Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield this lunchtime in a Premier League game with plenty of implications near the top of the table. Liverpool are still smarting from a chastening 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford, but they can move a step closer to qualifying for the 2026-27 Champions League with three points. Arne Slot’s side are fourth on 58 points, six ahead of Bournemouth and seven clear of Brentford in the race for the top five.
Chelsea, on the other hand, head to Merseyside in awful form, suffering six league defeats on the bounce in a stunning slump. The Blues’ latest defeat was a 3-1 home loss to Nottingham Forest, with João Pedro’s late strike doing little to disguise another terrible afternoon. Interim coach Calum McFarlane’s side have scored just one league goal in that miserable run.
Ahead of the contest, Slot was clear on what was most important in the closing stretch of the season. The Liverpool head coach said:
“If you have a good performance, that usually leads to a result. But the first and main aim is [to] qualify for the Champions League.”
Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike, Wataru Endo, Conor Bradley, and Giovanni Leoni are all unavailable for the hosts in this lunchtime clash. Alexander Isak is a doubt, having only returned to training on Thursday, but Florian Wirtz and Ibrahima Konaté are both expected to feature.
Kick-off at Anfield is 12.30 pm BST on Saturday, 9 May 2026. In the UK, the game will be shown live on TNT Sports 1 and can be streamed via the HBO Max app.
Prediction: A confident Liverpool to win 2-1 here, taking advantage of a wounded Chelsea side, low on confidence and key players.
Sanchez Concussion Doubt Compounds Chelsea Selection Headache
Chelsea’s problems have been compounded by a worrying head injury to first-choice keeper Robert Sanchez, who was involved in a collision with Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White last weekend. The Spaniard departed Stamford Bridge with his head bandaged and, since then, has been undergoing in-house assessments under the club’s concussion protocols.
Latest reports suggest Sanchez is not expected to feature, and Filip Jorgensen is set to start between the sticks for the visitors. Elsewhere, McFarlane has other headaches with teenager Jesse Derry also ruled out after his own head injury against Forest. Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are both in real doubt after recent knocks, although the interim boss is optimistic Reece James and Levi Colwill will be able to build on their comeback appearances.
Estêvão Willian and Jamie Gittens remain sidelined with thigh problems, while Mykhaylo Mudryk continues to serve a doping suspension.
The interim boss is left with a Herculean task at one of football’s most intimidating venues this weekend, worries allayed. Liverpool are unbeaten in their last four home games at Anfield, and McFarlane’s depleted squad face a tough task on Merseyside in front of a crowd eyeing Champions League qualification.