Liverpool and Chelsea collide in a huge Premier League showdown at Anfield this weekend.
Just four points separate the league leaders and the resurgent Blues ahead of kick-off with Arne Slot enjoying a near-perfect start to life on Merseyside.
But their title credentials will be tested with Liverpool set to be without one of their key players in goalkeeper Alisson Becker until the end of next month.
The Brazil international has suffered a hamstring injury which will keep him out until after the final international break of the year in November.
He will miss games against Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton, and Aston Villa in the Premier League, as well as two Champions League fixtures against RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen with Caoimhin Kelleher once again ready to step in.
While Manchester United and Arsenal had nervous international breaks on the injury front, Liverpool welcomed back Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk ahead of schedule and injury-free at the weekend.
Van Dijk was sent off in Netherlands draw with Hungary last Friday, leaving the squad ahead of Monday’s defeat to Germany. Salah meanwhile scored last week against Mauritania but travelled back to the UK ahead of last night’s game against the same opposition.
Alexis Mac Allister was forced off during the win over Crystal Palace last time out but still joined up with the Argentina squad, missing the first game against Venezuela but starting in the 6-0 win over Bolivia last night.
Federico Chiesa meanwhile has managed just 18 minutes of Premier League action since his move from Juventus, picking up an unknown injury last month. Harvey Elliot remains sidelined with a foot injury.
Chelsea have had a fairly settled back four this season under Enzo Maresca but will be without Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana for Sunday’s game at Anfield. The pair will serve one-match suspensions after picking up their fifth bookings of the season in the fiery draw with Nottingham Forest.
Both have started every league game this season with Tosin Adarabioyo expected to replace Fofana alongside Levi Colwill.
Renato Veiga could be called upon to replace Cucurella after his superb start to life at Stamford Bridge. The Portuguese has slotted in at left-back in Europa Conference League games this season with four Premier League appearances to his name so far.
Reece James meanwhile is stepping up his return from injury but it seems unlikely Maresca will throw him into such a huge game after another lengthy layoff.
Kelleher, Alexander Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz, Jota
Sanchez, Gusto, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Veiga, Caicedo, Fernandez, Madueke, Palmer, Sancho, Jackson
Liverpool vs Chelsea kicks off at 4:30pm on Sunday 20 October.
The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with a live stream available through the Sky Go app and NOW TV.
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