After the high of reaching the Champions League final, Liverpool have to regroup and turn their attentions to a crucial Premier League clash against Chelsea.
The Blues come into the game on a five-game unbeaten streak, having won four and drawn once across all competitions since losing to Tottenham at the beginning of last month.
It’s a run of form that has seen them keep alive their faint hopes of finishing in the top four, as they’re six points behind Liverpool, who have dropped points in two straight games.
Here’s a look at the key talking points ahead of Sunday’s game.
LIVERPOOL’S MIDFIELD QUANDARY
Given the significance of this game, it’s unlikely that Liverpool rotate too much, even with their midweek exertions in mind. And as it is, the one area Klopp would want to change things around is also the one in which Liverpool are the most threadbare.
Injuries to Emre Can, Adam Lallana, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have left the Reds with no cover in midfield. Lallana travelled with the side to Rome, suggesting that he is nearing a return to fitness, but whether he can start remains unknown.
All of this means there’s likely to be no rest for Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson, and James Milner. Even given Chelsea’s struggles and at times insipid play this season, a tired midfield is not what you want against N’Golo Kante and Cesc Fabregas, not to mention Eden Hazard and his driving runs. The game could be won or lost on the freshness of Liverpool’s midfield.
Wijnaldum and Henderson starred in midweek – can they do it again on Sunday?
ANOTHER DATE WITH A BLUES OLD BOY FOR CHELSEA
Chelsea have had plenty of reminders this season of the talent they could have had in their ranks right now.
Kevin de Bruyne scored a superb winner for Manchester City here at Stamford Bridge early in the season, Romelu Lukaku scored in Chelsea’s 2-1 away loss to Manchester United, in a game where former midfielder Nemanja Matic was dominant, and Mohamed Salah has already scored against them once this season, in the 1-1 draw between these two sides at Anfield.
It’s an issue that’s come into stark relief by manager Antonio Conte’s complaints about the club’s transfer business. Matic was let go under his watch but the rest were allowed to leave by his predecessor, Jose Mourinho, and the Italian is entitled to wonder how this season would have gone with even one of Salah, Lukaku, or De Bruyne in his ranks.
Salah’s primed to answer that question on Sunday.
Mohamed Salah has already come back to haunt Chelsea once this season.
HOW VULNERABLE IS LIVERPOOL’S TOP-FOUR SPOT?
There’s a chance that by the time this game kicks off on Sunday, Liverpool will be in fourth place. Tottenham play at West Brom a day earlier and while the Baggies are suddenly resurgent, Spurs would still be favoured to win and go two points above Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Spurs will also have a game in hand on Liverpool once the clash with Chelsea is completed.
The bigger dilemma is whether Liverpool could fall out of the top four altogether. A loss to Chelsea would close the gap between the two sides to just three points, and the Blues could then draw level on points going into the final weekend with a midweek win over Huddersfield.
It seems remarkable given their recent surge in form, and it will end up being moot if they win the Champions League, but fifth place will be a disappointing end for this superb season.
Could Liverpool’s brilliant season end with the team out of the top four?
