"Whoever drops points here will find it difficult to catch Man City" - Michael Owen makes bold prediction for Liverpool vs Chelsea
Former Premier League forward Michael Owen has predicted that Liverpool could come away with a 2-1 win against Chelsea on Sunday.
Chelsea are in the midst of a poor run of form, with their draw against Brighton being a positive result, as per Owen. Losing Ben Chilwell for the rest of the season could be a massive blow for Chelsea, as wing-backs play a crucial role in Tuchel's system.
In his column for BetVictor, Owen said:
"Chelsea continued their poor run of form with that draw to Brighton. They had some chances, but I thought a draw was a fair result, and the pressure is massively on them. Wing-backs are very important in Thomas Tuchel’s system, so to lose Ben Chilwell for the season is a huge blow, and I’d expect a new signing as soon as possible."
Owen said that Liverpool's defeat was just an off day for the Reds, which can happen to any side.
"I didn’t see that Liverpool defeat to Leicester coming. I know Klopp was unhappy with what he saw that night, but even if wasn’t a great performance, they still had chances. Schmeichel was outstanding in goal, and Liverpool just had an off night, that can happen!"
The 42-year-old pundit believes Liverpool are unlikely to lose two games in a row, given their better quality compared to Chelsea.
Owen also said that whichever team drops points in this game could find it difficult to catch Manchester City. The defending champions are six points clear of both Liverpool and Chelsea at the top. He added:
"This is a huge game, and I think that whoever drops points here will find it very difficult to catch Man City. I can’t see Liverpool losing two games in a row, so I’m going for them here. It’s such a hard one to call, but I think Liverpool’s extra quality in attack could be the difference. 2-1 to Liverpool."
Next up on the agenda.
🔜 #CheLiv https://t.co/H70TXrWaso
Chelsea face Liverpool and Manchester City in quick succession
Chelsea face one of their most important months this season. The Blues will take on both Liverpool and Manchester City back-to-back in the Premier League.
They take on Liverpool on the 2nd of January, before facing City on the 15th. In between, Thomas Tuchel's side will take on Tottenham Hotspur in a two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final and Chesterfield FC in the FA Cup.
Jurgen Klopp on the title race:
"We will not give up just because we lost our game against #Leicester. We will try everything, 100 percent. There are a lot of games to come." https://t.co/y4X9tJocAh
Liverpool, meanwhile, have their Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal and an FA Cup tie against Shrewsbury Town.