Chelsea team news vs Liverpool and predicted lineup | OneFootball

Chelsea host newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool on Sunday at 4:30 pm (UK time).

After sealing their championship title with a 5-1 victory over Tottenham in their last match, Arne Slot’s men will receive their first guard of honour at Stamford Bridge.

While the Reds have little at stake except for bragging rights, this match is significant for Chelsea’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

As they begin the weekend in fifth place, tied on points with Nottingham Forest, securing three points will be crucial for Chelsea to boost their chances of returning to UEFA’s premier competition next season—a goal that has been deemed the bare minimum for manager Enzo Maresca this season.

Chelsea predicted line-up vs Liverpool

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson.

This match will mark Chelsea’s seventh encounter against a team that already secured the Premier League championship, the highest number for any club.

Historically, the Blues have won only once in their previous six attempts against such teams (two draws and three losses), with their sole victory coming against Manchester United in the 2012-13 season. Notably, one of their losses was a 5-3 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in July 2020.

However, Enzo Maresca’s side have shown improvement recently, amassing 17 points from their last eight league matches (five wins, two draws and one loss). This is a stark contrast to the nine points earned from the previous ten games (two wins, three draws and five losses).

Chelsea also secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Djurgården on Thursday, bringing them closer to the UEFA Conference League final. Nevertheless, the challenge ahead remains formidable, as Liverpool have not lost any of their last 20 Premier League matches in May (16 wins and four draws), with their last defeat occurring at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in 2018.

Chelsea team news vs Liverpool

Chelsea returned from their trip to Sweden without any new injuries; however, they did face setbacks prior to the match, as Robert Sanchez and Christopher Nkunku were unable to make the journey due to minor injuries.

Enzo Maresca indicated that their absence was more of a precaution than a necessity, leaving their availability for Sunday’s match uncertain.

Malo Gusto is also a doubt and will undergo a late fitness assessment following a thigh issue sustained against Everton.

The Blues will be missing Wesley Fofana (hamstring), Omari Hutchinson (thigh), Marc Guiu (thigh), Aaron Ramsey (unspecified), and Mykhaylo Mudryk (suspended), all of whom are dealing with long-term injuries or suspensions.

Action Jackson

Chelsea are expected to sign a new striker this summer, but Nicolas Jackson is doing everything he can to prove he deserves to be their first-choice number nine as they head into the upcoming 2025-26 campaign.

Jackson started the current season in good form, scoring nine goals in 15 league games, including a notable strike at Anfield. With Liverpool set to visit for the reverse fixture, he’s rediscovered his scoring form after going four months without a goal—though it’s worth noting that two of those months were spent sidelined with a hamstring injury.

In his last game and a half, Jackson has scored three goals, including a crucial winner against Everton on Saturday and two away at Djurgården. He had come off the bench at half-time in Chelsea’s 4-1 victory in the semi-final first leg.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca emphasised the importance of confidence, mentioning that Jackson appears to be a transformed player compared to earlier in the season.