Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson believes that Chelsea will beat Liverpool this weekend because Arne Slot’s side has already confirmed the Premier League title and might take its eye off the ball.
Slot has already hinted that he will make changes to his starting XI to give some players who deserve an opportunity a bit more time on the field. But he also wants to finish the season strongly, with Liverpool still having the potential to reach 94 points.
“I always speak about timings in football, and there is no better time to play Liverpool!” Merson said. “Three weeks ago, I would have said this would have been a tough game, but now Chelsea have a chance of winning it.
“I say that because Liverpool have just won the league and will have been out partying. I’m not saying Liverpool players won’t be professional enough. But even if you take your foot off the gas five per cent in this league, you will get punished.”
Merson predicted a 2-1 win for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool has not played there since the very start of last season when it drew 1-1 on the opening day of the Mauricio Pochettino era in West London, but has beaten the Blues at Anfield twice since and once at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final.
“Let’s not forget, this is a must-win game for Chelsea, and they will be hungry for the three points,” Merson, writing in his Sportskeeda column, added. “If Chelsea want to qualify for the Champions League next season, they must beat Liverpool.
(Image: Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
“After this game, Chelsea face Newcastle away and Manchester United at home before the game against Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season.
“A draw would be a good result at Newcastle and I believe they can beat United at home. Then it all comes down to that final game against Nottingham Forest, which could basically become a cup final to decide Champions League qualification.”
After taking on Chelsea, Liverpool will face Arsenal at home, Brighton away, and then Crystal Palace at Anfield. After that last game of the campaign, Virgil van Dijk will lift the Premier League trophy aloft, with the parade around the city set for the following day.
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“Although we’ve won [the league], there’s still games that we have got to play,” Curtis Jones told the Reds’ official website. “It’s good that there’s still more games because of course I want to play even more.
“At the same time, it’s unfortunate because the parties can’t be as big yet! We were jumping around like kids [after the Spurs game]. What an unbelievable day it was!”
Liverpool.com says: It is a really difficult game to predict. Even if Liverpool makes a couple of changes and gives, say, Harvey Elliott a go over Dominik Szoboszlai, you would fancy it to get something from the game.
If anything, those who haven’t played as much might actually perform better given they have a point to prove. Elliott, if he does start, will be desperate to impress and lay down a marker ahead of what could be a summer in which he has a tough decision to make.
