COBHAM, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 27: Manager Xabi Alonso of Chelsea during a training session at Chelsea Training Ground on October 27, 2026 in Cobham, United Kingdom. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Chelsea FC via Getty Images
After the debacle of Saturday night, it’s perhaps a good time to switch gears and play a little League Cup football. On paper, it’s another important rivalry game. In reality, it’s unlikely to be too high on either manager’s list. So, in a way, it’s a bit of a free hit, especially for Chelsea who are not expected to come out as winners on this occasion.
And speaking of managers, Xabi Alonso returns to the ground where he not only had an excellent playing career, but where he was expected to be plying his managerial trade this summer. But as things turned out, he took the Chelsea job rather than the Liverpool one. So that adds a bit of intrigue, though it’s little more than a sideshow. Alonso himself put it best in his pre-match press conference.
“My warmth with Liverpool was there as a player. But now, I am in a different role. I need to support my team. I need to support my club. I fight for my club and if we score, I will celebrate with whole respect.”
-Xabi Alonso; source: Goal
Let’s hope we’ve got something to celebrate.
Date / Time: Wednesday, October 28, 2026; 20.00 GMT; 4pm EDT; 1:30am IST (next day)
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Referee: Darren England (on pitch); no VAR
Forecast: Cool after some morning rains
On TV: ITV1 (UK); none (USA); none (India); SuperSport Premier League, Canal+ Sport 3 (NGA); elsewhere
Streaming: ITVx (UK); Paramount+ (USA); FanCode (India); DStv Now (NGA)
Liverpool’s Spanish head coach Andoni Iraola applauds fans on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on October 25, 2026. Liverpool won the game 2-0. (Photo by Paul Currie / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
Liverpool’s Spanish head coach Andoni Iraola applauds fans on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on October 25, 2026. Liverpool won the game 2-0. (Photo by Paul Currie / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / AFP via Getty Images
Liverpool team news: Liverpool started the season a bit slowly, but they have overcome that now with six wins in their last seven games in all competitions, and the only loss during that time coming against Sham City. Over the weekend, they beat high-flying Brighton & Hove Albion, 2-0, impressively shutting out the Premier League’s leading scorers. In fact, only three teams have conceded fewer goals in the league than the Reds, which makes it a bit less of a concern for them that they have not been scoring too many themselves. (Though that’s not been the case in Europe, where their three games have seen 19 goals in total.)
That said, after a season largely lost to injury, Alexander Isak already has more goals this year (6) than last (4), while their latest big-money signing, Bradley Barcola, has also found the net three times recently after a very slow start. Those two (like most first-choice players) may not start the game, but they will be firepower that new manager Andoni Iraola will be able to call upon from the bench if needed.
They do have a few injuries of note however, with Dominik Szoboszlai, Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley, Giovanní Leoni, and Hugo Ekitike ruled out and Florian Wirtz and Victor Muñoz facing late fitness tests.
View from the enemy: The Liverpool Offside
COBHAM, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 27: Estevao Willian of Chelsea during a training session at Chelsea Training Ground on October 27, 2026 in Cobham, United Kingdom. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Chelsea team news: Speaking of injuries, we’ve got a couple big ones, starting with João Pedro, who’s been ruled out for a “few” weeks (a.k.a. until at least after the international break). Our attack has been rather dysfunctional without JP at the top, and now we’ll also be without Cole Palmer, who’s serving his one-match suspension after Saturday’s red card. Alonso will surely have no choice but to start Estêvão now, right?
The other big injury is to goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez — though he would not be playing in this game even he didn’t just have surgery for a fractured jaw. Young Mike Penders made his Premier League debut in his stead over the weekend. It could’ve gone better. Let’s hope the next apperance(s) go a bit better.
Reece James, Pep Chavarría, and Jamie Gittens, have also been ruled out. In more positive news, mystery man Emmanuel Emegha is set to be available for the first time since coming over from RC Strasbourg in the summer.
Previously: This will be Alonso’s third trip back to Anfield; he lost 4-0 with Bayer Leverkusen and then 1-0 with Real Madrid. And it’s not any better for Chelsea overall; we haven’t won at Anfield since 2021 under Thomas Tuchel, though we did manage a 1-1 draw back in May