It’s the weekend football fans have had marked in their diary for weeks. The new English Premier League season returns this weekend with newly promoted Burnley hosting Premier League champions and treble winners Manchester City on Friday. The curtain rises on the EPL 2023/24 show from 20:00 GMT, and you can follow from Turf Moor on television, radio, or through an HD-quality live stream. Will the Clarets return to the top flight of English football with a stunning victory over the kings of the continent?
It’s an important but busy year for Man City as they aim to build on the success of the previous campaign. They’re favorites to win the league and make it four titles on the bounce but face stiff competition. Chelsea and Liverpool are two teams expected to challenge Pep Guardiola’s men on all fronts this season. The Blues and Reds were disappointing last season, falling out of the top four. A response is needed as fans want to see the pair back involved in the Champions League and Premier League title races.
Chelsea and Liverpool meet in the pick of the weekend’s games, with the pair playing at Stamford Bridge in Sunday’s game live from 16:30. Neither team will decide its fate for the year on Sunday, but both know the value of getting off to a winning start and laying the foundations for a big campaign. One win and three points are available here, but there’s so much more at stake in London, including pride. Which team wins, Chelsea or Liverpool? Keep reading our in-depth and insightful preview.
Chelsea under new management
It has been all-change at Chelsea over the last few months, with ownership of the club changing hands and a new manager ushered through the door. BlueCo is the new owner, and Todd Boehly is the current chairman. Having reshuffled and finally settled the boardroom, Chelsea appointed former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino to take charge. He famously guided Spurs into the top four of the Premier League and the final of the Champions League, where they were beaten by Chelsea, who added another European trophy.
Money appears to be no object at Stamford Bridge this summer, and the team has ramped up its recruitment drive. Chelsea spent big in the winter, but many new arrivals took their title to settle and played under several managers during the reshuffle. As a result, Chelsea ended in the bottom half of the EPL, posting a 12th-place finish. That was a bitter pill to swallow for many younger Chelsea fans who had never seen their team struggle and had become accustomed to seeing them in the Champions League.
Bet hereWill missing out on Europe’s elite help or hinder the club this season? There’s no doubt they’d much rather be involved in the UCL action starting in September, but a schedule that’s clear of European distractions could allow them to focus on being competitive in the Premier League, EFL Cup, and FA Cup. It’s a crucial season in Chelsea’s history, and we can’t wait to see how the Blues perform under pressure.
Reds hoping to save face
Liverpool’s season wasn’t as bad as Chelsea’s last term, but it wasn’t much better, either. The Reds, under Jurgen Klopp, slid down the rankings, moving from Champions League and Premier League contenders to a fifth-place finish domestically. Ending outside of the top four was disappointing for Liverpool, but it was perhaps better than they deserved after spending much of the year even further down the pecking order. It was a campaign to forget, other than the strong finish that helped them scramble back into the European places.
Will Liverpool try to win the Europa League, or will we see Klopp put all his eggs in one basket and focus on domestic glory? Fans wouldn’t be upset to see Liverpool field weakened teams in the Europa League, especially during the early exchanges. It’s an ideal opportunity to give young and fringe players an opportunity to gain some much-needed confidence while showing Klopp they are worthy of featuring more in the league. If they want to, Liverpool could win the Europa League, but we’re unsure that’s their aim.
Klopp knows even he is under pressure to perform, despite guiding Liverpool to the first title of the Premier League era and success in Europe. The new arrivals must hit the ground running and impress their manager in training, as Klopp is renowned for sticking as close as possible to the same starting 11 players. With an easier and less busy campaign than last year, Liverpool has a real opportunity to fire back and silence their critics.
Chelsea v Liverpool prediction
What a game we have in store here, and if you can’t make it to Stamford Bridge, the next best thing is to follow the play live on TV or streaming apps. There will be nervousness in the air as both teams aim to land the dream start and three points while guarding against complacency. A win would set them on the right path, while defeat could damage confidence on the first week.
The stats attached to this game shows each of the last six games involving Chelsea and Liverpool have ended in a draw. Digging deeper, we note the last four have been goalless. Could this be another nervous and low-scoring affair? Teams always want to get off to a winning start, but a draw wouldn’t be the worst result for either on Sunday.
Premier League odds
Fancy these two Premier League giants to cancel each other out in this televised game? You’ll find the draw at 3.56 with 22bet, while Chelsea backers can get 2.828. Liverpool to leave London with all three points is 2.37.
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