How should Chelsea line up against Liverpool to keep top four hopes alive?

Inexpicably, Chelsea have still not been eliminated from top four contention, and our path back into Europe remains very easy to explain. There may be a slim-to-none chance of it happening (4 per cent, at last check of the simulations), but there is a simple path for it.

If Liverpool lose their final two games and Chelsea collect at least two wins and a draw from our three remaining, the Reds would finish out of the top four and we would be in. They could also then still qualify by winning this year’s final against Real Madrid. In fact, it might be their focus on Europe that’s gotten into this domestic pickle as they’ve picked up just 6 points from their last 4 games, drawing three of them. Chelsea meanwhile have found some form, collecting 10 points over that same span, and have a game in-hand as well.

Before we get our hopes up too much, Liverpool’s last game is at home against Brighton, who aren’t very good to begin with and have been in shut-down mode for the last two months. So even if Chelsea beat Liverpool on Sunday, and win two more after that, the Reds are likely to finish ahead of us by virtue of at least goal difference (they have a 17-goal edge at the moment).

But, stranger things have happened and you never know and that’s why they play the game and all the other sports cliches you can think of that might apply in this situation.

None of that will matter if Chelsea don’t win on Sunday as Klopp & Co come to town. Assuming the usual suspects are out (David Luiz, Drinkwater, Ampadu) while Marcos Alonso returns from his three-match suspension.

Choose wisely.

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