Chelsea vs Liverpool: 5 key battles to watch | FA Cup final 2021-22
Premier League giants Liverpool and Chelsea are destined to renew their age-old rivalry when they cross paths in Saturday’s (May 14) highly-anticipated FA Cup final at Wembley.
The two English heavyweights met in the League Cup final earlier in 2022, with Liverpool clinching the trophy on penalties.
A win in the FA Cup final wouldn’t only see Chelsea avenge their League Cup final loss, but also save them from a trophyless season. A victory for Jurgen Klopp’s Reds, on the other hand, would bolster their improbable dream of winning the quadruple.
Both clubs have plenty of difference-makers at their disposal, and today we will take a look at 10 who could grab the spotlight on Saturday.
Here are five mouth-watering tussles that could have a massive impact on the outcome of the 2021-22 FA Cup final at Wembley.
#5 Mason Mount vs Thiago Alcantara
Chelsea’s Mason Mount and Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara are not similar players by any means, but their objectives are comparable.
Mount, who is technically an attacking midfielder, has a knack for sliding into little pockets of space and looking for goalscoring opportunities.
Thiago, on the other hand, likes to keep the game ticking and is always on the lookout for lobbing through balls behind the opposition defense.
Mount, who scored once and set up another in Chelsea’s 0-3 win over Leeds United, is unlikely to cross paths with Thiago. Yet, the two are destined to compete, head-to-head, in the grander scheme of things.
The winner of this indirect battle of wit and creativity could end up making a massive impact on the outcome of Saturday’s mouth-watering FA Cup final.
#4 Sadio Mane vs Antonio Rudiger
Since Luis Diaz’s arrival from Porto in January, Jurgen Klopp has experimented by deploying Sadio Mane down the middle. Given the way Liverpool have fared over the last few months, it is safe to say that the German’s experiment has paid off wonderfully.
Operating as a false 9, Mane has stretched defenses with his pace, created chances for his teammates, and scored some fine goals himself. Unless Klopp is plotting a surprise, the Senegalese should start in attack for the Reds, flanked by Mohamed Salah and Diaz.
Antonio Rudiger, meanwhile, operates on the left side of Chelsea’s three-man defense. So he shouldn’t ideally cross paths with Mane, who sticks to the left-inside channel. However, given how quick Mane is, Thomas Tuchel could assign Rudiger to his case at Wembley.
The freakishly quick German defender loves to get his hands dirty, and it wouldn’t be surprising if things got a little messy between him and Mane.
#3 Mohamed Salah vs Marcos Alonso
With 22 goals and 13 assists, Mohamed Salah has emerged as the leading goalscorer and assist provider in the Premier League this season.
The Egypt international wishes to win the Ballon d’Or this year, for which he needs to influence the biggest games. The FA Cup is arguably the most prestigious domestic cup competition in the world and a match-winning shift is guaranteed to boost Salah’s Ballon d’Or chances.
Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso could be the man in charge of keeping Salah’s qualities under wraps. The Spaniard may not be as quick as the Egyptian, but he has the experience to read the forward’s game.
The defender could look to force Salah to switch to his weaker right foot on Saturday, thus improving his team’s chances of stopping his efforts. He might also press higher up the pitch in the hope of destabilizing the star forward.
Mo Salah:
"If you compare me with any player in my position, not only in my team but in the world, you will find that I am the best." #awlive [bein sports] https://t.co/aZhkDQw6YD
Salah, who’s only scored thrice in his last 15 games across competitions, doesn’t seem to be in the best of form, making it a much more even contest.
#2 Luis Diaz vs Reece James
Since making the switch from FC Porto for £37.5 million in January, Luis Diaz has by far been Liverpool’s best player. The Colombian is lightning quick, whip-smart, and tirelessly comes at the opposition from the first blast of the whistle to the last.
With him on the left wing, the Reds seem like a completely different beast altogether.
Diaz’s skillset can make any team tremble, but Chelsea have a dynamite of their own in right wing-back Reece James. The England international has missed a few matches this season due to injuries (hamstring, muscle) and fitness issues, but he’s successfully returned to his best.
Not only does he have the pace to keep up with Diaz but also possesses the anticipation to stop him from cutting inside. James loves to dart into the opposition third as well, which could keep Diaz bogged down with some defensive responsibilities.
#1 Romelu Lukaku vs Virgil van Dijk
A month back, Romelu Lukaku would not even be within a mile of this list. He struggled to find the back of the net and was behind Timo Werner and Kai Havertz in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.
Over the last couple of weeks, Lukaku has rediscovered some of his lost confidence. He has scored three goals in his last two starts, hinting that he might finally be on the right track.
A solid performance in the FA Cup final against the mighty Liverpool could officially rekindle his love affair with Chelsea fans.
Happy 29th Birthday to Romelu Lukaku 🎉
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Of course, scoring against the Reds is easier said than done, especially when an opponent as formidable as Virgil van Dijk stands in the way.
The Dutchman is one of the very few defenders in the league who can match Lukaku's physical strength. He also possesses impeccable game-reading skills and rarely affords his opponents room to stretch their legs.
Seeing the two excellent sportsmen go at one another is guaranteed to be one of the biggest highlights of the match.
Also Read: Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool could take leaf out of Gerard Houllier's playbook ahead of crucial week starting with FA Cup final against Chelsea