Chelsea face stiff title-decider test at Anfield

This is another big game that will go a long way in deciding whether Liverpool will end their 24-year wait for the Premier League title as Jose Mourinho brings his Chelsea side to Anfield.

The Blues’ boss knows that if his side have any realistic chance of winning the league title, then he has to win against Liverpool as they currently sit five points behind the Reds with three games to go, and there’s also Manchester City to add to the equation as they’re a point behind Chelsea with a game in hand.

Liverpool go into the game having won 11 consecutive Premier League games whilst Chelsea’s recent form in the Premier League hasn’t been the greatest having won three and lost three of their last six league games.

Mourinho has hinted that he may play a ‘weakened’ team at Anfield with their Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid delicately poised at 0-0 after the first leg in Spain. It may be ‘mind games’, but weakened team or not, it should be a fascinating contest at Anfield.

Liverpool have shown in recent weeks they have the ability to beat the teams at the top as well as those involved in dogfight down at the bottom, and a win against Chelsea could all but seal the title for them this weekend.

Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling, and Daniel Sturridge have all been in exceptional form this season and with Sturridge likely set to return this weekend, the Reds will have three of the deadliest players in the Premier League at the moment playing alongside one another.

The Blues edged Liverpool 2-1 in December 2013 at Stamford Bridge.

On the injury front, Daniel Sturridge has said he is hopeful of being fit for the game against his former club after missing last week’s win against Norwich City with a hamstring problem. Jose Enrique has stepped up his recovery but it seems the Spaniard will only be available again in pre-season after a knee injury, whilst Jordan Henderson serves the second of his three games ban.

For Chelsea, midfielder Ramires starts his suspension after retrospective action from the FA for an elbow on Sebastian Larsson in the defeat to Sunderland last weekend. In midweek Petr Cech sustained a dislocated shoulder, whilst John Terry hobbled off with an ankle injury. Samuel Eto’o is said to have a knee injury whilst there are still question marks over the fitness of Eden Hazard as he has a calf problem.

Who can stop the all-conquering Liverpool? Still unbeaten in 2014, the Reds have won their last 11 games in a row, including the last six at Anfield. In their last home game, they edged out fellow title contenders Manchester City in a 3-2 thriller.

The lightning-quick Raheem Sterling, who’s scored three goals in the last two games, is just one of the many Liverpool weapons that can terrorise a Chelsea defence that will be without stalwarts Petr Cech and John Terry.

But despite Liverpool’s winning run, they’ve shown in the past two games that they are still fallible at the back. Liverpool squandered a two-goal lead against City, and allowed two goals in their most recent game away at Norwich.

Anthony Nlebem