Five Facts: The key numbers ahead of Liverpool vs Chelsea
Tonight is the night Liverpool have been waiting for for 30 years. They were crowned champions last month after Chelsea's 2-1 win over Manchester City, but at long last, the Reds will get their hands on their first top-flight title since 1990. Chelsea now have more at stake here as they seek to secure a Champions League finish as we run through the key facts ahead of tonight's meeting at Anfield...
Chelsea to be undone on the counter attack
Chelsea's defensive issues have been exposed on a number of occasions this season with the Blues shipping 49 times this term, more than any other top half team in the Premier League. 33 of those goals have been conceded away from home, that in itself one of the worst records in England's top tier. Routinely undone on the counter, no team has conceded more goals than Chelsea (7) in fastbreak situations this season, five of which have been shipped on the road.
Conversely, no team has scored more counter attacking goals than Liverpool (9) in the Premier League this season, of which seven of those have been netted at Anfield. No players have scored more counter attacking home goals than Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane (both 3) in the Premier League this season, so the duo will be excited at the prospect of facing a backline the struggles when hit on the break.
Mohamed Salah to continue good home form against former employers?
Speaking of Salah, they Egyptian will hope to close the four-goal gap between himself and Jamie Vardy at the top of the goalscorer charts in his quest for yet another Golden Boot. While his Premier League record against former employers Chelsea isn't great, with just two goals to his name from five league outings, both goals have come in his two home meetings with the Blues, including a thumping effort in this match last season. He'll look to make it three from three tonight.
Liverpool to end strongly against Chelsea side unable to protect the lead
Chelsea have gone ahead in five of their eight away league matches in 2020, but have won just one of those matches, that a 3-2 win at Crystal Palace earlier this month. Frank Lampard's men have developed a statistically calculated WhoScored weakness of 'Protecting the lead' and clearly for good reason.
This doesn't bode well against a Liverpool outfit that have ended matches strongly this season. Indeed, they have scored 17 league goals from the 75th minute onwards in 2019/20, that in itself the third best in England's top tier this term. As Chelsea begin to tire, they may come unstuck late on.
Goals to be at a minimum?
While Liverpool don't have anything to play for, Chelsea are still looking to secure a top-four finish with just a point separating the Blues, Leicester and Manchester United from third to fifth. Yet Chelsea's record at Anfield isn't great and a trip to Liverpool is hardly ideal for Frank Lampard's side, even accounting for the home side's title success.
Liverpool remain unbeaten in 56 home league matches, while their league meetings with Chelsea tend to be low-scoring affairs. Five of last six Premier League clashes between the pair at Anfield have seen two or fewer goals scored, the exception to the rule coming in a 2-1 Chelsea win in Novemvber 2014.
A free-flowing game expected
The WhoScored match forecast suggests 'There will be a low number of cards shown' and it would be a shock if that doesn't ring true tonight. Andre Marriner is the man in the middle at Anfield and he has awarded just 16.9 fouls per game in the Premier League this season, that fewer that any other referee. His yellow cards per game record stands at just 2.4 per match this term, too, while Liverpool themselves have been carded fewer times (13 - 12 yellows, 1 red) in home matches this season.
Committing fewer fouls per game (8.8) than any other Premier League side in 2019/20, Liverpool will be playing pressure free and while there is more on the line for Chelsea; a free-flowing, exciting game with few stoppages is to be expected.
