Liverpool vs Chelsea
As starts to the season go, the fortunes of two European title holders could not have been more different.
European champions Liverpool enjoyed their home outing in style, while Europa League winners Chelsea shipped four without reply at Old Trafford.
So as these sides prepare to contest the UEFA Super Cup at the Vodafone Park in Istanbul, there are clear favourites.
Talking Points
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists his side’s success last season will not dull their hunger as they chase further honours this time. He has urged them to “stay greedy” in the race for silverware and has described this meeting as a “big one”.
Victory would take Liverpool level with Real Madrid on four UEFA Super Cups, fewer only than Barcelona and AC Milan’s five.
With the exception of first-choice goalkeeper Alisson, they are at full-strength. That’s in contrast to Chelsea, who have several key injury concerns.
England internationals Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi are still recovering from Achilles injuries, while defender Antonio Rudiger, Brazilian international Willian, and N’Golo Kant are also either sidelined or just returning to fitness.
None of those five featured in their Premier League opener at the weekend and new boss Frank Lampard needs them back quickly.
He, of course, is already restricted by the two-window transfer ban imposed by world governing body FIFA after an investigation into their signing of foreign under-18 players, which the club is appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Kante, Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud — who were all second-half substitutes at Old Trafford — are likely to start in this one, but will it be enough in what is the first-ever all-English UEFA Super Cup Final?
Whatever happens, history will be made.
An English side has not triumphed in this match since Liverpool’s 2005 success; Premier League clubs have been beaten on their four subsequent appearances, including defeats for Chelsea in 2012 and 2013.
This will also be the first time a Spanish club has not won the UEFA Super Cup since 2013 when Bayern Munich defeated Chelsea on penalties in Prague.
Certainly, if this contest proves half as exciting as their last meeting in Europe, we can expect some UEFA Super Cup 2019 highlights.
It was a decade ago in the Champions League quarter-finals when Chelsea won 3-1 at Anfield in the first game – the only UEFA fixture between the sides to be settled by more than one goal – before a remarkable 4-4 draw in west London in which Lampard scored Chelsea’s third and fourth goals.
How times have changed!
History
Last season these sides met three times, each recording a victory and the other ending all square.
On two of those occasions, Chelsea were inspired by Eden Hazard.
In the League Cup at Anfield — a competition they would go onto reach the final of before losing in a penalty shoot-out — the west Londoners trailed 1-0 until the Belgian entered the fray and inspired, scoring a brilliant winner to seal a2-1 success.
Three days later the sides met again, this time in the league at Stamford Bridge.
Hazard’s excellent finish put the hosts in front until an equally exquisite strike from Daniel Sturridge a minute from time earned Liverpool a point.
It was a very different matter in the return fixture at Anfield in April. Title-chasing Liverpool were frustrated by their opponents — in the middle of an ultimately successful Europa League campaign — until two goals in three minutes, including a Mo Salah wonder strike, sealed a 2-0 success which almost proved vital in the title race.
Betting Tip
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Liverpool vs Chelsea | Total goal 2-3 @ 1.91 |
| August 15, 03:00 (GMT+8) |
With the SBOBET UEFA Super Cup 2019 betting odds, it’s hard to see anything but a Liverpool success.
They began the season with a convincing 4-1 win over Norwich City, while Chelsea’s defeat — albeit a scoreline which didn’t reflect the 90 minutes — has left Lampard needing to pick up his players.
Liverpool have also had two further days to prepare for the showpiece which, even at this stage of the season, can be crucial.
1X2 betting odds back them at 1.59 and Chelsea @ 5.00. The draw is available at 3.95, although the match will be decided by a penalty shoot-out if level.
Asian Handicap betting odds also favour the Merseysiders with Liverpool – 1.00 @ 2.06 in contrast to Chelsea +0.75 @ 2.13.
If you expect goals – and they are expected judging by these odds – then total goal 2-3 @ 1.88, 4-6 @ 2.77 and over 3.00 goals is available @ 2.11.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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