Chelsea vs Liverpool: Premier League Preview

Arne Slot’s Liverpool arrive in celebratory mood after last weekend’s emphatic 5-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur officially sealed the club’s 20th English league title. It marked a landmark moment for the Dutchman, who became just the fifth manager to win the Premier League in his debut season—and the first from the Netherlands. While the Reds now enter party mode, Slot has made it clear his side still have targets to hit, including surpassing the 90-point mark.

Meanwhile, Chelsea come into the clash with growing confidence following a run of three straight wins in all competitions. Enzo Maresca’s men put one foot in the Europa Conference League final on Thursday with a commanding 4-1 win over Djurgardens, building on recent Premier League victories over Fulham and Everton. With Brentford beating Nottingham Forest, Chelsea’s fifth-place position gives them control over their Champions League qualification hopes heading into the final weeks.

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Liverpool have now gone unbeaten in 20 straight Premier League games in the month of May, a streak stretching back seven years. Their dominance continued against Spurs last week despite falling behind early, responding with five goals in a display that typified their relentless season. Slot's men are now aiming to hit the 90-point threshold and maintain momentum ahead of their title lift in front of home fans later this month.

Chelsea, despite their early-season turbulence, are finding form at the right time. Their home record has been a strong foundation, with the Blues scoring in each of their last 24 games at Stamford Bridge in all competitions. Not since their August defeat to Manchester City have they drawn a blank on home soil.

Head-to-Head and Stats
Liverpool extended their unbeaten run against Chelsea to 10 matches with a 2-1 victory at Anfield in October, where Nicolas Jackson’s strike proved mere consolation. Chelsea have not defeated Liverpool in a league match since March 2021 and have managed just one win in six prior meetings against teams that had already clinched the Premier League title heading into the match.

Chelsea’s home form, however, poses a potential threat to that run. The Blues are among the league’s most prolific home sides, and their attacking contributions have been spread across a number of players, with Nicolas Jackson in particularly sharp form.

Liverpool remain one of the highest-scoring teams in the league, and with Mohamed Salah now on 28 goals this season, the Egyptian is eyeing another milestone. One more goal would see him equal Didier Drogba’s record (29) for most goals in a Premier League season by a player aged 30 or over.

Team News
Liverpool are close to full strength. Joe Gomez (hamstring) remains sidelined, but Conor Bradley has returned to training and could feature. With the title secured, Slot is expected to rotate, though Salah is likely to retain his spot as he chases personal records.

Chelsea have a longer injury list to manage. Robert Sanchez and Christopher Nkunku both missed Thursday’s win but are in contention to return. Wesley Fofana, Omari Kellyman, Marc Guiu, Aaron Anselmino, and Mykhaylo Mudryk (suspended) are all unavailable. Nicolas Jackson, fresh off a brace against Djurgardens and the match-winner versus Everton, is expected to start again up front.

With Liverpool in celebration mode and Chelsea surging towards their European objectives, Sunday’s fixture could be both entertaining and significant in the race for continental qualification. History favours the champions, but Chelsea’s form and home record suggest a stern challenge awaits.