It's only Matchday 3, but English Premier League betting fans are already being treated to a game with potential title ramifications.
Liverpool host Chelsea in a Saturday showdown between two teams with identical fast starts to the new season. Both sides have scored five goals without yielding any through their first two games of the campaign, and come into the first of two meetings in 2021-22 as the second and third EPL betting favorites, respectively.
Find out who we like in this matchup in our Liverpool vs. Chelsea tips and predictions for August 28.
Liverpool vs Chelsea game info
• Location: Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England
• Date: Saturday, August 28, 2021
• Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, DAZN
Liverpool vs Chelsea betting tips
- Draw (+230)
- Total goals Under 2.5 (-125)
Read on for complete analysis
Liverpool vs Chelsea match odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
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Liverpool vs Chelsea betting preview
Weather
Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-60s on Saturday, with 64 percent humidity and no expected precipitation.
Injuries
Liverpool: Curtis Jones (Out), Fabinho (Questionable), James Milner (Doubtful).
Chelsea: Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Out), Christian Pusilic (Out).
Liverpool vs Chelsea predictions
Side pick
It's still hard to believe that this Liverpool side went through such a dismal home stretch last season but after seeing what the 2019-20 league champions did in season-opening wins over Norwich City and Burnley, it's clear that Jurgen Klopp's side is gearing up for another run at the title.
That said, Chelsea represent a significant step up in competition. Led by the goal-scoring prowess from the return of Romelu Lukaku, the Blues rolled to victories over Arsenal and Crystal Palace while surrendering just 10 total shots in those two contests. Chelsea will be looking to open with three wins — and clean sheets to match — for the first time in 11 years.
We'll be honest: This is an incredibly difficult match to handicap. While Liverpool have had Chelsea's number in league play of late, Chelsea have the momentum of a 1-0 win at hostile Anfield the last time these teams met back on March 4. They also appear to have the superior firepower thanks in large part to Lukaku, who has 11 shots (three on target) in two games.
That said, Liverpool have gone four straight games without conceding on home turf in Premier League competition and are close to full health (while Chelsea have two key players in Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pusilic sidelined due to COVID-19 protocols).
This one's simply too close to call. And because it's soccer, there's a bet for that! We like the draw here.
PICK: Draw (+230)
Total goals pick
This wager really comes down to whether you're a bigger believer in both teams' impressive early-season offense... or their respective stout defenses.
This play causes a lot less consternation for us than the moneyline pick, given how long both teams have been elite at the back end. In addition to being two of four teams that have yet to concede in the 2021-22 season, Chelsea and Liverpool finished second and fourth, respectively, in goals against during the 2020-21 campaign.
Let's also not overlook the fact that these teams have played back-to-back conservative games, splitting those two contests while combining to score just three goals. These three points could loom large if both teams do as expected and contend for most of the season, so expect both sides to treat this match as if it were being played in mid-June.
Look for both sides to clamp down defensively and wait for the other to make a mistake. And that makes the U2.5 the better play.
PICK: Total goals Under 2.5 (-125)
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