsea will be without Reece James, Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell and Andreas Christensen.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a doubt while Timo Werner is still recovering from Covid.
Liverpool have recorded three new positive Covid cases but manager Jurgen Klopp believes Sunday’s game at Chelsea is not yet close to being called off.
The Reds boss declined to name the trio as they were still awaiting PCR test confirmations but those affected, plus Thiago Alcantara and Takumi Minamino will be missing at Stamford Bridge.
Andrew Robertson remains suspended.
Chelsea v Liverpool: What has been said?
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp: “[Against Leicester] we missed a pen, got in a rush, never had rhythm but we were not convincing enough.
“I expect a football reaction. I am pretty positive about the mentality of my boys.
“We have to make sure we’re really on it again and I expect a really strong Chelsea. They have a proper football team. Leicester gave us a good example that it can be intense. We will put a proper shift in.
“The only chance to catch anyone [in the title race] is to win football games. It’s not so easy as we play Chelsea a proper football team and might have similar issues as we have.
“You don’t win at Stamford Bridge with an average performance.”
Chelsea host Liverpool in a Premier League title blockbuster to welcome in 2022
Chelsea v Liverpool: Match facts
- After losing four consecutive Premier League games against Liverpool between 2019 and 2020, Chelsea are unbeaten in their last two against the Reds (W1 D1), though both of these games have come at Anfield.
- Liverpool have won their last two Premier League away games against Chelsea – only one visiting team has won three consecutively at Stamford Bridge in the competition, with Blackburn Rovers doing so between 1993-94 and 1995-96.
- The away side won just 12.5% of the first 32 Premier League meetings between Chelsea and Liverpool (W4 D7 L21). Since then, the visiting team has won 41% of the 27 games between the sides (W11 D8 L8).
- Liverpool are winless in their three Premier League games in London this season (D2 L1), with the Reds conceding as many goals in these games as they had in their previous 12 visits to the capital in the competition (8).
- Since a 4-1 win at Manchester United in March 2009, Liverpool are winless in six games against reigning European champions in all competitions (D3 L3). All three of their draws in that time have come against Chelsea.
- Chelsea haven’t won their opening league game in any of the last five calendar years (D3 L2) since beating Crystal Palace 3-0 in 2016. Only once have they had a longer run of winless such games in their league history (10 between 1929 and 1938).
- When playing their first league game of a calendar year away from home, Liverpool have won just one of their last nine such games (D4 L4), going down 1-0 at Southampton in their first game of 2021.
- Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has scored three goals in his nine Premier League games against Chelsea, though they’ve all come at Anfield. Among players to have previously played for the Blues in the competition, only Kevin De Bruyne (4) has scored more goals against them than the Egyptian.
- Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount has been involved in 12 Premier League goals this season (7 goals, 5 assists) – the most of any English player in the competition, and his joint-best return in a single Premier League campaign (also 12 in 2019-20).
- Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in 13 goals in his last 13 Premier League games in London (8 goals, 5 assists). Meanwhile, no Liverpool player has scored more Premier League goals in the capital than the Egyptian (13, level with Steven Gerrard).
