Alan Shearer on Liverpool v Chelsea: Reds can edge key midfield battle | OneFootball

Anfield fans respect the best players more than any other away ground

I always felt the Anfield crowd respected a good opposition player. You get a great atmosphere, you get the banter off the fans, which is fine - you have to accept that - but I always felt they appreciated a good player from an opposition team, maybe more at Anfield than any other ground.

I have very happy memories of Anfield because obviously we won the league there with Blackburn, despite not winning the actual game.

I managed to score a couple of decent goals at Anfield as well - it's a stadium with an incredible atmosphere.

Chelsea would still take a point even with Alisson news

Chelsea will be happy to walk away from Anfield with a point, despite the injury to Alisson. I know they dropped points in their last home game vs Forest, but I would imagine Enzo Maresca would snap your hands off for a point here, despite knowing a player like Cole Palmer can always pull something special out the bag.

Consistency the key for Chelsea

If Chelsea finish anywhere between fifth and ninth, that wouldn't surprise me, because at times this season, we are going to say, 'Chelsea are a really good team' and other times we are going to say, 'what happened there - how did they lose that game?'

That is just where Chelsea are at this moment in time, because of the inexperience and the new manager. Also, the number of new players they are still trying to bed in.

One week they'll have a great result and the next they will perhaps struggle to get the result they want. Consistency will be the key for Chelsea this season.

Gravenberch has been the key to Liverpool midfield dominance

On Sunday, the key battle will be in midfield, where I think Liverpool have been strong. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis MacAllister have been superb, alongside Dominik Szoboszlai.

The international break always makes it a little bit tougher to call, as you wait to see how players are when they return to their clubs, whether they're ready or not to start the game. If everyone is fit and everyone plays, that midfield battle will be key, and I think Liverpool will come out on top.

The form of Gravenberch has been a real plus for Liverpool and we've seen a real improvement in him under Arne Slot this season.

The strength of that midfield, whether you need the players to sit and defend, or break from the middle, Liverpool have got options to do both.

Liverpool will win this one, for me. They'll have enough in that midfield, and because they're at home, I give them the edge.

Games are always difficult to judge after international breaks, but I still think Liverpool will have enough to take all three points.