Premier League Matchday 1: Chelsea FC – Liverpool FC, Stamford Bridge, London 

Overview 

The first Premier League matchday is treating us to a big one this Sunday: Chelsea VS Liverpool. Both teams had underwhelming seasons last year, with Chelsea only winning 11 games, while Liverpool missed out on Top Four, and therefore Champions League football, by 4 points. Both sides will be looking to bounce back this season, and what better way to do it than on the first big match of the year? 

The last four matches between the two sides have, interestingly, finished 0-0 across all competitions (although Liverpool beat Chelsea in the FA and Carabao Cup finals in 2022 on penalties after the matches ended 0-0 in the 120 minutes of play). Another very interesting statistic is that all six of the teams’ last encounters have ended in a draw, with only six goals scored across those matches – a low average of one per game. The last time Chelsea won against Liverpool at home was in May 2018 (1-0), over 5 years ago, and they have only beaten the Reds once since then in the Premier League, a 0-1 victory at Anfield in March 2021. 

Both sides have had busy transfer windows, which will continue to upturn both squads up until deadline day, well after the two sides play each other on August 12.  

Squads 

In current terms, the recent Christopher Nkunku injury will keep the French star – who arrived from RB Leipzig earlier in the window – out for roughly 3 months, a terrible blow for new manager Mauricio Pochettino. Mykhaylo Mudryk will need to showcase his best form if he is to step up during the Frenchman’s absence, something he was unable to do under Graham Potter and Frank Lampard last season. Newly arrived striker Nicholas Jackson from Villarreal will also play a major role in the side, who struggled to find options upfront last season with Aubameyang and Havertz both having poor runs of form. However, the Senegalese striker may need some time to adapt to the Premier League, although he has shown a great deal of promise in pre-season friendlies. 

On the flip side, Liverpool has their striking options finally fully fit after Luiz Dias and Diogo Jota sustained longstanding injuries last season. Their offense has been firing on all cylinders during pre-season, scoring 18 goals in 5 friendly matches – almost exclusively against German opponents and including a narrow 3-4 loss against Bayern Munich. They have, however, also been relatively poor at the back at times, also conceding 11 times in pre-season, including letting in 4 goals against Bundesliga 2 side Greuther Furth in a game which saw Robinson, Van Dijk, Konate and Alexander-Arnold all start. The addition of Premier League-proven and World Cup winner Alexis MacAllister is a certified upgrade on former captain Henderson, but their central department will need to find the right balance if they are to play consistently with attacking-minded Dominik Szoboszlai in their midfield three. 

Prediction and Odds 

CoinGames Sportsbook sees a tight game in store on Sunday: a Chelsea win is listed at 2.80, while an away win for the Reds is at 2.42, with Liverpool ever so slightly favored. If the recent trend continues, we may likely see a low-scoring draw, but early matchdays in the Premier League are always a bit of a curveball. We suggest a double chance of Liverpool win or draw, listed at 1.41, or, if you’re feeling a little risky, playing the under 1.5 listed at 4.33. 

Chelsea win – 2.80 

Draw – 3.60 

Liverpool win – 2.42 

Chelsea win or draw – 1.52 

Chelsea or Liverpool win – 1.30 

Liverpool win or draw – 1.41 

Under 1.5 – 4.33