Liverpool must snap their two-game losing run to head into the international break with some momentum, and Chelsea are the hosts in the final game before club football is put on pause again.
Chelsea vs. Liverpool
Premier League (7) | Stamford Bridge
October 4, 2025 | 5.30pm (BST)
It has not been the best week for Liverpool with back-to-back defeats on the road, and their third test away from Anfield now awaits against Chelsea.
With the international break to follow the match, the Reds need a positive result to lift the spirits as the players then jet off around the world.
1. Alisson OUT, but better news on Ekitike
Alisson will not feature on Saturday with the goalkeeper sustaining another hamstring injury that is reportedly expected to see him ruled out until after the November international break.
“It’s always difficult to say the amount of days and weeks, but for the upcoming games he will not be part of us or for the Brazil team,” Slot said of his No. 1.
Giorgi Mamardashvili will replace the 33-year-old for his first taste of consecutive appearances for the club.
As for Hugo Ekitike, he will train with the squad on Friday and a decision will then be made on his ability to feature after pulling up with a hamstring issue in midweek.
Federico Chiesa will also undergo a fitness test after being left on Merseyside while the team travelled to Istanbul due to what Slot called a “little niggle.”
2. Chelsea could be without 9 players
Chelsea are counting their losses for this fixture due to injury and suspension, the latter thanks to three red cards in nine games across all competitions.
Cole Palmer, Liam Delap, Levi Colwill, Dario Essugo and Tosin Adarabioyo all miss out due to injury, while Wesley Fofana and Andrey Santos are doubtful.
Trevoh Chalobah misses the match due to suspension after being shown a red card against Brighton, Mykhaylo Mudryk remains sidelined after being charged with a doping offence by the FA.
Joao Pedro was sent off in midweek but that will not impact his participation in the Premier League, with the 24-year-old expected to be in the Blues’ starting lineup if fit.
Possible Chelsea XI: Sanchez; James, Acheampong, Badiashile, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Estevao, Buonanotte, Neto; Pedro
3. Form guide
Liverpool head into the match as the early Premier League leaders with 15 points, with Chelsea currently eighth after picking up eight in their first six games.
Their recent form across all competitions is as follows:
Form, last 5 matches (L-R)
Chelsea: W, L, W, L, L – 6 scored, 9 conceded
Liverpool: L, L, W, W, W – 8 scored, 7 conceded
Hard to see either team keeping a clean sheet if recent form is anything to go by!
4. Predicted Liverpool lineup
There will be calls for Slot to make several changes, but it is hard to see the Dutchman straying too far away from his new set-up.
Mamardashvili is the obvious inclusion, while Andy Robertson could also be recalled after being left unused in the last two matches.
Dominik Szoboszlai will likely start at right-back again to accommodate Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz in midfield.
With Ekitike touch and go after his hamstring issue in midweek, the best outcome is that the Frenchman is an option from the bench as Alexander Isak starts.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak
5. Travel chaos for supporters
This country never makes it easy to use public transport to get to and from your destination, and it is no different if you are intending on making the trip to Stamford Bridge.
Supporters have been advised that there are no viable Avanti West Coast services back to Liverpool after the match, with the 20.31 train to Preston (via Warrington BQ) listed as an option.
There are also planned engineering works on the London Underground, meaning Fulham Broadway Station is closed all day and there are no District Line trains running to any nearby stations.
The Circle Line is also affected and is closed between Edgware Road and Tower Hill, so be aware that alternative options will be busy!
Fans can check their possible routes via the journey planner here.
6. A promising record of bouncing back
Liverpool have not lost three games in a row under Slot, nor have they lost back-to-back league games during his time at the club.
The last time the Reds tasted defeat in two successive league games was in April 2023 after losing to Bournemouth and Man City.
If you need a little pre-match boost that ought to help just a bit, not to mention Liverpool have scored in each of their last 40 Premier League fixtures.
7. Arne Slot: Mo Salah is ‘out of form’
Arne Slot has admitted that, by his high standards, Mohamed Salah is finding himself out of form, but he has a reason why that could be:
“I see the same [with Mo’s form now] as the second part of last season, when he scored 12 goals – five from a penalty, one from a set-piece, so six open-play goals,” Slot explained.
“He is part of a team that faces different opposition than the first half of last season.
“Compare how we’ve won the away game against Man United, where they tried to play out from the back and we took the ball three times off them, and you compare that to the way Man United played at Anfield where Onana only went long.
“That is one of the answers why it’s more difficult for us to score from open play.
“Mo was a part of this already, you could see in the second half of last season and the first part of this season.”
8. Time for your score prediction!
Liverpool and Chelsea are no strangers in recent years and Liverpool have won three of the last four meetings, losing the most recent match due to the hangover that comes with winning the title.
The previous five meetings before that all ended in a draw after 90 minutes, though Liverpool won two via a penalty shootout to add two trophies to their cabinet.
9. Referee: Anthony Taylor
Anthony Taylor is the referee for this fixture, his second match overseeing the Reds following the first game of the season against Bournemouth.
He has refereed a Liverpool vs. Chelsea fixture six times and the Reds have yet to win, needing to settle for four draws and two defeats. Let’s hope that changes on Saturday!
Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn are his assistants on the touchline and Farai Hallam is the fourth official. VAR, meanwhile, is operated by Craig Pawson, who is assisted by Adrian Holmes.
10. How to follow the match with TIA!
Chelsea vs. Liverpool is live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League in the UK, coverage starts at 5pm ahead of the 5.30pm kick-off.
If you’re out and about or even fancy following along with biased commentary, then our live blog is the place to be. Harry McMullen will be keeping you entertained and informed from 4.45pm.
Into these, Reds!
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