Liverpool play their first game as newly-crowned Premier League champions when they travel to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday at 4:30pm.
Liverpool predicted lineup vs Chelsea
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Diaz.
The Reds have won the Premier League for the second time, and their 20th English top-flight title in total, the latter seeing them tie Manchester United’s record. So Liverpool can now relax knowing their job is done, but they won’t want standards to drop on the pitch.
Liverpool have just the Premier League to focus on now, and will want to end with as many points as possible.
This game will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Premier League.
Liverpool team news vs Chelsea
Liverpool enter the final weeks of the season in a good place with regards to injury. Joe Gomez is the only confirmed absentee, but even he is expected to be back before the season is over.
Conor Bradley is expected to return after a knock ruled him out of Liverpool’s title-confirming win over Tottenham Hotspur, but there is a chance he could miss out. Even if Bradley is fit enough to feature in the squad, Arne Slot may make the decision to start Trent Alexander-Arnold just in case.
In fact, with no games in between their Premier League fixtures, there’s a chance that Slot could name an unchanged XI from the one that started the win over Tottenham. That would mean Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Andrew Robertson join Alexander-Arnold in defence, with Alisson in goal.
Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister have built up an excellent partnership in Liverpool’s double pivot, and there’s no need to separate them. Mac Allister in particular excellent last time out.
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Mo Salah will continue on the right wing, with Dominik Szoboszlai through the middle. There may be some questions about the other two positions, but again they may remain unchanged.
Luis Diaz has done well as the centre forward, favoured ahead of Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez. Diaz playing up front then allows Cody Gakpo to play on the left, though the attack can be fluid.
Mo Salah chasing more records
The title may already be won, but Salah will be looking to put his former club to the sword in the search of more records. Since returning to the Premier League with Liverpool, Salah has loved to play against Chelsea. The Egyptian has been directly involved in nine goals in 14 Premier League games against Chelsea, scoring five with four assists.
This season, Salah has been directly involved in 46 goals in the Premier League, scoring 28 with 18 assists. One more direct goal involvement will see Salah level the Premier League record for most goal involvements in a single season. The record of 47 is currently joint-held by Andrew Cole and Alan Shearer, who both scored 34 goals and provided 13 assists in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons respectively.
Another record Salah is chasing is held by a Chelsea legend. In the 2009-10 season, Didier Drogba scored 29 goals in the Premier League for Chelsea, the most in a single campaign by a played aged 30 or older. One more goal will see Salah, now 32, equal that record.