Alan Shearer believes Liverpool are well-positioned to hand Chelsea another damaging defeat when the two sides meet at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.
The former striker is backing the Reds to continue Chelsea’s miserable run of form in the Premier League, with the London club currently enduring a lengthy losing streak.
Liverpool head into the match knowing that victory could move them significantly closer to securing qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League. Depending on results elsewhere, the Reds could even confirm their place among Europe’s elite if they claim all three points and other outcomes go in their favour later in the day.
Following their disappointing defeat to Manchester United last weekend, there is also expected to be strong motivation within Arne Slot’s squad to respond positively.
Both teams are dealing with injury concerns ahead of the encounter. Liverpool will be missing several important first-team players, while Chelsea boss Calum McFarlane is also without key members of his squad.
Even so, recent performances suggest Liverpool enter the game as favourites, especially considering Chelsea’s alarming dip in form since their earlier victory over the Reds at Stamford Bridge.
Writing in his prediction column, Shearer did not hide his concerns about Chelsea’s current condition. He described the club as looking disorganized and lacking direction, suggesting that the problems at boardroom level are clearly affecting performances on the pitch.
According to him, instability within the club hierarchy inevitably filters down to the players, and he believes that is exactly what is happening at Chelsea right now.
Shearer also questioned the mentality of the Chelsea squad, claiming that many of the players appear to be simply trying to get through the remainder of the season while focusing their attention on the upcoming FA Cup final.
He suggested there is a lack of intensity and urgency in their recent displays, making it difficult to believe they can suddenly rediscover top form against Liverpool.
The former Newcastle United striker was particularly critical of Chelsea’s recent performance against Nottingham Forest, describing it as extremely poor. In his view, the team looked far below the standard expected of a club with ambitions of competing in Europe.
He stressed that football teams cannot simply switch their level of performance on and off whenever convenient, warning that Chelsea’s current struggles are now placing even qualification for European competition in doubt, not just Champions League football.
While the mood around Chelsea remains negative, Liverpool also understand that this is an important opportunity. The Reds know a win at Anfield could leave them in an excellent position to secure a top-five finish with games still remaining, something that seemed highly unlikely only a few weeks ago.
Liverpool may also benefit physically heading into the contest, having enjoyed an additional day of preparation compared to Chelsea, who were in action earlier in the week.
There were encouraging signs during Liverpool’s second-half display against Manchester United, where the team showed greater energy and attacking intent after a difficult first half. If Slot’s side can reproduce that level over the full 90 minutes, they will feel confident about their chances.
However, Liverpool are not without problems of their own. Injuries to important attacking players such as Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike, and potentially Alexander Isak have weakened their forward options considerably.
Those absences could make the task more difficult, especially against an opponent desperate to end a poor run.
Despite Chelsea’s struggles, Liverpool know complacency would be dangerous. The London side still possess talented individuals capable of changing matches when they perform at their best.
In addition, criticism from fans and media may provide extra motivation for Chelsea’s players, who could view this match as an opportunity to respond and prove their doubters wrong.
Even so, if Liverpool are able to maintain concentration and perform consistently throughout the game rather than in short spells, they should have enough quality to justify Shearer’s prediction.
A victory at Anfield would not only continue Chelsea’s difficult run but also move Liverpool much closer to achieving their objective of returning to Champions League football next season.
