The Blues headed to Anfield knowing they would be forced into at least two alterations, with both Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana suspended after collecting their fifth yellow cards of the season against Nottingham Forest.

Reece James is one of those to come in. Our club captain missed the start of 2024/25 campaign following his injury during pre-season but looks set to line up at right back, with Malo Gusto expected to switch to the left.

Tosin Adarabioyo is the other forced change as he comes in for Fofana and there is also an alteration in midfield as Romeo Lavia replaces Enzo Fernandez in the heart of midfield alongside Moises Caicedo.

That means Robert Sanchez remains in goal and will be protected by a back four of James, Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill and Gusto.

Caicedo and Lavia are in midfield with Jadon Sancho likely to be on the left, Noni Madueke on the right and Cole Palmer behind Nicolas Jackson as striker.

Marcus Bettinelli is among the replacements instead of Filip Jorgensen, who suffered an injury during international duty for Denmark Under-21s, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Enzo, Pedro Neto, Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku are among those on a talented Chelsea bench.

Chelsea starting XI: Sanchez; James (c), Tosin, Colwill, Gusto; Caicedo, Lavia; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson

Chelsea substitutes: Bettinelli, Disasi, Badiashile, Veiga, Enzo, Dewsbury-Hall, Neto, Joao Felix, Nkunku

Liverpool starting XI: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Szoboszlai, Jones, Gravenberch, Salah, Jota, Gakpo

Liverpool substitutes: Jaros, Gomez, Endo, Diaz, Nunez, Mac Allister, Tsimikas, Quansah, Morton