Paul Merson has predicted that Liverpool will feel nervous against Chelsea but will have enough to beat the Blues at Anfield on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side are competing with Manchester City for the title, while Chelsea are battling for a place in the top four.
Blues boss Maurizio Sarri is expected to restore Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante to the starting line-up – they were both substitutes in the Europa League quarter-final first leg against Slavia Prague.
Chelsea face the second leg of that tie next week but first take on a Liverpool side which pundit Merson believes will do enough to win.
In his predictions for Sky Sports, former Arsenal and England star Merson said: “I’m not sure if Eden Hazard’s going to play as the Europa League is a massive competition for Chelsea. For the manager, winning that competition is bigger for him than getting into the top four – for a manager who’s never won anything before.
“This is a big opportunity for Sarri so it’s a question of what team gets set up for Chelsea. If Chelsea play their full team, and don’t worry about next Thursday, this will be game on – no question about that – but I’m just going to go for Liverpool.
“Liverpool are going to get nervous. They’ve not won the league in 29 years, and everyone in the city is talking about it, so there’s bound to be nerves. If they can get this game out of the way, Man City will have to do it the hard way.”