Liverpool vs Chelsea Prediction 28.10.2026 | EFL Cup

After a bruising 3-0 league collapse at the hands of Manchester City briefly sparked deep questions around Anfield, the response from Andoni Iraola’s men was nothing short of authoritative, materializing in a magnificent run of four consecutive victories across multiple fronts.

The Merseyside giants showcased a truly terrifying offensive volume by plundering an impressive 14 goals across their fixtures against LASK, Brentford, and Villarreal, while their most recent Sunday Premier League triumph over Brighton (2-0) finally delivered much-needed defensive stability alongside a clean sheet.

However, Iraola’s tactical blueprints are heavily complicated by a sudden wave of injuries following the battle against the Seagulls, as Florian Wirtz remains a massive matchday doubt due to an ankle problem, while Jeremie Frimpong, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Victor Munoz are also facing a frantic race against time.

Despite these severe selection dilemmas and a looming high-stakes league derby against Arsenal that dictates potential squad rotation, the Reds have already demonstrated exceptional roster depth in the prior round by eliminating Tottenham 3-1, proving that under the guidance of Alexander Isak paired with the fanatical home crowd, they are rightfully hunting for a spot in the next stage.

Although Xabi Alonso assumed the managerial hot seat at Chelsea with the explicit intent of restoring the West London club to the absolute apex of English football, their current fifth position in the Premier League table backed by 13 points indicates that they are still painfully searching for consistent takticki continuity.

The terrifying offensive potential beautifully demonstrated during comprehensive routings of Leeds United (6-3) and Bournemouth (5-1) was ruthlessly neutralized over the weekend, when the Blues were tripped up in a frustrating 2-0 defeat right inside Stamford Bridge by Tottenham Hotspur, exposing glaring defensive vulnerabilities the exact moment they lose control of the midfield engine.

To prove that misfortunes never come singly ahead of this daunting trip to Anfield, a catastrophic personnel blow has struck the camp with Cole Palmer sidelined via a costly red-card suspension, compounding a severe knee injury to the brilliant João Pedro, who stands as their primary catalyst in the final third with five goals and three assists.

When adding to this extensive list of absentees the surgically repaired captain Reece James and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who is currently mending a fractured jaw, Alonso’s heavily decimated troops must deliver a tactically flawless performance while leaning on the young Mike Penders between the sticks to replicate last May's 1-1 stalemate in Liverpool.