Chelsea vs Liverpool Betting Tips (04/04/23) – Where Next for Woeful Reds?

Despite taking an early lead against Manchester City on Saturday, Jurgen Klopp would later admit that Liverpool were ‘lucky’ not to concede more as Pep Guardiola’s men rallied to deliver a 4-1 hammering. The Reds were once again cruelly exposed by an opponent that attacks with numbers at pace, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson in particular left vulnerable as those in red shirts went walkabouts in front of them.

In truth, City scored with their four best chances, but the scoreline did not flatter them: even without the injured Erling Haaland, they were far too good for a team that not long ago was considered to be their equal.

One area in which Liverpool have been strong of late is on the counter attack, and they opened the scoring here with another incisive raid after just 17 minutes – Mo Salah hammering home following good work from Diogo Jota.

The Reds would finish the game with an xG of 0.28 – confirmation of how poor they were at both ends of the pitch, although one chance that didn’t register on the Expected Goals count, when Salah was unable to put the finishing touches on another rare foray forward, could have proven decisive.

Instead, City turned the screw. They equalised with a trademark goal – Jack Grealish getting in behind and cutting back for Julian Alvarez, and they took the lead just seconds after the half-time interval when another cross led to a tap-in for Kevin de Bruyne.

It was no great surprise when a third followed – Ilkay Gundogan getting the important touch amidst a goalmouth scramble, and the fourth was the icing on the cake: this time it was De Bruyne who found himself in space in a wide area to cross for Grealish to convert.

Klopp was once again apologetic to the Liverpool fans after the game, and a dismal campaign is in danger of petering out into absolute nothingness if solutions cannot be found.

The good news, if there is any, is that Chelsea – the Reds’ hosts at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday – are in just as dire straits.

Liverpool Team News

With Stefan Bajcetic and Naby Keita joining Thiago on the injury list, Klopp’s lack of options in midfield are all too apparent.

In theory, Arthur could come in but his lack of game time means that Fabinho and Jordan Henderson – anonymous at times against City – could cling onto their places alongside Harvey Elliott.

You wonder how much longer Trent Alexander-Arnold will continue at right back – his has been a near disastrous campaign, with James Milner a possible deputy on Tuesday. It’s not impossible that Joe Gomez will instead get the nod with Milner getting a rare start in midfield.

Jota was bright at times against City, but you feel Klopp will restore Darwin Nunez to the fold as he looks to secure some positivity from the midweek trip to the capital.

Chelsea Form

Chelsea’s abject form since the World Cup hiatus means they are now looking for their third manager of the season.

Graham Potter has paid for the Blues’ woes, but in truth he was always going to have his work cut out trying to mould a cohesive unit from a squad in which as many as 15 new faces have been brought in.

Two wins from their last nine Premier League starts has condemned Potter to the axe while all but ending Chelsea’s hopes of European qualification. Indeed, their only wins since November have come against sides in the bottom half of the division.

Chelsea vs Liverpool Betting Tips

Chelsea fans will be hoping for a ‘new manager bounce’ from caretaker Bruno Saltor’s first game in charge, while Liverpool supporters will be hoping for anything in the way of positivity from the contest.

The Blues have spent hundreds of millions and still don’t have a recognised striker – music to the ears of Liverpool’s beleaguered backline – while the Reds have won the xG count in five of their last six Premier League games.

That’s what makes the Blues a somewhat surprise favourite for this game – it wasn’t that long ago that Liverpool were beating Manchester United 7-0, after all, so we can take the Reds with a +0.25 Asian handicap at 4/5 with some confidence.

There could be value about the even money on Under 2.5 Goals too. Chelsea’s caretaker will presumably batten down the hatches with a team that is better defensively than going forward, while Liverpool will surely improve at the back if new personnel is brought in.