Liverpool vs Chelsea: Premier League Clash at Anfield

Anfield stages another heavyweight Premier League clash on 9 May 2026 as Liverpool host Chelsea in Round 36 of the league season. With Liverpool sitting 4th on 58 points and Chelsea 9th on 48, the stakes are clear: the home side are trying to nail down Champions League qualification, while the visitors are fighting to salvage European hopes after a brutal run of form.

Both sides have played 35 league games. In the league, Liverpool’s record (17 wins, 7 draws, 11 defeats, goal difference +12) gives them a narrow cushion in the top-four race, but their recent form line of LWWWL underlines inconsistency at a critical moment. Chelsea, at 13 wins, 9 draws, 13 losses (goal difference +6), arrive on a five-game losing streak in the league (form: LLLLL) that has dragged them back into mid-table.

Tactical landscape

Across all phases this season, Liverpool have been a high-variance, attack-first side. They average 1.7 goals for and 1.3 against per match in the league, with 59 scored and 47 conceded. At Anfield, they have been stronger: 10 wins from 17 home fixtures, scoring 32 (1.9 per game) and conceding 18 (1.1 per game). The default structure has been a 4-2-3-1, used in 31 league matches, occasionally shifting into 4-2-2-2 or 4-3-3 when chasing games or protecting leads.

That 4-2-3-1 points to a double pivot tasked with both screening and starting attacks, with an advanced line of three supporting the central striker. The numbers hint at a side that can overwhelm opponents in bursts: Liverpool’s biggest home win has been 5-2, and their biggest home defeat 0-3, underlining how open their contests can become. Ten clean sheets across all venues show they can control games when the structure holds, but 11 league defeats and 47 goals conceded suggest they are vulnerable when pressed or when transitions break down.

Hugo Ekitike is a central figure in Liverpool’s attacking plan. The 23‑year‑old forward has 11 league goals and 4 assists in 28 appearances, with 21 starts and a solid 6.93 average rating. He has taken 48 shots (19 on target), and his dribbling output (72 attempts, 38 successful) points to a striker comfortable running at defenders and creating his own chances. His 21 key passes and 4 assists reinforce the idea of a mobile, linking forward rather than a pure penalty-box poacher. Crucially, he has not scored from the spot this season (0 penalties scored, 0 missed), so Liverpool’s threat is more about open-play combinations than dead-ball ruthlessness.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have leaned on a similar 4-2-3-1 base, using it 30 times in the league. Away from Stamford Bridge they have actually been more dangerous than at home: 7 wins, 4 draws and 6 defeats on the road, with 30 goals scored (1.8 per game) and 24 conceded (1.4 per game). Their total of 54 goals in 35 matches (1.5 per game) suggests they can hurt teams, but the 48 conceded (1.4 per game) and only 9 clean sheets show a soft underbelly.

Despite the current LLLLL spiral, Chelsea’s biggest away win this season – 1-5 – underlines their capacity to explode offensively when transitions click. The likely blueprint at Anfield will be compact mid-blocks, quick counters into the channels, and an emphasis on attacking the spaces behind Liverpool’s full-backs.

João Pedro is Chelsea’s standout attacking weapon. With 15 league goals and 5 assists in 33 appearances, he has been one of the division’s most productive forwards. His 7.08 average rating, 48 shots (28 on target) and 29 key passes underscore a rounded attacking profile: a finisher, creator and pressing forward rolled into one. He has drawn 51 fouls, suggesting he is adept at carrying the ball and inviting contact in dangerous areas. Interestingly, despite Chelsea’s perfect team record from the spot this season (7 penalties taken, 7 scored, 0 missed), João Pedro himself has 0 penalties scored and 0 missed – his output has come from open play and general attacking play rather than penalties.

Discipline and game rhythm

Card data hints at a potentially spiky encounter. Liverpool’s yellow cards are heavily back‑loaded: 30.77% of their bookings arrive between 76–90 minutes, and another 15.38% in stoppage time (91–105). That suggests late-game intensity and occasional loss of control when protecting or chasing results. They have one red card this season, coming in the 91–105 range.

Chelsea are more evenly spread but still trend towards growing aggression as games wear on. Between 61–75 minutes they pick up 20% of their yellows, and 22.35% between 76–90. They have 7 red cards across all phases, distributed through almost every 15-minute block, which raises a genuine risk of ill-discipline at Anfield if Liverpool’s tempo and crowd pressure mount.

Both teams have relatively low “failed to score” counts – Liverpool have blanked in just 4 of 35 league games, Chelsea in 7 – reinforcing the expectation of at least one goal from each side.

Head-to-head: recent competitive meetings

Looking only at competitive fixtures (no friendlies), the last five meetings between these clubs since early 2024 show Liverpool with a clear edge.

January 2024, Premier League at Anfield: Liverpool 4-1 Chelsea
February 2024, League Cup Final at Wembley: Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool
October 2024, Premier League at Anfield: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
May 2025, Premier League at Stamford Bridge: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool
October 2025, Premier League at Stamford Bridge: Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool

Across those five games, Liverpool have 3 wins, Chelsea 2, and there have been 0 draws. Anfield has been decisive: Liverpool are 2/2 in the league at home in this span, winning 4-1 and 2-1, while also edging the neutral‑venue League Cup final 1-0. Chelsea’s response has come at Stamford Bridge with back‑to‑back league wins (3-1 and 2-1) in 2025.

The pattern is clear: home advantage has mattered. Liverpool have been strong in front of their own fans in this fixture, while Chelsea’s success has largely been confined to London.

The verdict

Data from this season and recent head-to-heads both tilt the balance towards Liverpool at Anfield. The hosts score more and concede less at home than Chelsea do away, they have a stronger overall record, and their clean-sheet count (10) is marginally better than Chelsea’s (9). Anfield has been a difficult venue for Chelsea in the last two league visits, and Liverpool’s 4-2-3-1, with Ekitike as a mobile focal point, should test a Chelsea defence that has already shipped 48 league goals.

Chelsea’s away numbers and the presence of João Pedro mean they are far from harmless; they have the weapons to exploit Liverpool’s occasional defensive looseness and could easily get on the scoresheet. But the visitors’ five-game losing streak in the league and their tendency towards late‑game cards and red cards raise doubts about their resilience under sustained pressure.

Expect an open contest with chances at both ends, but the combination of Liverpool’s home strength, superior league position, and recent Anfield record against Chelsea suggests the hosts are better placed to take all three points and tighten their grip on a Champions League berth.