Chelsea vs Liverpool 29th December - MATCH PREVIEW

Liverpool travel to Stanford Bridge on Sunday knowing that they should have come away with a point at the Etihad or even three. A dubious offside decision and a questionable penalty decision that did not go their way meant the reds lost 2-1. Add to that a lapse of concentration in the closing minutes of the first half that helped Negredo net the winner.
Liverpool may be short on points but they are not short on confidence. Suarez was his best against City, Henderson was sending the right balls forward from midfield, Coutinho and Sterling were posing all sorts of problems for the city defence.
If a team looks to be in goal scoring form right now in the premier league, its Liverpool that too without Gerrard and Sturridge in the playing eleven.
Compare that to Chelsea. It has been quite some time since a striker at Chelsea got them a goal. Eden Hazard saved the day against Swansea, again a midfielder to the rescue. Last two matches, Chelsea have managed a single goal and played some boring football.
The bragging point for Chelsea is probably their defence. They have let in fewer goals this season than most premier league clubs have. Everton is the only club to have conceded lesser goals than the blues defence. Petr Cech and John Terry have led probably one of the best defences in the EPL this season.
Other thing that is in Chelsea’s favour is Mourinho at the Bridge. Mourinho is unbeaten at Stanford Bridge this season, a record he is not likely to let go easily.
Chelsea and Liverpool are a point apart on the table at 3rd and 4th place respectively. A loss would mean the club sliding down to 5th or 6th depending on other results. A loss for Liverpool would be more disastrous as it would mean zero points from the last two games. Chelsea on the other hand would hate to loose points at home considering their away form.
What does this equation lead to? Flashback to the anticipated ties of Chelsea and United or Chelsea and Arsenal. Both ended at 0-0 draws. The match resembled the movement of pieces on a chessboard than that of players of a football field. Expect this match to be no different.
Chelsea will look to grind it out with a solid defence and Liverpool will look to take at least a point from the encounter. Both sides know that a point each from this encounter is probably best for them because zero points will land them in trouble at the end of the year. So expect the managers to play accordingly.
Do not expect lot of goals in the fixture as Mourinho has shown in the past that he is capable of frustrating the opposition with his defensive tactics. Expect the game to heat up in the last twenty minutes or so with the managers having a last throw of the dice.
A 0-0 or 1-1 draw seems to the most probably result with Liverpool being the favourites if there is a winner.
In any case, a feast for a neutral on a cold winter night.
Possible Starting XIs

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole; Mikel, Lampard; Schurrle, Hazard, Willian; Torres

Liverpool: Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Sakho, Cissokho; Lucas, Allen, Henderson; Sterling, Coutinho, Suarez