Chelsea are currently preparing for an important fixture at home to Liverpool on Sunday.
While Liverpool have sealed their status as the 2024/25 Premier League champions with games to spare, Chelsea go into their final top-flight fixtures with so much still on the line.
The Blues have four matches left to keep themselves in the top five positions, which will be enough to secure Champions League qualification.
Enzo Maresca’s side play Liverpool (home), Newcastle United (away), Manchester United (home) and Nottingham Forest (away) in a tense finale to the campaign.
Glenn Hoddle doesn’t think Chelsea will qualify for the Champions League because of their difficult fixture schedule in May.
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Chelsea predicted line-up vs Liverpool
The Chelsea Chronicle predicts the Blues XI we’re expecting to see start the match at home to Liverpool.
Robert Sanchez
As long as he’s passed fit to play, Robert Sanchez will start in goal again as the club’s first-choice gloveman. Robert Sanchez didn’t travel to Sweden on Thursday night for the Conference League win over Djurgarden as a precaution because of a bang on the leg he received in last weekend’s league win over Everton.
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Moises Caicedo
Moises Caicedo is the only Chelsea player to start every single Premier League match this season, so he’s the first name in the predicted XI. However, there’s a decision for Maresca to make about which position he plays. Like in the win against Everton, we think Caicedo may slot in again as a right-back, although it’s a role that allows him to invert into midfield when the team has possession.
Appearances (Starts) Goals Assists Tackles won Pass accuracy Average match rating
34 (34) 1 2 63 90.1% 7.38
Moises Caicedo in the 2024/25 Premier League season via FOTMOB
Trevoh Chalobah
Despite the fact Tosin Adarabioyo was excellent at the back in the midweek Conference League win, Trevoh Chalobah will surely get the nod to start again in the league showdown with Liverpool. The way he’s performed since being recalled from his loan at Crystal Palace midway through the season has been admirable.
Levi Colwill
Next to Chalobah, Levi Colwill plays again as the left-sided centre-half. These are the type of games where he needs to prove he can be a long-term option in the Blues defence.
Marc Cucurella
To complete the backline, Marc Cucurella is expected to play again at left-back. Marc Cucurella has been outstanding this season in Chelsea colours, especially with the way he’s added an extra attacking threat to his game.
Appearances Goals
42 6
Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella across all competitions in the 2024/25 season
Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images
Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images
Romeo Lavia
Romeo Lavia would be making back-to-back starts for Chelsea in the Premier League if he’s included at home to Liverpool. There must be some caution around the deep-lying midfielder because of his poor injury record, but he’s had the week off to recover because he’s not in the Conference League squad. When he plays at the base of midfield, he usually dictates play and improves others around him.
Enzo Fernandez
In his current form, box-to-box midfielder Enzo Fernandez must feel undroppable. The Argentine star is up to 13 assists across all competitions this season after creating another two goals in the Conference League, so he’ll be hoping to provide a threat to champions Liverpool.
Pedro Neto
Pedro Neto may get another chance to play in his preferred role as a right-winger, where he’s such a threat drifting infield on his favoured left foot. Pedro Neto’s debut season at Chelsea has actually included some big moments already, including a late winner against Fulham in April. Hopefully, he’s got something else up his sleeve versus Liverpool.
Cole Palmer
Even though it’s now 18 matches across all competitions without a goal, Cole Palmer is still in Chelsea’s best team as the central attacking midfielder. Perhaps it’ll take a crunch game like Liverpool at home to help him rediscover his best form.
Noni Madueke
The fact that Noni Madueke proved against Everton that he can operate well on the left wing means Maresca has options in the wide areas. On this occasion, we’re tipping Madueke to get the nod to start over Jadon Sancho.
🏴 Noni Madueke's statistically calculated WhoScored characteristics:
✅ Strengths:
🟢 Finishing
🟢 Dribbling
🟢 Holding on to the ball
❌ Weaknesses:
𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔 https://t.co/1U2LA82Jzo pic.twitter.com/eZeIc6bzLF
— WhoScored (@WhoScored) May 2, 2025
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Nicolas Jackson
To complete the predicted line-up, Nicolas Jackson leads the line as the starting striker. His inclusion means it’s the exact same XI that started a week ago against Everton, where the Blues played as well as they have in months. Joe Cole rates Nicolas Jackson as one of Chelsea’s most important players because he brings so much with his all-round play.