Chelsea face Liverpool in an intense double-header this week, and so we got Empire of the Kop editor Jordan Chamberlain (@Jordan_AC90 ) to answer some of our questions about the game.
Check out the view from the other side about our blockbuster double header:
1. Liverpool have had a very strong start to the season, will Jurgen Klopp risk losing that momentum by playing a really weak team against us?
He’ll rotate. Of course he will! Mignolet will start, Clyne and Moreno will come in.. Keita and Fabinho will play in midfield with Sturridge and Shaqiri as forwards. That being said, it’s about as strong as Liverpool second XI as I’ve ever seen. It’s not far off the squad Klopp inherited, in fact, bar a few nice additions.
2. We’ve yet to see Fabinho in action – could tomorrow be his big break?
100%. Right now, he’s Liverpool’s 3rd choice no.6 behind Wijnaldum and Henderson, but Fabinho will get chances. He’ll need to do well against Chelsea if he wants to get in the Premier League side any time soon.
3. The expectation is really on Liverpool to win trophies this year, especially after City dropped points. How do you think your players will handle it?
I have no idea. I’m not confident Liverpool will win a final, but in two-legged European ties, with the benefit of half the match being played at Anfield, Liverpool are better than everybody. Klopp’s never lost a European two legged-tie with Liverpool, in fact. The cups are a lottery, of course. We’ll have to get to the semis before we play the first-team. And annoyingly, the one year we have the ability to win the title, we’re up against Pep Guardiola’s monumental City outfit.
4. Dom Solanke’s move hasn’t really worked out yet, it turns out it’s as hard to get into the Liverpool team as it is the Chelsea team, who’d have guessed…. might this competition be big for him too this year?
In fairness he was given opportunities last season and didn’t do very well. He’s obviously got talent, but it might have been smart to go out on loan this term. But even a lower Premier League team would struggle to start Solanke, because nobody plays two up top and most prefer an experienced battering ram when battling relegation.
5. Assuming we both play heavily rotated teams, is it possible to really predict a score? Maybe tip us off to a player we might not know who could shine tonight?
Liverpool will win, because it’s at Anfield. I think 2-0 is smart. The all-new Daniel Sturridge. He was incredible during pre-season and great against PSG, too. He’ll start again and will play an important role this term.
