Frank Lampard is back at Chelsea after being confirmed as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

Lampard returns to Stamford Bridge to take the reins after the sacking of Graham Potter on Sunday, with the club reportedly meeting several other candidates in recent days as they look to their long-term appointment.

Just over two years after being sacked by previous owner Roman Abramovich as permanent Chelsea boss, and just over two months on from his dismissal by Everton, the 44-year-old is back in charge of a Premier League club.

Chelsea confirmed the news on their official website on Thursday, with Lampard's first game back being Saturday's trip to Wolves, followed by a Champions League quarter-final fuirst leg against Real Madrid.

Co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said: "We are delighted to welcome Frank back to Stamford Bridge. Frank is a Premier League Hall of Famer and a legend at this club.

"As we continue our thorough and exhaustive process for a permanent head coach, we want to provide the club and our fans with a clear and stable plan for the remainder of the season.

"We want to give ourselves every chance of success and Frank has all of the characteristics and qualities we need to drive us to the finish line.

"We have an important game against Wolves on Saturday and then we will turn our attention to our Champions League quarter-final in Madrid next week. We are all going to give Frank our full backing as we aim to get the best possible outcome from all our remaining games."

The former Chelsea and Manchester City midfielder finished fourth in his one full season in charge of the Blues, and also reached the FA Cup final where they were beaten by Arsenal.

After replacing Rafael Benitez at Everton in January 2022, he just about managed to keep the Merseyside club in the Premier League, but their struggles carried over into the 2022-23 campaign.

Having played 20 games by the time Lampard was sacked just under a year later, they sat 19th on 15 points following a 2-0 defeat to fellow strugglers West Ham, and had lost eight of their previous nine matches in all competitions.

Chelsea's dismissal of Graham Potter and decision not to rush into an appointment has generated speculation about their next permanent manager.

The Blues are destined to miss out on the Premier League's top four this season, thus will not qualify for the Champions League via the league.

As a result, there appears a lack of urgency as they look to get back on the right direction after sacking both Potter and Thomas Tuchel this term under new owner Todd Boehly.

TOP STORY – BLUES MULL OVER ENRIQUE, NAGELSMANN AND CONTE

Fabrizio Romano reports Frank Lampard will take over as Chelsea's interim manager, but that ex-Spain boss Luis Enrique is 100 per cent interested in the permanent position.

Enrique has flown into London for talks on the role, while the Blues will also continue talks with ex-Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann who is the leading candidate.

The Independent claims the Blues are also considering a shock return for Antonio Conte after initial contact between intermediaries.

ROUND-UP

– Football Insider reports Manchester United are keen on Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse. United may take advantage of the Saints' possible relegation to bolster their midfield with the 28-year-old free-kick specialist. Aston Villa and Newcastle United are also interested in him.

– Liverpool are willing to cough up €40 million (£35m) for Atletico Madrid's Argentinian World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul to bolster their midfield next term, reports Fichajes. Inter Live claims Tottenham are also interested in De Paul.

– Arsenal are pondering an off-season move for Lazio midfielder Sergei Milinkovic-Savic who will be a free agent in 2024, claims Gazzetta dello Sport. The reported fee would be around €40m.

– Luka Modric is disgruntled with his contract situation at Real Madrid, with his future not yet resolved with only a few months left on his deal, claims Goal.

– Fichajes claims West Ham, Leeds United and Nice are all circling for Real Madrid's Mariano who will be available on a free transfer at the end of this season.

– Leicester City have shortlisted Ralph Hasenhuttl, Jesse Marsch and Oscar Garcia for their vacant managerial role according to Fabrizio Romano. The Independent's Miguel Delaney claims the Foxes are also interested in experienced pair Martin O'Neill and Rafa Benitez.

Liverpool are reportedly no longer pursuing Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes and will instead pivot to Brighton and Hove Albion young gun Moises Caicedo or Chelsea and England talent Mason Mount.

The decision to turn their attention away from Nunes comes after Wolves removed a release clause in his contract that would have made him available for £44million in the upcoming transfer window, according to The Mirror.

The report states Wolves will still entertain the possibility of selling Nunes, but will now demand at least £50m for the player they paid £38m for in an August transfer from Sporting CP.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL TURN TO CAICEDO, MOUNT AFTER NUNES REVELATION

With Nunes out of the equation, The Mirror is reporting Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham remains the top priority, but Liverpool will investigate more "realistic" moves for Caicedo or Mount.

Caicedo, 21, signed a new contract with Brighton after the club turned down a £70m offer from Arsenal in January, but according to Football Insider the Seagulls were primarily against letting a top talent leave mid-season and will be far more open to discussions in the off-season.

Mount, 24, now has 15 months remaining on his Chelsea contract and has shown no signs of signing an extension, making him a prime candidate to leave the club in an effort to balance their books after lavish spending in the past 12 months.

ROUND-UP

– The Daily Mail is reporting Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham are among a host of clubs with interest in the £40million (€45.6m) release clause of 26-year-old Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae, who would prefer a Premier League move if he is to leave Serie A.

– According to Fabrizio Romano, Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have made an official offer to impending free agent Lionel Messi that would pay him £350m per year.

– Lazio are trying to convince star 28-year-old midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to sign a new two-year extension to repel interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Juventus, United and Chelsea, per Football Italia.

– Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg is reporting RB Leipzig and Inter are both pushing to sign breakout 23-year-old Tigre striker Mateo Retegui after the Argentine-born talent made his international debut for Italy recently.

– According to Mundo Deportivo, Atletico Madrid have offered 30-year-old striker Alvaro Morata a contract extension as he prepares to enter the final year of his current deal, although the club are willing to sell him if he would prefer a new challenge.

Chelsea, Liverpool and the Premier League have all condemned the "vile" chants referring to stadium tragedies heard during the teams' goalless draw at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

Chelsea and Liverpool played out their fourth goalless draw in as many head-to-head meetings as the Blues spurned several chances to win their first game since Graham Potter's sacking.

The contest was marred by some home supporters chanting about the Hillsborough disaster – which saw 97 Liverpool fans lose their lives during and after a 1989 FA Cup semi-final.

Tuesday's match was not the first to be overshadowed by such songs this season, with Manchester City expressing regret after similar chants were heard at their 4-1 win over Liverpool on Saturday.

A statement released by Chelsea shortly after full-time read: "Chelsea FC condemns the inappropriate chants heard from some home fans during this evening's game. 

"Hateful chanting has no place in football and we apologise to anyone who has been offended by them."

Liverpool subsequently responded to Chelsea's apology on Twitter, calling for supporters to stop partaking in the grim chants.

"We know the impact these vile chants have on those who continue to suffer as a result of football tragedies," read a Tweet from the club's account. "For their sake, this has to stop."

The Premier League, meanwhile, addressed the situation in another Tweet, which read: "The Premier League condemns the tragedy chanting heard at tonight's match between Chelsea and Liverpool. 

"We continue to treat this as an unacceptable issue and are seeking to address it as a priority."

Chelsea's interim head coach Bruno Saltor hailed his players' response to a difficult few days after the Blues enjoyed the better of the play in Tuesday's goalless draw with Liverpool.

Chelsea missed several clear chances to win their first game since Graham Potter's sacking, with Kai Havertz denied a second-half winner by a VAR review after a shot rebounded into the net via his arm.

The result keeps the Blues in the bottom half of the Premier League table, but there was cause for optimism after a game in which Liverpool managed just two shots from inside the Blues' area.

Speaking after the draw, former Brighton and Hove Albion full-back Bruno outlined his pride in Chelsea's performance, despite them failing to net in a sixth different home league game this season.

"I asked the players to play with their hearts and I think we saw that," the Spaniard told Sky Sports. "We gave everything, we created chances. We scored twice, one offside and one handball.

"I think it was a big performance from the boys, it's a good start for them after some difficult, emotional days.

"They were able to keep themselves focused, to use their heads and their hearts as well, so credit to them.

"It's been a really difficult season for them. To come back from the news we had in the last few days is incredible. 

"It shows they are able to focus on the moment and on performing well. They have to be proud of themselves."

One major positive for Chelsea came in the form of N'Golo Kante, who gave an energetic performance as he captained the side on his first league start since last August.

Kante won five of his seven duels and was successful with all three of his attempted tackles, but Bruno believes being able to lean on his experience is equally crucial for Chelsea.

"He's outstanding," Bruno said of Kante. "Both with what he brings to the team in terms of football, and what he brings in terms of leadership. He's a massive plus for the team."

With the appointment of Potter's long-term successor not believed to be imminent, Bruno was asked if he expects to be in place for Saturday's trip to Wolves, but the 42-year-old is taking things day by day. 

"I expect to go home now and rest, then go game by game," he said. "That's what we are trying to do, trying to be as professional as we can, help the club and present the best that we can.

"It's a difficult situation, but I think everyone is doing the best they can. We just need to relax, be calm and assess the boys. I know it sounds boring, but it's a day by day job.

"The only thing I can say is I'm happy for the first performance, but it's what they [the players] deserve. It's credit to them, it's not credit to me."

Jurgen Klopp admitted he would not last at Liverpool if he oversaw multiple seasons as poor as their current campaign after the Reds played out a goalless draw with managerless Chelsea.

A much-changed Liverpool side were fortunate to escape with a point from their trip to Stamford Bridge, with a VAR review denying Kai Havertz a winning goal when the ball deflected in off his arm.

Klopp made six changes to his starting line-up for the game, with the Reds producing a disjointed display after benching the likes of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Having gone four games without a win across all competitions, Liverpool sit seven points adrift of the Premier League's top four with 10 games remaining this term.

Asked whether he had ever endured another season as frustrating as this one, Klopp told BBC Sport: "No, thank God. 

"I wouldn't be manager of Liverpool if I had a couple of these seasons. We have to get through it. That's how life is. You have to fight to change your fortunes.

"We cannot talk about the goals we have if we don't get points. We don't give up, we will fight. We can talk a lot, but we have to show it."

Liverpool have now seen each of their last four meetings with Chelsea across all competitions finish goalless, despite those games containing a total of 103 shots worth 11.9 expected goals.

However, following Saturday's heavy 4-1 defeat at Manchester City, Klopp was at least pleased by the spirit shown by his out-of-form side in west London.

"Both teams played last year in two finals, two of the best 0-0s I ever saw," Klopp added. "Today it was two teams low on confidence but really fighting. 

"We're fine with a point, there was a lot of good stuff. We showed a lot of fight. We have to keep going.

"We had our opportunities up front. It was not spectacular. It was a step. That's what we have to do – make steps. Sometimes smaller steps.

"We need to have these chances. You need to keep having chances. I'm not disappointed about that. They scored twice, but both goals were disallowed.

"I didn't expect a team with six changes to play the best game of the season. The boys who came in used their opportunity and showed they were ready."

Chelsea endured a frustrating start to the post-Graham Potter era as they shared a 0-0 Premier League draw with Liverpool, a VAR check denying Kai Havertz a winner at Stamford Bridge.

Interim Blues boss Bruno Saltor saw his team create plenty of chances against a much-changed Reds side after Jurgen Klopp omitted Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and other key players from his starting XI. 

However, Chelsea's familiar attacking woes were on full display as Havertz saw a potentially decisive strike ruled out for handball to cap a wasteful performance.

While the result keeps Chelsea inside the bottom half, Liverpool failed to make up ground on their rivals for a top-four finish as their winless run was extended to four games across all competitions. 

Chelsea started brightly as Mateo Kovacic forced Ibrahima Konate into a sliding goal-line clearance, before Alisson smothered Havertz's close-range flick following good work from Ben Chilwell.

Reece James thought he had volleyed Chelsea ahead after 24 minutes, but an offside call against Enzo Fernandez in the build-up saw his powerful finish chalked off.

Having offered virtually nothing as an attacking force, Liverpool almost snatched the lead on the stroke of half-time, Wesley Fofana crucially deflecting Fabinho's volley around the post.

Kovacic fired over from a glaring one-on-one chance after the interval, before Havertz was denied the opener by a VAR review when the German's tame finish bounced back off Alisson and found the net via his arm.

Joao Felix sent a wild volley over as Chelsea continued to create the clearest opportunities late on, with even the introduction of Salah failing to inspire out-of-form Liverpool.

Virgil van Dijk has been ruled out of Liverpool's Premier League trip to Chelsea through illness, with Mohamed Salah surprisingly named on the bench as Jurgen Klopp makes six changes to his side.

Van Dijk reportedly missed training after feeling unwell ahead of Tuesday's game at Stamford Bridge, where Liverpool are looking to end a run of three successive defeats either side of the international break.

The defender previously missed seven games with a hamstring injury in January and February, with the Reds suffering demoralising defeats at Brighton and Hove Albion and Wolves in his absence.

Van Dijk is not the only notable absentee from Klopp's starting lineup in west London, with Salah joining Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson in dropping to the bench.

Joe Gomez and Konstantinos Tsimikas replace the full-back pair, while Curtis Jones, Joel Matip, Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino have been brought in, with Harvey Elliott and Cody Gakpo also replaced. 

Chelsea's interim head coach Bruno Saltor, meanwhile, has made two changes to the side that began Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa – a result that led to Graham Potter's dismissal.

N'Golo Kante will captain Chelsea on his first Premier League start since last August, with Wesley Fofana the second player introduced by former Brighton and Hove Albion full-back Bruno.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mykhailo Mudryk are both named on the bench after starting the defeat against Villa, a result that left Chelsea mired inside the Premier League's bottom half.

Jurgen Klopp sees chances for Liverpool's fringe players to push for inclusion, suggesting just a handful of his squad are safe amid rough form.

The Reds slipped to a 4-1 loss against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, their third straight defeat across all competitions.

Only a slew of fortunate results elsewhere has kept them in eighth place, and still in the hunt to secure European qualification after a poor season.

But ahead of Tuesday's trip to Chelsea, Klopp acknowledges plenty of spots are up for grabs amid the lacklustre efforts of his regular picks.

"We have opportunities to change, and we have to change," he told Sky Sports News. "We cannot just close our eyes and say 'the same again and again'.

"We have to change, and now the door is miles open for everybody to get into the team because there's only two or three who have their spot safe.

"The boys know, that's one thing I told them. We have to fight through this, that's the only way.

"You cannot play a little bit of here and there, or play with a backheel five times in a row and [hope] something will happen

"You have to really open your eyes, put everything straight and go. That's what we will do."

Klopp was public in his evisceration of his squad following their capitulation against City, but the German is unconcerned that his words may harm morale.

"The players feel very responsible for everything, so there's not one player in the dressing room who doesn't care," he added.

"We were underperforming in almost every other position and that doesn't help. None of the performances were great, and you cannot play like that against City.

"You cannot play like that in the Premier League. The next opponent requires everything we have to offer and that's what we prepare for."

Mauricio Pochettino is the ideal man to take over at Chelsea in the eyes of Gary Neville.

The Blues are on the hunt for a new boss for the second time this season, having axed Graham Potter less than seven months after he succeeded Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea's defeat to Aston Villa proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back for Potter, the result sending the Blues into the bottom half of the Premier League standings and way off the pace in the hunt for European football next season.

Inconsistent form plagued Potter's reign in west London, with results not improving significantly after Todd Boehly splashed the cash in a mega spending spree in the January window.

Those mid-season recruits have somewhat complicated matters moving forward, with further spending likely to be restricted moving forward, meaning a new boss will likely have to deal with the hand he is dealt.

For that reason, Neville believes former Tottenham boss Pochettino is the ideal fit due to his experience in managing younger players.

"Based on what Boehly has said, Chelsea have done their spending for the next three years - apart from signing a centre forward," Neville told Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.

"If they appoint Zidane, Enrique or Diego Simeone, they're going to want to have another £300m as they won't like some of the players they've previously signed.

"They've got to appoint a manager who is going to inherit and like the squad that they've got, a lot of them are young, and I think that man is Mauricio Pochettino."

Lionel Messi appeared set to re-sign with Paris Saint-Germain late last year, but the situation has changed.

There have been reports that the Argentinian World Cup winner is unhappy at PSG, with links to an MLS move.

Messi is contracted until the end of this season and had initially agreed to a one-year extension to stay in the French capital.

TOP STORY – MESSI AND PSG RELATIONSHIP IRREPARABLE

L'Equipe claims Messi's relationship with PSG irreparable and he is all but certain to exit at the end of this season, with a return to Barcelona appearing increasingly likely.

Messi spent more than 20 years at Camp Nou, before Barca's financial challenges led to his departure for PSG in August 2021, with the club keen to welcome him back.

The 35-year-old was jeered by PSG fans during Sunday's 1-0 home loss to Lyon amid speculation of his departure.

ROUND-UP

– The Athletic reports signing Tottenham forward Harry Kane is Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag's "absolute priority" in the off-season. Kane is out of contract with Spurs in 2024.

– The Sun claims United are strongly considering selling under-performing winger Jadon Sancho in the off-season, with a view to using the sum generated to purchase their next forward.

– United have also held exploratory talks with Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard, per The Athletic.

– Real Madrid have been linked with Chelsea's Reece James and Football Insider claims they are willing to pay £90m (£102.5m) for his services, with 31-year-old right-back Dani Carvajal struggling with injuries.

– Arsenal are plotting a move for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins during the next transfer window, according to Fichajes.

– Talksport claims  Graham Potter has declined the opportunity to become Leicester City 's new manager, with The Mail reporting that he will wait until the off-season before taking on a new role.

Graham Potter's Chelsea dismissal was "harsh" but ultimately the price of failing to meet expectations, according to Blues great Gus Poyet.

The former Brighton and Hove Albion manager was appointed to replace Thomas Tuchel last September as new co-owner Todd Boehly began to make his presence known at Stamford Bridge.

But after slipping to 11th in the Premier League with defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend, Potter was sacked just over six months into the job.

Poyet, a Chelsea cult hero and former Brighton boss himself, feels the decision to fire the 47-year-old was a tough one but ultimately unsurprising given their slide down the table.

"I think it was a difficult period," he told Stats Perform. "They had a few good results, especially in the Champions League, and it looked [like] a new beginning.

"But football nowadays, it depends on so many things. We don't analyse performances anymore, only a result. I think for Graham in particular, it's harsh.

"Brighton to Chelsea is a big change. That is a learning process, but at the same time, it's Chelsea. When you are in a team like Chelsea, with the money spent, you definitely cannot be 11th."

Having dismissed Champions League-winning coach Tuchel in order to install Potter, Poyet feels Boehly will be cautious when it comes to his next pick.

"He's learned that at Chelsea, it's important to win," Poyet added. "If Chelsea don't win, the fans are not going to be happy because the Chelsea fans are winners and they feel the need to win. 

"I think personality is very important. I think it's very important when a coach in the situation that Chelsea are now can start winning games, but at the same time they will develop young players.

"I don't know how many managers will walk into a club in the quarter-final of the Champions League. It's a dream job. But I think Chelsea first need to be clear what are the characteristics of the manager [they want]."

Graham Potter's Chelsea dismissal was "harsh" but ultimately the price of failing to meet expectations, according to Blues great Gus Poyet.

The former Brighton and Hove Albion manager was appointed to replace Thomas Tuchel last September as new co-owner Todd Boehly began to make his presence known at Stamford Bridge.

But after slipping to 11th in the Premier League with defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend, Potter was sacked just over six months into the job.

Poyet, a Chelsea cult hero and former Brighton boss himself, feels the decision to fire the 47-year-old was a tough one but ultimately unsurprising given their slide down the table.

"I think it was a difficult period," he told Stats Perform. "They had a few good results, especially in the Champions League, and it looked [like] a new beginning.

"But football nowadays, it depends on so many things. We don't analyse performances anymore, only a result. I think for Graham in particular, it's harsh.

"Brighton to Chelsea is a big change. That is a learning process, but at the same time, it's Chelsea. When you are in a team like Chelsea, with the money spent, you definitely cannot be 11th."

Having dismissed Champions League-winning coach Tuchel in order to install Potter, Poyet feels Boehly will be cautious when it comes to his next pick.

"He's learned that at Chelsea, it's important to win," Poyet added. "If Chelsea don't win, the fans are not going to be happy because the Chelsea fans are winners and they feel the need to win. 

"I think personality is very important. I think it's very important when a coach in the situation that Chelsea are now can start winning games, but at the same time they will develop young players.

"I don't know how many managers will walk into a club in the quarter-final of the Champions League. It's a dream job. But I think Chelsea first need to be clear what are the characteristics of the manager [they want]."

Brighton and Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi was "very sorry" about predecessor Graham Potter's sacking by Chelsea but lauded his Seagulls legacy.

Potter left Brighton to take the reins at Stamford Bridge last September following the Blues' decision to dismiss Thomas Tuchel.

But the Englishman was shown the door just over six months into the job, with Chelsea mired in mid-table and saddled with a slew of expensive signings.

De Zerbi, who filled the void at Brighton, has sympathy for the man he replaced, thanking him for the squad he was able to inherit.

"I am very sorry [to see him go]," he said. "It is bad news for the coaches. I think you give too much importance to the coaches.

"The players are always the most important and I don't like when coaches are sacked because the responsibility is not only with them.

"The players, the club, it's not very good news. I want to say thanks to Graham Potter. I have a team with a very good attitude and mentality.

"It is difficult when you don't know the situation or another dressing room. I don't like speaking about other teams and coaches. I am sorry because when there are these situations, they are sad."

Having maintained Potter's promising start to the season to keep Brighton in the thick of a surprise European race, De Zerbi has already been linked with replacing him again at Chelsea.

The Italian is focused squarely on the Seagulls, however, adding: "We are playing very well at the moment, but if we want to reach our target, we have to improve.

"Our target is to play in Europe. Which competition? We will see. We want to play three times a week next year."

Chelsea are regrouping again after their second coaching departure of the season, with Bruno Saltor tasked with taking on Liverpool on Tuesday.

Former Brighton and Hove Albion defender Bruno arrived at Stamford Bridge along with Graham Potter when he was appointed in place of Thomas Tuchel in September.

But Potter has also now been sacked, leaving Bruno in interim charge for a daunting first fixture at home to Liverpool.

It is at least a game that has relatively little riding on it for Chelsea, who are 11th in the Premier League with little chance of recovering Champions League qualification.

Still, Bruno knows there is always pressure for his players and has been taking preparation for the match seriously.

"[We are] seeing it as an opportunity for the players," he said. "We are representing Chelsea, a club with an amazing history.

"It is about winning, it is about dominating, and what we need to do is prepare for the game.

"Preparation helps a lot for performance, and that is what the players need to focus on."

Despite the disruption, Bruno suggested his Chelsea team would "keep as close as we can" to the side that lost to Aston Villa on Saturday, having believed the Blues "dominated".

Meanwhile, Liverpool's preparations have been a little more routine, although Jurgen Klopp's side have had little opportunity to get over Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Manchester City.

"We cannot work on the pitch, that's it," Klopp said on Monday. "Games like [City] have an impact. We might lose more confidence, but the desire to show a reaction is there as well. The boys are still good people.

"The short turnaround is a problem; at this moment, I have no clue who I can line up. We have to give the boys time to recover.

"There will be changes, definitely – 48 hours, then you travel, wait in London for the kick-off, it's all here [in the mind]. That's what we are working on."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chelsea – Kai Havertz

Chelsea need to rediscover their scoring touch, having failed to net in five home games this season, including four since the turn of the year.

Meanwhile, their shot conversion rate of 8.2 per cent is their lowest since records began in 1997-98. But Havertz had looked to be finding form before the Villa defeat, scoring in three consecutive games in all competitions.

Liverpool – Mohamed Salah

Chelsea let Salah go, and he has taken great enjoyment from punishing them ever since. He has four goals in 11 Premier League games against the Blues, with only Kevin De Bruyne (five) netting more goals against Chelsea among former players.

Salah was the last ex-Blue to score a league goal at Stamford Bridge, back in January 2022.

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

Liverpool are unbeaten in their past four Premier League away games against Chelsea, although they have never gone five league matches without defeat at Stamford Bridge.

There have been two Reds wins across those four games, but the past five meetings between Chelsea and Liverpool in all competitions have ended as draws. In fact, their past three encounters have finished goalless.

Chelsea will kick off in 11th, their lowest position this late in a season since their penultimate game in 1995-96, when they were also 11th when playing Tottenham. That game was also drawn.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Chelsea - 31.1 per cent

Liverpool - 40.2 per cent

Draw - 28.7 per cent