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While everyone is getting ready for the New Years’ festivities, this is the best time as any to launch your favourite soccer betting app and comb through the Premier League betting lines to find the best bets for the first fixtures of 2022.
So without further ado, let’s jump into our free EPL betting preview, where we look at the Chelsea vs Liverpool odds and provide you with our expert picks and value bets for you to place today!
The Chelsea vs Liverpool betting odds show Chelsea as slight underdogs at 2/1, Liverpool as 5/4 favourites, and a draw at 5/2. As the odds suggest, we should be in for a close affair, which makes sense, considering there isn’t much to separate the teams based on their performances this season.
Chelsea enters this match with a 12-6-2 record in the EPL and 42 points, which is good for second place. Liverpool is breathing behind their necks with a 12-5-2 record and 41 points, which sets the Reds nicely to overtake Chelsea with a win on Sunday.
But while the teams looked evenly matched over the season, we have to put more weight on their recent showings. And while neither team was particularly impressive over the last month, it’s hard to trust Liverpool after their performance against Leicester (0-1).
If you were to look at the stats Liverpool produced against Leicester on Tuesday, you could be wondering how they managed to lose. The Reds ended the match with 63% ball possession, 21 goal attempts, and 4 shots on goal, compared to Leicester’s 37% ball possession, 6 tries, and only one shot on goal.
However, the eye test would confirm that Liverpool played terribly. And this game was a prime example of why blindly following the stats isn’t the wisest idea when betting on sports.
Admittedly, Chelsea wasn’t particularly successful in their last outing either (1-1 against Brighton), but they played much better than what the final result would suggest.
We aren’t saying that Chelsea is undeniably better than Liverpool, but there is no reason for the bookies to price them as big underdogs. There is plenty of value with the hosts at the offered Chelsea vs Liverpool odds.
Chelsea and Liverpool last met on August 28, when the 2 English football juggernauts produced plenty of highlights but parted ways with a 1-1 draw. Their only other meeting of 2021 happened in March when Chelsea edged out a 1-0 victory at Anfield.
Based on their most recent head-to-head meetings, it’s safe to assume we’re in for another low-scoring bout. But there are more reasons why we are confident this fixture won’t feature many goals.
Both teams have been relatively efficient in scoring goals this term. Liverpool has scored 50 across 19 outings, while Chelsea has managed 43 across 20.
With those stats, many Chelsea v Liverpool betting tips will tell you to back both teams to score or over 2.5 goals. But we’re going against the public with our prediction.
While the teams have proven their prowess in the attack, Liverpool and Chelsea have also been very effective in defending their nets. Chelsea has conceded only 14 goals, while Liverpool leaked 16, the second and third-lowest marks in the EPL.
This match is crucial for both teams to win since a defeat will be a massive setback as they look to catch up to Manchester City. With so much on the line, it’s highly doubtful either team will want to risk much, and it’s highly likely we will see a more defensive approach from the side that scores first.
A bet on under 2.5 goals at even odds is worth a shot, but at 3/1, we have to take a shot with under 2.
Even though there were only 3 cards shown in August when Chelsea and Liverpool clashed for the first time in the 2021/22 EPL season, it’s fair to expect a few more this time out.
As noted, this will be a crucial match to win for both squads, and situations like that result in very physical games. Moreover, players on both sides should be frustrated with their recent showings, so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the emotions will get the better of them.
You won’t be getting generous odds on over 3.5 cards, but 8/13 is solid enough for us to pull the trigger.
Great supportMobile appsLive bettingLive bettingMany sportsFast payoutsWelcome offersFast payouts24/7 supportVIP programLive gamesMany bonusesMany sportsIn-play modeLive streamingEven though Chelsea has done well this season, they haven’t been looking too good of late, and their 1-1 draw with Brighton should make you wonder whether the Blues can still be considered the EPL title contenders. Chelsea has had some iffy games even before that fixture, so it’s fair to feel concerned about what the next season will bring.
Most of Chelsea’s issues are due to injuries, as several of Chelsea’s key men spent weeks sidelined, unable to help their side. Most notably, Chelsea missed Ben Chilwell, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Thiago Silva, and Timo Werner in their bout against Brighton.
And to make matters worse, Reece James suffered an injury against Brighton and joined the long list of absent players.
But regardless of all that, Chelsea has managed to keep their heads above the water. Even though they have dropped points against Wolves (0-0), Everton (1-1), and Brighton (1-1), the Blues have played well given the situation they’re currently in.
Like Chelsea, Liverpool is enjoying a solid season. They’re third in the English Premier League, with a solid 12-5-2 record, which sits them only one point behind Chelsea with one more game in hand.
Even elsewhere, Liverpool has been playing well and has recently made it to the semi-finals of the EFL Cup with a 4-3 victory against Leicester. And we can’t forget to mention Liverpool’s incredible run through the UEFA Champions League group stage, in which they finished with a perfect 6-0 record and a 17-8 goal difference.
But despite everything Liverpool has achieved over the season, their most recent performances left a lot to be desired. You could praise the Reds for reaching the EFL Cup semis, but they conceded 3 goals and needed penalties to make it past Leicester.
And just 6 days after, Liverpool lost against the Foxes with a very disappointing performance. The stats were there, but Liverpool struggled to use the ball efficiently and lacked creativity.
If we look further back to the 18th round of the English Premier League, Liverpool slipped against Tottenham (2-2). Although not a particularly terrible result, it’s hardly worth praise.
The Blues lost James and Andreas Christensen against Brighton, only adding to the injury concerns Thoma Tuchel has been dealing with of late. Before the game, Tuchel also learned that Ben Chilwell needed surgery on his knee and would miss the remainder of the season.
But while Chilwell is undoubtedly out of the picture, James and Christensen could return, patching up the depleted Chelsea’s roster. On a more positive note, Thiago Silva could return, and so might Kai Havertz, who resumed his training after quarantining last week.
The situation with Timo Werner, who has not featured since December 11, remains questionable. He has supposedly returned to training and could feature on Sunday, but we will have to wait and see.
Thiago Alcantara and Takumi Minamino are both out with an injury on the Liverpool side. At the same time, Harvey Elliott continues to recover from a severe ankle injury he suffered in September. Since mid-December, the Belgian striker Divock Origi has been missing and could feature on Sunday, but there is currently no indication when the 26-year-old will return to the pitch.
Chelsea and Liverpool will clash on Sunday, January 2, at Stamford Bridge in London. The match will take place at local time (GMT).
You will watch the game on all major sports TV channels or via a live stream available on all major streaming platforms. You can also follow the match straight from a football sportsbook, assuming the bookie you use offers a live streaming service.
Since this is one of the season’s most prominent English Premier League, you can also expect promotional free live betting bonuses on some football bookmakers. So it’s wise to check the promotion tab on the bookie you plan to use.
As our final Chelsea vs Liverpool prediction, we’ll aim high and predict that a red card will be shown in the match. The explanation behind this prediction has already been presented under our bet on over 3.5 cards.
It’s also worth noting that there was a red card in 2 of the last 3 head-to-head meetings between Chelsea and Liverpool and at least one card in all but one of their last 5 clashes. Even though red cards are generally uncommon, the betting odds (10/3) we’re getting make it hard not to add a red card to our list of Liverpool vs Chelsea betting predictions.
Prediction: A Red Card in the Match (Yes)
That concludes our free English Premier League betting preview, providing you with everything you need to know to visit the best sportsbooks today and place a smart bet on this EPL spectacle.
