Former Celtic star Chris Sutton has backed Premier League leaders Liverpool to pick up a slender 2-1 victory in their upcoming clash with Chelsea at Anfield.

Chris Sutton Backs Liverpool To Extend Winning Run At Chelsea’s Expense

Jurgen Klopp’s side are coming into Wednesday’s (January 31) Premier League clash in great form. They are currently on a 10-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, with their last defeat coming against UEFA Europa League rivals Union St. Gilloise back in mid-December.

They are on a three-game winning streak in the Premier League. The 4-0 win at Bournemouth on January 21 marked their last triumph in the English top flight. Chelsea, too, have fared superbly in recent matches, securing three wins on the bounce in the Premier League.

In his BBC column, Sutton has acknowledged the great work Mauricio Pochettino has been doing at Stamford Bridge but does not see him besting Klopp on Matchday 22.

The ex-Chelsea man wrote:

“This is a dress rehearsal for the Carabao Cup final and it is a dangerous game for Liverpool after Klopp’s announcement that he is leaving at the end of the season. Chelsea have won their past three Premier League games, so they are slowly getting there and finding some consistency.

“There have been some great games between these two teams down the years and I am not totally sure who will come out on top in this one. Given Chelsea’s position in the table, they don’t have as much riding on this and, if you ask their fans, they would probably rather win the cup final than this game.”

He concluded by adding:

“You still don’t know what you are going to get from Pochettino’s team, good or bad, and if it clicks they can cause Liverpool a few problems – but I am still going to go with a Liverpool win, although it will be very close.”

Sutton’s prediction: 2-1 Liverpool

Chelsea Will Meet Liverpool Again In February

Wednesday’s meeting will give fans a glimpse of what to expect in the Carabao Cup final on February 25. Both Liverpool and Chelsea are looking for a boost of confidence heading into the business end of the 2023-24 season, and the Carabao Cup final gives them the perfect opportunity to flex their muscles. The Pensioners bested Middlesbrough 6-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals to book passage to the headline event, while the Anfield outfit nicked a 3-2 win over Fulham.

The two teams have met a whopping 195 times across competitions so far. Liverpool have secured 84 wins, Chelsea 65, while the other 46 games have ended all square.