Under normal circumstances this would be expected to be a top of the table clash.
Not this season.
Liverpool are having a bad season, but Chelsea, given the scale of the investment in recent months, are quite possibly having a worse one.
On Sunday the Londoners dispatched their latest manager of a few months, Graham Potter, and the reds will obviously need to be wary of the traditional new manager bounce - albeit the new temporary boss is Bruno Salter who until the weekend was the Chelsea coach.
At the weekend, Liverpool started brightly against Man City before seemingly refusing to appear in the second half. It was a sorry sight to witness as the reds effectively gave up after going 2-1 down early in the second half.
The reds must continue to limp on until the summer when hopefully the midfield, at the least, will be reinforced from the pathetic displays served up recently.
Follow the action from Stamford Bridge with us here.
As it happened...
With the two recent sackings of Graham Potter and Brendan Rodgers, as well as Nagelsmann at Bayern Munich, Klopp was asked yesterday about managerial insecurity.
He noted Liverpool's own performances of late and how he is perhaps in a job because of his previous outstanding record.
"If it was my first season it would be slightly different.
"I'm aware of the fact that I'm sitting here because of the past, not because of what we did this season.
"We have smart owners, they know about the situation.
"There is no need (for me) to be afraid, I am here to deliver, I'm not here as a talisman or for murals on house walls.
"I know I'm still here because of what happened in the last few years.
"I don't like the fact that I pretty much have to rely on that. Is it right or not? We'll see in the future."
Team news incoming
Three out of the four defenders replaced!
Alisson, Gomez, Matip, Konate, Tsimikas, Fabinho, Henderson, Jones, Jota, Nunez, Firmino.
Subs: Kelleher, Milner, Salah, Gakpo, Robertson, Carvalho, Arthur, Phillips, Alexander-Arnold.
Virgil van Dijk missing through illness, apparently.
Here's how the home team line up tonight.
Arrizabalaga, Koulibaly, Cucurella, Fofana, Chilwell, James, Kanté, Fernandez, Kovacic, Havertz, Felix
Subs: Mendy, Badiashile, Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Mudryk, Mount, Gallagher, Sterling, Madueke
Klopp pre-match pulling no punches.
'Some players needed a rest - some players are getting a rest. And a lot of players get an opportunity to show up tonight. We needed fresh legs.'
When he's fit, he's generally been a reliable player for us. Ibrahima Konate the only defender to retain his place in the back four tonight.
Ibou ????#CHELIV pic.twitter.com/VTNxZaa5Q9
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 4, 2023
Teams are out at Stamford Bridge.
Here we go.
Again. ?
4' Poor pass by Tsimikas, allows Felix to run and glide past Matip. Luckily Matip turns around and gets a touch before the shot begins travelling.
6' Now Tsimkas bundled off the ball and luckily Konate produces a block to stop Chelsea taking the lead.
This is a ropey start from the reds.
12' Gomez weak to allow a cross in and Alisson dives at the feet of Havertz to stop it. That was six yards out. Important stop.
19' Poor clearance from Kepa but Henderson's shot isn't powerful enough to beat Koulibaly who defends it well.
24' Chelsea have the ball in the net from a corner, but the flag went up before Reece James put it in.
29' Havertz drags one well wide. Good opportunity. Liverpool's midfield sliced through.
"Murderers" sing a significant number of Chelsea fans behind Kepa's goal. They follow it up with "Always the victims" - more people with that one
— Ian Doyle (@IanDoyleSport) April 4, 2023
45'+2
Joe Gomez, who's never scored for the reds, tests Kepa.
Not great. Chelsea should be ahead, most of their chances coming from Liverpool giving them the ball as well.
HT: Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Back underway. Can Chelsea convert their chances in this half?
46' Matip collects a yellow card for a foul on Felix. Seemed harsh.
47' Liverpool conceding a big opportunity at the start of the second half again. Kovacic shoots over and should have scored.
About time too. It's been coming for 50 minutes but finally Chelsea find the net. Havertz makes it 1-0.
Hang on...
Kai Havertz shot was saved by Alisson and Havertz put it in with his arm.
Back to 0-0.
Don't know why he bothered celebrating it. pic.twitter.com/H47UJcsWRd
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) April 4, 2023
56' Tsimikas booked. Liverpool's midfield allow runners through at ease.
60' Nunez with his first real shot on target with anger. He was a bit too far away to beat Kepa there.
Subs loitering around Klopp.
61' Curtis Jones booked for giving some lip to the referee. Needless.
64' Salah and Robertson on for Tsimikas and Firmino.
67' Kovacic booked for handball. Looks like he slipped.
69' Conor Gallagher, linked with LFC interest, replaces N'Golo Kante. Kovacic takes the captains armband
74' Fabinho gets carded. A foul on Felix who has managed to now draw three yellow cards from Liverpool players.
78' Mudryk replaces Chilwell.
78' Gakpo replaces Nunez, Milner replaces Curtis Jones.
85' Joao Felix replaced by Raheem Sterling.
Chelsea enjoy a couple of late corners here but can't convert.
The Liverpool changes have not reinvogarated the team.
As expected, a pretty lifeless contest between two teams out of form and ideas.
FT: Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Thanks for joining us.
Liverpool seven points adrift of the top four. Doesn't look like the miracle of reaching the top four two seasons ago will be repeated.
This team don't have the legs or fight and it we have ten games to go before there must be personnel changes in the Liverpool squad.
