Chelsea hosts Premier League champions Liverpool on Sunday afternoon at Stamford Bridge. The match holds importance for Chelsea in their bid to qualify for the Champions League, while Liverpool arrives having already secured the league title.
Chelsea currently sits fifth in the Premier League standings with four games remaining. Securing a top-five finish is a major goal for the club this season. Their pursuit continued this week with a 4-1 victory in the first leg of a Conference League semifinal. In domestic play, Chelsea won their last league match 1-0 against Everton.
Liverpool clinched the Premier League title last weekend with a 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Manager Arne Slot has indicated he will rotate players in the final matches of the season, offering playing time to those who featured less during the title-winning campaign. Liverpool beat Tottenham to be confirmed as champions and have won their last three league games. Mohamed Salah is expected to play as he aims for a Premier League record.
Before kickoff, Chelsea players will form a guard of honor to applaud the champions. Head coach Enzo Maresca confirmed the gesture, stating the experience can inspire his team. Enzo Maresca discussed the guard of honor ahead of the match.
In their last five meetings, Liverpool holds the advantage with three wins compared to zero for Chelsea. The teams have drawn twice. Their most recent encounter was on October 20, 2024, when Liverpool defeated Chelsea 2-1 in the Premier League.
For Chelsea, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and forward Christopher Nkunku will be assessed before the game due to recent knocks. Filip Jorgensen is ready to play if Sanchez is unavailable. Wesley Fofana is out for the remainder of the season. Key players like Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Trevoh Chalobah, and Moises Caicedo, who appeared as substitutes in the midweek European game, are expected to return to the starting lineup.
Liverpool will be without Joe Gomez, who remains injured. Conor Bradley is also a doubt with a knock. While rotation is expected, key figures like Mohamed Salah will likely feature. Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott could be given chances to impress in attack.
The match is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. BST on Sunday, May 4. That is 11:30 a.m. ET and 8:30 a.m. PT. The game will be played at Stamford Bridge in London, England. Simon Hooper is the referee, with John Brooks on VAR duty. The match will be shown on Peacock in the United States. Sports Illustrated offers a guide for the match.
Predicted lineups suggest both teams may field strong sides despite potential rotation. Chelsea's predicted lineup includes players like Sanchez, Caicedo, Palmer, and Jackson. Liverpool's predicted lineup features Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Salah, and Jota.
Sports Illustrated predicts Liverpool will win the match with a score of 2-0, hindering Chelsea's push for a top-five spot.
