Chelsea host Liverpool in the FA Cup on Tuesday evening, with both teams entering the fifth-round tie following sub-par results in the Premier League at the weekend.
Leaders Liverpool suffered their first league defeat of the term as they were thumped 3-0 by strugglers Watford on Saturday, while Chelsea were forced to rescue a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth – another side fighting for Premier League survival – earlier in the day.
With Manchester City having lifted the first major domestic trophy of the season by beating Aston Villa for the Carabao Cup title on Sunday, Liverpool and Chelsea will both hope the FA Cup does not escape their grasp.
A key question heading into the teams’ fifth-round FA Cup fixture on Tuesday will be how each manager responds to their weekend results, with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp potentially having to place greater emphasis on the tie than he would have before losses to Atletico Madrid and Watford – despite what he said this week.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What time is kick-off tonight?
The game kicks off at Stamford Bridge at 7.45pm.
What TV channel is it on?
The game will be broadcast live on BBC One.
The game can also be streamed online via the BBC iPlayer.
Team news
N’Golo Kante, Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic are still out for the hosts, with Callum Hudson-Odoi also just missing out – the winger is expected back this weekend. Andreas Christensen is a doubt, while Jorginho’s Premier League and Champions League bans do not rule him out of the tie.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are without young star Harvey Elliot, who travels with the club’s under-19s to face Benfica, while Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson and Xerdan Shaqiri are still not healthy enough to feature. On a more positive note for Reds fans, Joe Gomez and James Milner return.
Predicted line-ups
Chelsea: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Tomori, Alonso; Jorginho, Kovacic, Barkley; Mount, Giroud, Batshuayi
Liverpool: Adrian; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Lallana; Salah, Origi, Mane
Prediction
A 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid – stalwarts of the Champions League knockout rounds – jolted Liverpool last month, but was far from a result to cause panic on Merseyside. Similarly, a first league loss of the term should not alarm fans of the European champions, but the manner of the defeat and the opponents standing across from Klopp’s men justify a stern response. Chelsea have been very inconsistent recently, and that in itself could suggest a (sort of) surprise win at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, but more likely is that Liverpool will rediscover the ruthless mentality that saw them surge clear in the Premier League this season. Expect a fight from the home team, though, whatever happens.
Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool
