EPL Preview 2011-12: Chelsea vs Liverpool

Stamford Bridge will witness a great day when Liverpool travel to face Chelsea, on Saturday 19 November 2011, on matchday 12.

Villas-Boas’s men are coming off a 1-0 win at Blackburn, thanks to a 52nd-minute header from Lampard. consecutive defeats in the league, including a 5–3 loss at home to Arsenal. The visitors were colorless in the first part; after a Sturridge goal opportunity in the first minute that was saved by Robinson, the hosts dominated possession.

Chelsea were lucky to see a Yakubu shot go wide as he came up to push a Formica cross home. Sturridge was the standout player for Chelsea, he came close to winning a penalty and had another goal attempt. Rovers nearly equalized in the 86th minute when the ball bounced off the bottom of the crossbar after Ivanovic deflected a Pedersen corner clearance attempt.

Liverpool played out a 0-0 draw against Swansea, at Anfield, in the Week 11 match. The hosts were unable to break down Swansea’s defense on a day that will be remembered for Andy Carroll’s missed scoring opportunity more than anything else. . This was the third successive draw at home for Liverpool who squandered several other goalscoring opportunities, including one from Routledge for Swansea, and Liverpool were lucky not to concede and had Reina between the posts to thank for a brilliant one-handed save which he parried. than Routledge’s shot did. damage.

Head to head, Chelsea and Liverpool have met 18 times, in the Premier League, and Chelsea have won 9 of those times, while Liverpool have won 7, with the remaining two games drawn. The last time these teams met was in February 2011, in the same place; Liverpool won that game 1-0.

Currently sitting fourth in the league table, the Stamford Bridge side have hosted 5 home games this season, winning 4 and losing the remaining, while sixth-placed Liverpool have had 3. wins and 2 losses in 5 away games.

This promises to be an intriguing match between two well-matched teams trying to get some momentum into their campaign, with Chelsea enjoying a lead on the back of home court advantage.

Chelsea’s starting eleven against Blackburn: Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Lampard, Mata, Sturridge, Malouda.

Liverpool’s starting eleven against Swansea: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, José Enrique, Henderson, Lucas, Adam, Downing, Carroll, Suárez.