Liverpool vs Chelsea Predictions

• Liverpool are on a four-game winning run
• Xabi Alonso has lost both of his previous games against Liverpool as manager

Alonso facing more Liverpool frustration

Xabi Alonso faces Liverpool for the first time as Chelsea manager on Wednesday as the Blues head to Anfield to take on his former club.

Alonso made over 200 appearances for the Reds in his playing days and has faced them twice since as a manager, losing on both occasions with Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid.

Those sort of statistics are perhaps best taken with a pinch of salt until they become too hard to ignore, but on current form Liverpool may be able to make it a little more significant by adding a third defeat to Alonso’s managerial record.

The Merseyside outfit are on a four-game winning run across all competitions and have been generally strong at home all season, losing just once to Man City.

Chelsea have hit a bit of a rough patch with three defeats in their last seven games and they were outplayed by a struggling Tottenham team at the weekend, so Liverpool should be able to make the most of their home advantage.

Chelsea have two defeats in their last four games and have failed to score in both of those losses. Liverpool kept a clean sheet in victory over a free-scoring Brighton side at the weekend and can keep the Blues at bay, and a 2-0 win for Andoni Iraola’s side has a chance.

Alexander Isak may get the night off for the hosts but Iraola should still name a fairly strong team and Cody Gakpo can get on the scoresheet. The Dutchman had six shots against Brighton at the weekend so is getting plenty of chances and he scored in the win over Spurs in the previous round.