Liverpool Football Club v Chelsea - Anfield - Weds 8pm

[Gethin]

Least anticipated Chelsea game in the last 15 years?

 

(Live on Sky Sports)

[sutty]

In reverse Gutmann style... This is the least important game in 20 years

[Chili Palmer]

I'd go full strength for this, then a full weeks rest for everyone before the final.

 

Mings

Clyne Lovren Toure Moreno

Can Milner

Firmino Coutinho Lallana

Sturridge

[Dan]

Bound to get an injury aren't we?

[Stevie H]

bit of a shame terry isn't playing for them. we could have stuck jose enrique in just to cripple the f*cker.

[Drexl]

Bound to get an injury aren't we?

Yes. Mikel or someone is going to target Can. Costa and Fabregas are too dirty to let the game be civil.

[sutty]

bit of a shame terry isn't playing for them. we could have stuck jose enrique in just to cripple the f*cker.

Disagree, the nature of his last involvement was perfect

[LicK]

Bound to get an injury aren't we?

You wouldn't be surprised if they get dirty. Costa in particular, Fabregas, Ivanovic, Mikel... all capable of it.

[yellow jumper]

don't see them as particularly dirty or physical this year, half their problem, all mouth.

[Bigal]

don't see them as particularly dirty or physical this year, half their problem, all mouth.

 

Yeah, that game v spurs was all spurs doing the fouling.

[McBain]

We still could do with Europa next year as back up

[Jonesy]

We still could do with Europa next year as back up

 

wash your mouth out! We're that over sized flower vase and that's that. I won't hear another word said about it!

[Sion]

We'll go full strength for this I think. Maybe Lucas and Skrtel for Can and Toure.

 

Last home game before a final. You want the win and to send them on their way with a confidence boosting win.

[Ed the Wool]

I think I'd play the kids. An injury to one of our main players would be a real kick in the balls, and as already mentioned the likes of Fabregas are absolute s***houses. 

 

(Don't think we will though)

Edited May 10, 2016 by Ed the Wool

[Bigal]

he has already said he will be playing a full strength side

[Gethin]

bit of a shame terry isn't playing for them. we could have stuck jose enrique in just to cripple the f*cker.

 

Did you see the bit about the Chelsea fans walking out on 26 mins as a protest over him* not getting a new contract. They're coming back at half time though

 

*Terry, not Mr Instagram

Edited May 10, 2016 by Gethin

[sutty]

Did you see the bit about the Chelsea fans walking out on 26 mins as a protest over him* not getting a new contract. They're coming back at half time though

 

*Terry, not Mr Instagram

My brother days that at Arsenal. He's just getting the ale in though

[baz2107]

Mignolet

Clyne Lovren toure Flanagan

Can Allen

Lallana firmino Milner

Sturridge

 

Just leaves coutinho and Moreno out as otherwise that's 3 starts in less than a week for those 2. It's a risk with injuries but doubt klopp would want them to have best part of 2 weeks off between Villarreal and final either

 

West brom needs to be the kids

[Molby]

In reverse Gutmann style... This is the least important game in 20 years

That's my phrase

And I coined and copyrighted it in 1999

[Will]

Down Memory Lane

           

YNWA takes a look back at past memorable home League encounters as we prepare to welcome Chelsea for their 75th visit in the League on Wednesday. Our overall home League record against the Blues is good, reading 46 wins, fifteen draws and thirteen defeats to date.

           

Most recently

We cruelly lost 2-0 in April 2014 to damage our title charge. Steven Gerrard’s slip let Demba Ba in to open the scoring just before half time, as the reds struggled to break down the Blues’ massed defence. Willian added a late breakaway second. Seven months later, we went down 2-1 with Emre Can opening the scoring with a deflected strike that was his first goal for the club. Gary Cahill’s equaliser was the first goal to be given at Anfield using goal-line technology. Diego Costa bagged the second-half winner, although we were denied a strong late penalty claim for handball.

           

We drew 2-2 in April 2013, with Oscar opening the scoring for the visitors before the break with a header from a corner. Daniel Sturridge equalised after having already hit the post since coming off the bench at half time. Eden Hazard converted a penalty after Luis Suárez handballed in the area, one of his four goals past us to date. Suárez then headed in a stoppage-time equaliser. However, headlines were dominated by Suárez biting Branislav Ivanović’s arm as they challenged for a ball in the area, an offence for which he was later banned for ten matches.

           

Three days after losing out to the Blues in the FA Cup Final at Wembley, we saw off Chelsea 4-1 at Anfield in May 2012 with the reds wearing special ‘Seeing Is Believing’ sponsored kits. Michael Essien’s own goal following fine work from Luis Suárez opened the scoring, with Jordan Henderson doubling our lead after one of many errors forced on John Terry. Daniel Agger headed in from a corner before Fernando Torres and Stewart Downing each hit the woodwork, with Downing then placing a spot-kick onto the post, a club record seventh penalty miss of the season, excluding shoot-outs. Ramires pulled a goal back for the visitors before Jonjo Shelvey completed the scoring.

           

We won 2-0 in November 2010, thanks to a first-half Fernando Torres brace as Lucas dominated the midfield. Yossi Benayoun played his 134th and final reds game, prior to joining Chelsea in the summer, as we meekly lost 2-0 six months earlier, a result that ensured we could not qualify for the following season’s Champions League and left the visitors odds on favourites to claim their fourth League title. Didier Drogba pounced on a stray Steven Gerrard back-pass to open the scoring with one of his eleven goals past us, with Frank Lampard also on target with the last of his eight strikes against the reds.

           

Lampard was sent off as we won 2-0 thanks to two late Fernando Torres goals to secure our 200th win in the Premier League, after Xabi Alonso had hit the crossbar. José Bosingwa amazingly escaped punishment for an assault on Benayoun right in front of the assistant referee in stoppage time.

           

Torres bagged his first reds goal in August 2007 as we were held to a 1-1 draw thanks to a ludicrous penalty converted by Lampard that was awarded by referee Rob Styles against Steve Finnan. Peter Crouch was playing his hundredth game for the club. We won convincingly, 2-0, seven months earlier, thanks to Jermaine Pennant’s first reds goal, which followed an early Dirk Kuyt strike. This secured Rafael Benítez’s 56th win in his hundredth League game in charge, so equalling Bill Shankly’s record. This was also Jose Mourinho’s hundredth League match as Chelsea boss.

           

Champions

We clinched our seventh League title with a 2-1 win in April 1966, thanks to a Roger Hunt brace despite a Bert Murray equaliser after an hour.

           

Other recent defeats

Future red Joe Cole bagged the only goal of the game on New Year’s Day 2005, largely against the run of play. He had previously scored the only goal at Stamford Bridge as the Blues secured only their second ever League double over us, and first since 1919. Xabi Alonso had his ankle broken in this game. Nine months later we suffered our worst home defeat since December 1969 as we were thumped 4-1 with Steven Gerrard drawing us level after Djimi Traoré had conceded a penalty to hand the Blues the lead. This was their third consecutive League victory in L4, with Lampard and Cole again on target, along with Damien Duff and Geremi.

           

The opening game of the season in August 2003 brought a 2-1 defeat, with Michael Owen scoring a twice-taken penalty, our 300th League goal since Gérard Houllier took sole charge. Steve Finnan and Harry Kewell made their official reds debuts in this game. Future red Glen Johnson played his first League game for the visitors, for whom Juan Sebastián Verón netted before Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scored the last of his seven goals past us.

           

Patrik Berger not so Blue

We won 5-1 in September 1996 with Patrik Berger netting a brace, to add to strikes from John Barnes and Robbie Fowler and an Andy Myers own goal, when he knelt down to head back towards his keeper, with Frank Leboeuf bagging a late consolation. This was the 129th consecutive reds game Robbie had played in, but he then sat out a European Cup Winners’ Cup second leg against Finns Myllykosken Pallo-47. Eleven months later, Berger scored his only reds hat-trick in our 4-2 win, with Robbie Fowler netting late on. Gianfranco Zola struck for the visitors, with Gus Poyet converting a penalty. Stig Inge Bjørnebye played his hundredth League game for us, while Chelsea’s Bernard Lambourde was sent off with the score still level at 1-1.

           

Winning and losing runs

Bob Paisley secured his hundredth League victory as reds boss in October 1978 as goals from David Johnson and Kenny Dalglish gave us a 2-0 win. This was Bob’s 179th League game as Manager, five games less than it took Bill Shankly to achieve the same feat, with many of his wins coming in the Second Division. We suffered our fourteenth consecutive League game without a win in March 1954, with Eric Anderson scoring a late equaliser to ensure we got something out of the game. Unsurprisingly given such a terrible run, we were relegated that season having finished bottom.

           

We lost 2-1 in February 1992, with Ronnie Rosenthal netting for the reds after Vinnie Jones had put the visitors ahead. Rosenthal then hit the bar when clean through before Dennis Wise put the Blues ahead again with one of his four goals past us, with Bruce Grobbelaar saving a late spot-kick taken by Wise. Graeme Souness received his Manager of the Month award prior to the game as we suffered our first defeat in fourteen League fixtures. This was Chelsea’s first League win at Anfield since December 1935.

           

Debutants

Billy Liddell scored direct from a corner on his League debut in September 1946. He in fact scored twice, with Bill Jones bagging his first two reds goals. Willie Fagan also struck twice, with Jack Balmer rounding out the scoring in our 7-4 win. Keeper Charlie Ashcroft made the first of his 89 reds appearances in this game, with Bob Paisley also making his first League outing. Alex Machin bagged a brace for the visitors, with Len Goulden and Jimmy Argue also on target. Seven years earlier, Cyril Done netted in his first reds game to hand us a 1-0 win with Matt Busby playing his 125th and final reds game, but the season was soon abandoned.

           

Bill Kinghorn made his reds bow in a 2-1 win in August 1938, with future boss Phil Taylor netting twice in our season opener. We recorded our biggest ever win over the Blues in April 1935, as we thumped them 6-0, with Vic Wright and South African Berry Nieuwenhuys grabbing two apiece. Fred Howe and Lance Carr also scored. This partly made up for our 4-1 defeat in that season’s earlier League game at Stamford Bridge. Centre-half Tom ‘Tiny’ Bradshaw was making his 200th League appearance for the club, while left-half John Browning was making his senior bow. John Miller made his reds debut in October 1919, when Chelsea completed their first League double over the reds by winning 1-0.

           

Late, late goals

Vladimír Šmicer struck a dramatic last-gasp goal from Emile Heskey’s cross in March 2002, to keep our League title hopes alive as we won 1-0. Seven months later, Chelsea again succumbed to a last-minute winner, as Michael Owen finally broke the deadlock after Heskey’s strike came back off an upright.

           

Gordon Hodgson

Legendary forward Gordon Hodgson played his 377th and final reds game as we lost 3-2 in December 1935, with Fred Howe and Berry Nieuwenhuys on the scoresheet. Eric Oakton struck twice, with Harry Burgess bagging one of his nine goals against the reds. Hodgson had previously scored a hat-trick as we saw off the West London outfit 3-1 in September 1930.

           

Other trebles

Fred Pagnam scored a first-half hat-trick as we won 3-2 in February 1915. Donald Mackinlay put through his own net, with Harold Halse scoring the last of his four goals against the reds and Bobby Thomson also netting for the Blues as Elisha Scott saved a late penalty from Robert Abrams. Inside-right James Stewart scored three in our 5-1 trouncing in January 1910, with Jack Parkinson netting the other two.

           

Thrown away

Billy Lacey netted as we lost 2-1 in March 1913. However, the reds were later accused of throwing the match, with Football League official HG Norris saying, “Never in their career have they given a worse exhibition.” Outside-right Arthur Goddard made his 400th reds outing in this game.

           

Other memorable encounters

Chelsea had both Marcel Desailly and Dennis Wise sent off in October 1999, for last-gasp challenges on Michael Owen and Erik Meijer respectively. David Thompson pounced from a free-kick to net the game’s only goal. Pierluigi Casiraghi bagged his only Chelsea goal a year earlier. Phil Babb attempted to prevent the goal but only succeeded in wrapping his legs around a post at the Anfield Road end, causing grown men around the ground to wince in sympathy, and he was taken off shortly after. Jamie Redknapp equalised for the reds late on.

           

Robbie Fowler played his hundredth League game in March 1996, netting as we won 2-0 with Mark Wright also on target. In September 1992, Dean Saunders, who scored, injured Paul Elliott in a challenge that ended his career, for which Deano was later unsuccessfully sued. Jamie Redknapp netted our last-minute winner, while this was Saunders’ final reds game before moving to Aston Villa. Gordon Durie struck first, one of his five goals past us, as we came from behind to win 2-1 in a live televised Sunday game in December 1987 thanks to a John Aldridge penalty and goal from Steve McMahon, who notched in his third consecutive match.

           

Alun Evans netted the only goal of the game in October 1970, with Bobby Graham breaking his leg. Forward Phil Chisnall bagged his second and final reds goal as we won 2-0 in April 1965, with Geoff Strong adding the second. Jimmy Payne grabbed his first reds goal in a 1-1 draw in October 1948, when Scottish left-winger Doug McAvoy made his second and final senior reds appearance. Outside-left Gordon Gunson struck his 26th and final reds goal in our 3-0 victory on Boxing Day in 1932, with centre-half Tom ‘Tiny’ Bradshaw and centre-forward Harold Barton also netting. Forward Ted Hancock struck his first reds goal as we won 2-1 in April 1932, with Gordon Hodgson also on target. Danny Shone, Jimmy Walsh and Joseph Keetley all struck on New Year’s Day 1924 as we won 3-1. This was Keetley’s second and final reds goal.

[Bigal]

My brother days that at Arsenal. He's just getting the ale in though

 

Saves the queue

[sutty]

That's my phrase

And I coined and copyrighted it in 1999

Nah it was defo Rob

[growler]

Mostly full strength I reckon - last real quality team left, a warm up game for final.

 

Chelsea don't really have any serious rivallry so trying to manufacture one with us - good competitive game heading into final.

[Molby]

Nah it was defo Rob

no it f***ing wasn't

 

I've already instructed my solicitor btw

[lfc4eva99]

I dont agree with this injury reason. players can get injured at home, during training, warm ups, in the first minute of the final. Just play your best 11 against Chelsea and beat them.