Liverpool are set to visit Chelsea on Sunday with no fresh injury concerns to contend with.

Jürgen Klopp was asked for a squad fitness update during Friday's pre-match press conference and told the media: “Intense week. A few little things here and there but in the moment should be OK.

“Nobody is coming back or whatever, and the rest we have to see. So, still two days to go – two training sessions – but for the moment, we seem OK.”

It remains to be seen whether Thiago Alcantara, who signed for the Premier League champions on Friday, will debut at Stamford Bridge.

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Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, meanwhile, reported that Ben Chilwell, Christian Pulisic, Thiago Silva and Hakim Ziyech will miss Sunday’s game, but Timo Werner is available.

Last time out

Brighton 1-3 Chelsea (September 14): Kepa, James, Christensen, Zouma, Alonso, Kante, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek, Mount, Havertz, Werner.

Liverpool 4-3 Leeds United (September 12): Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Keita, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

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Liverpool are set to visit Chelsea on Sunday with no fresh injury concerns to contend with.

Liverpool U18s play their first game of the season on Saturday when they host Stoke City at the Academy - watch the game live on LFCTV and LFCTV GO from 10.50am BST.

Kick-off in Kirkby is scheduled for 11am as Marc Bridge-Wilkinson takes charge of the young Reds in the U18 Premier League for the first time.

Supporters are reminded that this is a behind-closed-doors fixture. All matches will take place behind closed doors until October at the earliest.

Click here to watch the game live>>

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Liverpool U18s play their first game of the season on Saturday when they host Stoke City at the Academy - watch the game live on LFCTV and LFCTV GO from 10.50am BST.

Liverpool are closing in on a £45 million deal to sign winger Diogo Jota from Wolves.

The Portuguese is set to sign a five-year contract with the Premier League champions, becoming their third signing of the summer following the acquisitions of Kostas Tsimikas and Thiago Alcantara.

The Reds will pay at least £41m for the 23-year-old, with a further £4m in add-ons relating to league and European success also written into the deal.

Full story: Evening Standard

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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Liverpool are closing in on a £45 million deal to sign winger Diogo Jota from Wolves.

The Portuguese is set to sign a five-year contract with the Premier League champions, becoming their third signing of the summer following the acquisitions of Kostas Tsimikas and Thiago Alcantara.

The Reds will pay at least £41m for the 23-year-old, with a further £4m in add-ons relating to league and European success also written into the deal.

Full story: Evening Standard

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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Liverpool are closing in on a £45 million deal to sign winger Diogo Jota from Wolves.

Liverpool are set to complete the £45million signing of Diogo Jota from Wolves, Goal can confirm.

The Portuguese international forward has agreed a five-year deal at Anfield, and will become the second signing of a remarkable week for the Premier League champions.

On Friday, Liverpool confirmed the £27m (€30m/$35m) arrival of midfielder Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich, the Spaniard putting pen-to-paper on a four-year contract as he takes over the No.6 jersey from the departed Dejan Lovren.

Full story: Goal.com

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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Liverpool are set to complete the £45million signing of Diogo Jota from Wolves, Goal can confirm.

The Portuguese international forward has agreed a five-year deal at Anfield, and will become the second signing of a remarkable week for the Premier League champions.

On Friday, Liverpool confirmed the £27m (€30m/$35m) arrival of midfielder Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich, the Spaniard putting pen-to-paper on a four-year contract as he takes over the No.6 jersey from the departed Dejan Lovren.

Full story: Goal.com

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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Liverpool are set to complete the £45million signing of Diogo Jota from Wolves, Goal can confirm.

Liverpool are closing in on a £35m deal for Wolves forward Diogo Jota that could be completed as early as Saturday.

The move comes just hours after the Premier League champions secured the signing of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich in a deal that could be worth up to £25m.

Full story: Sky Sports

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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Liverpool are closing in on a £35m deal for Wolves forward Diogo Jota that could be completed as early as Saturday.

The move comes just hours after the Premier League champions secured the signing of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich in a deal that could be worth up to £25m.

Full story: Sky Sports

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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Liverpool are closing in on a £35m deal for Wolves forward Diogo Jota that could be completed as early as Saturday.

Diogo Jota will join Liverpool on a five-year deal from Wolves for an initial £41million, further highlighting the club’s ambition to retain the Premier League title.

Diogo Jota will join Liverpool on a five-year deal from Wolves for an initial £41million, further highlighting the club’s ambition to retain the Premier League title.

The package could rise to £45m depending on appearances as well as the Merseysiders’ success domestically and on the continent.

Wolves’ flexibility with payment terms was a crucial factor in getting such a big outlay over the line in the current financial climate.

Full story: Independent

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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THE DETAILS

Venue – Stamford Bridge, Chelsea

Referee – Paul Tierney

Date & Time – Sunday, September 20th @ 16:30

Current Odds – Chelsea 21/10, Draw 13/5, Liverpool 6/5

________________________________________________________

Liverpool have won their last three Premier League meetings with Chelsea. Yet, this weekend’s game is likely to be one of the toughest tests Jürgen Klopp and his side have faced in recent seasons. Chelsea have delved deep into the transfer market this summer, adding quality in defence, midfield and attack. With that fresh impetus, however, comes pressure and Frank Lampard will be expected to achieve results this season with his team of stars. They’re still not Liverpool, though…

FORM

Chelsea Form

Chelsea started their season off with an impressive 3-1 win at Brighton on Monday night. Goals from Jorginho, Reece James and Kurt Zouma gave them all three points at the Amex Stadium.

Kai Havertz and Timo Werner both made their debuts for The Blues and will be expected to start again on Sunday against the Premier League champions.

Liverpool Form

Liverpool got the win they needed against newly-promoted Leeds United last Saturday. Marcela Bielsa’s men gave the champions plenty of scares and played some fantastic football but they couldn’t live with the in-form Mohamed Salah on the day.

Sunday’s game is a huge one in terms of laying down an early marker for the season ahead and Liverpool will need to be at their absolute best against a new-look Chelsea side that could really click into gear this season.

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea Team News

Frank Lampard is without Ben Chilwell, Billy Gilmour and Hakim Ziyech for Sunday’s fixture while Thiago Silva is also a major doubt. Christian Pulisic and Timo Werner are recovering from knocks but should be able to feature.

Lampard could opt for a midfield pairing of Mateo Kovačić and N’Golo Kanté with Reece James and Marcos Alonso playing as wing-backs.

Kai Havertz was played in a more advanced role than he’s used to against Brighton on the right-side of attack. He could start there again on Sunday with Timo Werner in the middle and Mason Mount cutting in from the left of the front three.

Liverpool Team News

First things first – Thiago Alcântara, who should have completed his signing before the end of this week – will not be registered in time to play any part at Chelsea.

Liverpool are without Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who suffered a knee injury during pre-season. The attacking midfielder should be available for selection before the end of the month, however. He may even get some minutes in next Thursday’s EFL Cup tie at Lincoln City.

Kostas Tsimikas and Xherdan Shaqiri are both pushing for full fitness and will hope to be part of the matchday squad on Sunday.

I think Klopp will go with his favoured midfield from last season with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum providing energy and stability.

Joe Gomez should keep his place alongside Virgil van Dijk in central defence despite a nervy start against Leeds for the young defender.

Mohamed Salah will hopefully be in red-hot form again after his opening day hat-trick last weekend. He will be in attack with Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané.

PREDICTED LINEUPS

Chelsea XI (3-4-3) – Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Rüdiger; James, Kanté, Kovacic, Alonso; Havertz, Werner, Mount

Liverpool XI (4-3-3) – Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mané

WHEN THEY LAST MET

Liverpool won 5-3 in a pulsating encounter at Anfield back in July. It was the night The Reds were presented with the Premier League trophy. Goals from Naby Keïta, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Gini Wijnaldum, Roberto Firmino and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain gave Liverpool the win. Olivier Giroud, Tammy Abraham and Christian Pulisic were Chelsea’s scorers on the night.

Last season at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool won 2-1 thanks to goals from Alexander-Arnold and Firmino while Kanté scored the hosts’ consolation strike.

Willian and Ross Barkley were the scorers back in March when Chelsea knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup with a 2-0 home win.

PREDICTION

CHELSEA 2 – 2 LIVERPOOL

This game could have it all, including plenty of action on the sidelines following Lampard’s behaviour at Anfield in July. The two sides will be playing very positive football with fantastic pace and individual talents on display. This means there’s likely to be plenty of goalmouth action and maybe plenty of goals. I think it’s going to be a tough game for The Reds and a score draw could be on the cards.

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Liverpool U23s were unfortunate to suffer a 2-1 defeat away at Derby County on Friday evening.

Jake Cain opened the scoring for the young Reds with a terrific free-kick after 11 minutes of play at Loughborough University. 

But Josh Shonibare levelled proceedings a short while later before a fortuitous goal from Jack Stretton just beyond the half-hour mark decided the outcome of the Premier League 2 fixture. 

A strong start nearly saw the visitors go ahead after 45 seconds when Ben Woodburn poked just wide from Liam Millar's cross. But they wouldn't have to wait too long for the opener to arrive. 

With Leighton Clarkson also hovering over the ball, Cain took responsibility from a free-kick in a central area. 

The midfielder proceeded to fire in a whipped left-footed strike into the top corner, kissing the post en route to the back of the net. 

That lead lasted just 12 minutes, however, when Shonibare curled an effort past Vitezslav Jaros from Derby's first attack in the contest.

The hosts' second arrived in fortunate circumstances after determined defending from Conor Bradley. The full-back's tackle to thwart Shonibare saw the ball inadvertently fall to Stretton, who applied a first-time finish. 

Woodburn, captain for Barry Lewtas' charges for the evening, was then frustrated by the post to close out an entertaining first half. 

Liverpool continued to apply plenty of pressure on the Derby backline in the second period, though it was ultimately to no avail. 

Clarkson hit a powerful effort in the aftermath of a corner that was parried away by Derby stopper Emmanuel Idem. Then, substitutes Elijah Dixon-Bonner and Fidel O'Rourke squandered the Reds’ final opportunities to salvage something from the game.

Lewtas' youngsters will look to respond when they begin their EFL Trophy campaign away at Wigan Athletic on Tuesday evening.

Liverpool U23s: Jaros, Bradley (Sharif, 81), Clayton, Savage, Beck, Clarkson, Cain, Bearne (O’Rourke, 85), Woodburn, Longstaff (Dixon-Bonner, 73), Millar. 

Unused substitute: Winterbottom.

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Liverpool U23s were unfortunate to suffer a 2-1 defeat away at Derby County on Friday evening.

Liverpool’s £25 million deal to sign Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich does not only add a world-class midfielder to the squad, but solves a host of other key issues too. 

Thiago‘s arrival from Bayern comes after a summer of speculation, with the Reds taking their time in pursuit of the Spaniard as they assessed their financial situation.

With Jurgen Klopp a keen admirer of the 29-year-old, though, Liverpool pushed ahead of a with a move that sees Thiago arrive for an initial £20 million, with a further £5 million negotiated in add-ons.

It is a bargain deal for a player of Thiago‘s calibre, regardless of him being in the final year of his contract at Bayern and turning 30 in April.

This is even more so because it addresses a number of other issues within Klopp’s squad, and not just in the middle of the park.

Gini, what now then?

In the weeks leading up to Liverpool’s eventual approach for Thiago, it was widely mooted that his arrival would be contingent on the departure of another senior midfielder.

Namely, that would have been Gini Wijnaldum, who has attracted interest from Barcelona and, like Thiago at Bayern, is in the last 12 months of his contract.

The latest on Wijnaldum’s future is that the Dutchman now appears eager to stay on Merseyside following talks with Jurgen Klopp, but previous disagreements over the length and value of his next deal could put paid to that beyond 2021.

Effectively, signing Thiago solves the problem of replacing Wijnaldum before it arises; the Spaniard offers similar qualities to the No. 5, and then some, though claims he is a clear upgrade are disrespectful to one of Klopp’s lieutenants.

If Wijnaldum does leave in the next 12 months, the Reds already have his successor in their ranks, but on a more positive slant, the arrival of Thiago adds another top-level midfielder to the squad.

Thiago, Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones, James Milner and perhaps Marko Grujic—few sides will have that degree of strength and diversity in the middle of the park.

It could even be that Thiago turns out replacing Milner, whose deal expires in 2022, or Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose injury problems have persisted into the new campaign, but either way, it is a pragmatic and pre-emptive solution.

Fab fourth?

In some quarters, Thiago was seen as a luxury signing for the Reds; less imperative than bringing in a new fourth-choice centre-back or added depth to the attacking line.

But Dejan Lovren‘s exit is, in fact, catered for with the arrival of the player who has taken his No. 6 shirt.

At 5’9″, Thiago is not, and never will be, a centre-back, but in Fabinho, Klopp has a midfielder already earmarked as a “creative” option at the heart of defence.

The Brazilian is proven as more than capable in the role, having excelled alongside Joel Matip in a 0-0 draw with a Bayern side that included Thiago in the Champions League in 2018.

And while he is clearly at his best in the anchor role in midfield, signing Thiago allows Klopp to deploy Fabinho in emergency situations, when Matip and Joe Gomez are both out and neither Billy Koumetio nor Sepp van den Berg are trusted.

While not a bona fide defensive midfielder, Thiago‘s world-class ability can see him fill in at the base of the midfield, while both Wijnaldum and Henderson are available to step in for Fabinho if needed too.

Ultimately, it absolves the need to sign a new fourth-choice centre-back, which unless a Ragnar Klavan scenario presents itself is particularly difficult, as the player signed would need to be capable, but also content with much of a season spent on the fringes.

Liverpool could still bring in another centre-back, but the Thiago transfer certainly reduces the need to do so.

Staying on top

On a more basic level, bringing Thiago to Liverpool addresses any concerns over complacency seeping into Klopp’s squad after winning the title.

The best Liverpool sides have always built from a position of strength—take Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen and Graeme Souness on the back of the club’s first-ever European Cup in 1977—and there were fears over whether the Reds could replicate their triumph without doing so.

Bringing in a new, elite-level midfielder can spur the squad on; Thiago is a winner, with seven Bundesliga titles, two La Liga titles and two Champions League wins to his name among many others, and his arrival will inspire his new team-mates.

Not only will it stir up competition in midfield, with the likes of Wijnaldum, Henderson and Keita not assured of their places, but it will reinvigorate those in defence and attack, too.

He will up the standard in training and in games, and will inject freshness into the dressing room, as regardless of how strong the bond is within any squad, it would be very rare for the same faces to not grow stale eventually.

In short, Thiago is a statement signing for Liverpool, the most high-profile player brought into the club in many, many years.

For £25 million, it was a deal too good for Klopp to turn down, as his new No. 6 solves a host of issues that could have arisen over the course of this season and beyond.

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