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Huge news in the race for the Champions League: Newcastle have found a late equaliser at Brighton, with Alexander Isak converting a penalty kick. That game, now 1-1, is now into stoppage time and you can follow the closing moments here.
That’s what that goal does to the live table. A draw at the Amex and a win for Chelsea here will mean the Blues draw level on points with Newcastle, with three games to play.
A reminder that there were three Champions League semi-finals in the 2000s played out between these two sides (and one quarter-final in 2008-09).
Wesley Fofana aside, Chelsea are more or less at full strength, with Lavia’s re-emergence into the XI moving Caicedo to right back. A penny for the thoughts of Reece James on Chelsea’s bench.
Liverpool do make some changes: Tsimikas, Endo, Elliott all starting, but this is far from a makeshift side. And Konate, Diaz, Szoboszlai and Mac Allister all lurk on Liverpool’s bench.
The teams!
Chelsea: Sanchez, Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella, Lavia, Fernandez, Pedro Neto, Palmer, Madueke, Jackson.
Subs: Jorgensen, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Dewsbury-Hall, James, Gusto, George, Acheampong.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, van Dijk, Tsimikas, Endo, Jones, Salah, Elliott, Gakpo, Jota.
Subs: Kelleher, Konate, Diaz, Szoboszlai, Nunez, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Robertson, Bradley.
Preamble
What a pleasure it is to report on a Premier League game where there is actually something at stake. Liverpool may have sewn up the league title last weekend, but things remain very much in the balance for Chelsea, who are wildly chasing Champions League qualification alongside Manchester City, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa.
Three teams currently lie on 60 points, with fifth-placed Chelsea currently holding the final Champions League spot on goal difference. It’s squeaky-bum time for the Blues, who will be desperate to return to Europe’s elite competition after a couple of years in the wilderness of Conference League, etc.
There might have been sore heads at the start of this week but don’t expect Liverpool to be off the pace. Slot’s side have nothing tangible left to play for but many players will be nervously looking over their shoulders before the summer transfer window opens, hoping to retain their place for next season. The fringe players will be under the greatest pressure to make their mark, and Slot may field a fair few of them today.
The Reds did not spend heavily last year at all, and the manager has already mentioned he is eyeing fresh recruits.
It’s certainly an intriguing match between two giants of the English game, although not for the normal reasons.
Kick-off: 4.30pm BST.
