LIVERPOOL vs CHELSEA Is an Argument About What's Important in Football
Beth Lindop joins the show to preview this unique modern rivalry with its slips, bites, ghost goals, and managerial feuds.




LIVERPOOL vs MANCHESTER UNITED is about who’s the biggest club in England. CHELSEA vs ARSENAL is about who runs London. But LIVERPOOL vs CHELSEA is about what’s important in football.
The Blues bought their way into contention with new money of questionable provenance, while Liverpool represent the old guard of English football with a trophy cabinet full of silverware from every era. “You’ve got no history,” the Liverpudlians once chanted at their enemies from the south, but now that Chelsea have two Champions League trophies and plenty of Prems, we’re forced to ask whether it even matters that they didn’t matter until 20 years ago.
Either way, this fixture has always been spicy, dating back to the days of José Mourinho and Rafa Benitez, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, John Terry and Jamie Carragher and Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba. There was the Ghost Goal, The Slip, and transfer sagas that tore out supporters’ hearts. It’s been all Liverpool in recent years, just like it was up until the new millennium, but now that the Chelsea circus has (maybe) gotten its act together and they’re up in the Top Four with Liverpool again, this one could be a cracker.
Here to preview this collision at Anfield is Beth Lindop, football writer for British newspaper group Reach PLC and a bona fide Merseysider:
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SATURDAY
TOTTENHAM vs WEST HAM
7:30am ET, 12:30pm UK
A London derby welcomes us back to club football, and Tottenham are in desperate need of a result after the collapse away at Brighton last time out. Ange Postecoglou has said he’s been sitting on his feelings about that one throughout the international break, but whatever he says will need to translate to a proper performance against a West Ham side that may finally be finding its feet under Julen Lopetegui after a smashing victory over Ipswich Town last time out.
RELEGATION SCRAPS
10am ET, 3pm UK
Speaking of IPSWICH, they’ve got a relegation six-pointer against EVERTON and will hope to deal Sean Dyche’s outfit a bruising blow at Portmand Road. There’s also SOUTHAMPTON vs LEICESTER in a battle of the just-came-ups-and-might-just-go-back-downs.
NEWCASTLE vs BRIGHTON
10am ET, 3pm UK
Here’s the high-quality game in this match window, as sixth visits seventh. Brighton look a serious side under Fabian Hürzeler, but a trip to St. James’ Park is no one’s idea of a vacation and the Magpies seem to be managing their schedule better this season without Champions League football in the equation.
MAN UNITED vs BRENTFORD
10am ET, 3pm UK
Or, for the United Haters, there’s a possible comedy show at Old Trafford. Brentford are just the kind of side who’d run out 2-1 winners at the expense of an Erik ten Hag team at the Theater of Dreams, though the Dutchman does tend to get a result just when he needs it to keep the wolves at bay for another few weeks. He certainly needs one now.
BAYERN MUNICH vs STUTTGART
12:30pm ET, 5:30pm UK
The visitors pipped Bayern to second place in the Bundesliga last season as the Thomas Tuchel-led Bavarians went to pieces domestically, but Stuttgart have had a harder time of it this term. Maybe they’re feeling the strain of those extra demands in the Champions League, though they gave Real Madrid quite a run for their money a few weeks back. Ermedin Demirović remains a bright spot, however: the #9 is even with Harry Kane on five league goals from six matches.
Or, if you like your league action to be Premier, BOURNEMOUTH host ARSENAL at the same time.
JUVENTUS vs LAZIO
2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK
This is third against fourth in Serie A, though they’re only separated by goal difference and everybody is packed in tight at the top of the league. Either of these teams could go joint-top if they win here and results go their way, though Juve under Thiago Motta are the better bet to challenge reigning champions Inter across the 38 games.
INTER MIAMI vs NEW ENGLAND
6pm ET, 11pm UK
Speaking of Inters, the Miami boys are looking to set an MLS regular-season points record having already claimed the Supporters’ Shield. Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Co. will want to put a cherry on top before the MLS playoffs begin in earnest next weekend, though there’s a chance the GOAT sits this one out after going to work on Bolivia in midweek. Three goals and two assists at 37 years old, still wearing those famous blue-and-white stripes.
SUNDAY
WOLVES vs MAN CITY
9am ET, 2pm UK
Gary O’Neil is surely in trouble in Wolverhampton. His side are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League with one point from seven matches and a -12 goal difference. They’re conceding three goals a game and struggling to put away chances themselves. So they’ll be ecstatic to see the Citizens are on their way to Molineux.
LIVERPOOL vs CHELSEA
11:30am ET, 4:30pm UK
The big one for this weekend. Get the full rundown with Beth above!
ROMA vs INTER
2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK
As alluded to in our SATURDAY section, Internazionale remain the team to beat in Serie A, but there are more big fish in the pond this year and they may find it a bit more difficult to finish 19 points clear this time. Roma are not one of the bigger fish, but things have picked up a bit for them since club legend-turned-manager Daniel De Rossi was sent packing, and there’s rarely a straightforward trip to the Stadio Olimpico.
BARCELONA vs SEVILLA
3pm ET, 8pm UK
The Catalans are top of La Liga with 28 goals in nine matches, 11 more than rivals Real Madrid in second. Robert Lewandowski has 10 of them, an ominous omen for the rest of this league after a period last season where it looked like the Polish sniper might be past his best. (He still scored 19 league goals.) Raphinha has five scores of his own, while Lamine Yamal is typically balling with five assists. It all might add up to a deathly sum for the visiting Andalusians: Sevilla come into this one 12th, though they did win El Gran Derbi last time out and may just be dreaming of new days. It’s been too long since the Europa League specialists were throwing elbows up in La Liga’s rarer air.⚽︎