It does look surprisingly early in the year to be thinking about European football (unless youre a Wolves fan), but Liverpools face-off together with Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup has a wonderful feel to it — an intriguing curtain-raiser into the continental football season.
Champions League winners Liverpool very much picked up from where they left off campaign, putting newly-promoted Norwich. Chelsea, that naturally claimed the Europa League name, were very much on the receiving end of a demolition project at Old Trafford, in what was quite a opening screen for Frank Lampard to digest. The barefaced stats look OK as much as Chelsea are worried, however a 2.18-1.33 xG shortage informs a more damning story; Chelsea had plenty of attempts, but David de Gea was rarely stretched. ??
It must be pretty fascinating on Wednesday, however, the result is beyond any doubt in my view; Chelsea defended poorly against Manchester United, and while they did threaten the hosts early on, its not enough to convince me they will lay much of a glove on Jurgen Klopps guys.
There are not enough goals on this Chelsea side. Tammy Abraham along with Olivier Giroud will not cut the mustard at a six centre-forward needs to, while the reduction of Eden Hazard may also have a while to get over.
You know what you buy at this point, and it is going to be too much for Chelsea.
At 17/10, Liverpool to acquire with a -1 disability looks a very solid bet. The last meeting between these two finished 2-0 in the Reds favour, and also Liverpool look much stronger in all departments than the adversaries of Wednesday. ??
We were treated to our share of VAR-fuelled controversy in Europe last year, and with the interpretation of what constitutes a punishment being much more powerful than the Premier Leagues of UEFA, I am funding a.
We saw Chelsea concede a penalty against Manchester United this weekend–Kurt Zouma the guilty party–and considering only 3 sides obtained more penalties in the Premier League compared to Liverpool last season, Id suggest the probabilities of the referee pointing to the place are rather high, particularly since it is a cup final (or sorts).
Of course, Chelsea can win a punishment, but its not outlandish think VAR will take center stage. ??
I have gone a tiny rogue for this tip, but it is for Virgil Van Dijk to score first.
Hear me out here…
Though his record in the early part of his Liverpool career was plump for a person of such stature, VVD has scored seven goals in his last 23 appearances for club and country, which is a good yield from centre-back.
Of course, Liverpool have an entire variety of players who can (and likely will) score on Wednesday, however, Van Dijk has opened his account for the season with a goal from Norwich, also 25/1 for the Dutchman to discover the web first against what looks like a pretty porous Chelsea is probably worth a nibble.
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