EPL 2016-17: Chelsea vs Liverpool - 3 Key Battles from the game

Chelsea renew their rivalry with Liverpool on Friday night in a bid to ascertain their footballing supremacy. The two clubs have been at the forefront of the English football since the dawn of the new millennium and have provided us with a number of classic matches over the time. While a lot of nice words have been exchanged between the two camps in the build-up to the match, there will be no lost love once the referee blows his whistle to begin the proceedings.

While the hosts come into the game on the back of a rather timid display against Swansea away from home, the Reds were at their devastating best against Champions Leicester and given the abilities of the squads as well as the managers, we believe we have a cracking game on our hands.

While the general team tactics will dictate the outcome of the game, there are numerous battles that would prove to be critical and here are our 3 key battles to watch out from the game on Friday.

1) Daniel Sturridge vs David Luiz

David Luiz and Daniel Sturridge played together at Chelsea earlier in their careers

With John Terry ruled out of the game due to an injury, Antonio Conte has been left with no choice but to start the returning man David Luiz in the crucial game alongside Gary Cahill. As much as every Chelsea fan loves Luiz for his passion and determination, there are obvious flaws in his game that have been exposed in the past. One man who would be keen to put Luiz’s abilities as a footballer under the scanner is his former teammate Daniel Sturridge, who too returns to his former home.

The 29-year-old is a proactive defender who pulls no stops and has showcased an ability to be a real nonsense for the opposition attackers in the past. He has the pace, can tackle and is unafraid to put his body on the line for the cause of his team and these traits endeared him to the Chelsea faithful during the first spell.

However, Daniel Sturridge is no new boy to top flight football, having featured on more than 200 occasions in the Premier League and more importantly, having found the back of the net on 93 occasions. After struggling in the initial stages of his career, the Birmingham man rediscovered his mojo at Liverpool and will be keen to make Chelsea regret their decision to sell him in 2013.