Liverpool vs Chelsea 28 October 2026 Prediction

Liverpool are building momentum, but their schedule continues to present difficult tests. Andoni Iraola’s side have won four straight competitive matches and are coming off a 2-0 victory over an in-form Brighton team. Chelsea enter this game in a different position. A 2-0 home loss to Tottenham ended their strong run, while Cole Palmer’s suspension leaves Xabi Alonso without his main creator.

Liverpool: Back on Track After a Setback

Liverpool responded quickly after their 3-0 loss to Manchester City. In the Champions League, the Reds came back from 2-0 down to beat Villarreal 4-3. Their Premier League win over Brighton was more comfortable, ending 2-0. The results have not depended entirely on the first-choice lineup. Iraola made six changes in Europe, while 10 players were rotated for the previous League Cup round, where Liverpool still defeated Tottenham 3-1.

Further rotation is likely ahead of Sunday’s game against Arsenal. Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike remain sidelined, Giovanni Leoni is still recovering from a serious knee injury, and Jeremie Frimpong is unlikely to return from his muscle problem before the November international break. Muñoz is doubtful after taking a blow to the knee. Dominik Szoboszlai is also questionable. He has resumed individual training but had not rejoined the squad by the end of the week. Liverpool’s attacking depth gives Iraola the option to rest several starters. The cup lineup is expected to be young again, but the win over Tottenham showed that the reserves can handle strong opposition.

Chelsea: Two Key Creative Absences

Before Saturday, Chelsea appeared to have found some consistency. The London club followed a 5-1 win over Bournemouth with a 2-0 victory at Everton, recording a rare away clean sheet. The derby against Tottenham exposed their inconsistency again. The teams were evenly matched for most of the game, but Mike Penders scored an own goal in the 77th minute. Palmer then received a second yellow card, and Tottenham added another late goal against the 10-man hosts to complete a 2-0 win.

Chelsea also have significant personnel issues. Palmer is suspended for the cup tie, while João Pedro was injured in Friday’s training session and is awaiting a full diagnosis. Emiliano Martínez will miss several weeks after jaw surgery, and Reece James is recovering from knee surgery. Several other players are also unavailable. Alonso will have to rely on his reserves again. That approach nearly backfired in the previous round, when Chelsea trailed Leeds 2-0 before Palmer, Pedro Neto, James, and Morgan Rogers came off the bench to help secure a 6-3 win. At least two of those players will not be available this time.

Liverpool vs Chelsea Predicted Lineup

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Gomez, Araujo, Jacquet, Tsimikas; Mac Allister, Nyoni; Ngumoha, McConnell, Barcola; Koumas

Unavailable: Bradley, Ekitike, Frimpong, Leoni (all injured); Muñoz, Szoboszlai, Wirtz (all doubtful)

Manager: Andoni Iraola

Chelsea (3-4-3): Penders; Acheampong, Fofana, Colwill; Gusto, Barco, Lavia, Hato; Estêvão, Welbeck, Quenda

Unavailable: Palmer (suspended); Martínez, James, Gittens, Emegha (all injured); João Pedro, Chavarría (both doubtful)

Manager: Xabi Alonso

Liverpool vs Chelsea Prediction: Liverpool to Win

Main prediction: Liverpool are only slight favorites despite Chelsea arriving at Anfield after a 2-0 defeat, without Palmer and with João Pedro doubtful. The Reds have won four consecutive matches and have already shown that their rotated lineup can eliminate strong opposition, beating Tottenham 3-1 in the previous League Cup round. Liverpool are likely to rest several starters before facing Arsenal, but Chelsea also have schedule and squad concerns, with Manchester United coming up three days later. The main selection is Liverpool to win at 2.36.

Goals prediction: Liverpool’s only League Cup match this season ended in a 3-1 win, while Chelsea defeated Leeds 6-3 in the previous round. High-scoring games have been common for both teams. At least four goals were scored in two of Liverpool’s last four matches and five of Chelsea’s previous 10. Neither defense has been reliable enough to expect the game to slow down after the opening goal. The additional selection is over 3.5 goals at 2.15.