Liverpool – Chelsea

The marquee Round of 16 match will be a goal fest.

Already in the round of 16 of the English League Cup, two top clubs will meet, with expectations for both of them always centered on competing for the trophy. Liverpool, representing England in the Champions League, began their campaign in this tournament in the previous round. The Merseyside side were immediately drawn against Tottenham, who were still actively trying to find their game with a heavily revamped squad. Liverpool’s starting lineup that day included Araujo, Kerkez, Mac Allister and Gakpo. Several key players came on as substitutes. These “investments” were enough for the “Spurs” to secure a relatively comfortable 3–1 victory. Considering that the meeting with Chelsea will take place three full days before Arsenal’s visit to Anfield, there is no doubt that Andoni Iraola will rotate the squad. Incidentally, the Spanish coach has adapted quite effectively to life at the Merseyside giants. After starting the season with a couple of unexpected draws, Liverpool have gone on an active run of four consecutive victories. Not all of them were straightforward, but the “Reds” repeatedly showed character and a desire to win. The comeback 4–3 victory over Villarreal was particularly impressive, with Liverpool trailing 0–2 by the middle of the first half. While Iraola began his spell in charge of Liverpool with draws before moving on to victories, Xabi Alonso started his career at Chelsea with a winning streak, followed by some unconvincing spells of play. In September, the “Blues” went three matches without a win, culminating in a 3–0 defeat to Brentford, and they will enter the upcoming fixture immediately after suffering a slap in the face from Tottenham. In the London derby, in front of their home fans, Chelsea lost 0–2 to the “Spurs” and will be without the suspended Cole Palmer for the upcoming round. Despite the cup status of the match, Liverpool’s players will certainly remember their head-to-head record against Chelsea. The Merseyside side lost both matches in London in 2025, while in May of this year they drew with the “Blues” at Anfield. Five of the last six meetings ended with both teams scoring. Four of them featured three or more goals. We will bet on another high-scoring encounter.