Four keys as Chelsea faces an erratic but dangerous Liverpool

Chelsea faces their stiffest opposition so far this season when Jurgen Klopp leads Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. What will be the keys to Chelsea ending the night with the win?

(PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images)

After a run of fixtures against mid-table teams, Chelsea takes on its first top-four contender in Liverpool. Antonio Conte vs. Jurgen Klopp may not dominate the discussion like those two guys up in Manchester, but this will be one of the most energetic tactical battles the Premier League has seen this season.

Liverpool’s play has been erratic this season, with stats and scorelines that show a stunning inconsistency and failure to deliver on the roster’s potential. If Klopp can cohere the Reds around his style of play, they will be a formidable opponent. Here are four keys to Chelsea’s success on Friday.

David Luiz’s – and possibly Marcos Alonso’s – debut

John Terry will miss Chelsea’s matches against Liverpool and Leicester City due to an ankle injury. Cue the return of David Luiz to Chelsea FC’s defense.

Luiz’s performance on the pitch will be the true indicator of whether or not he was a panic buy or a truly brilliant purchase. He will have the benefit of having played before with his partner, Gary Cahill. This duo will be vital to Chelsea’s performance.

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Luiz’s start makes it unlikely that Marco Alonso will be as well. Antonio Conte surely does not want to upset the back four set up too much. Alonso will remain on the bench for at least the beginning of the fixture.

If things are not going well for Chelsea or Conte’s starting defence does not deliver, Alonso may end up playing. Whether he comes in as a full-back or a wing-back may depend on whether Chelsea is chasing an equalizer or protecting a lead. Or merely because Conte tires of seeing Ivanovic flat-footed and out of position.

SWANSEA, WALES – SEPTEMBER 11: John Terry of Chelsea speaks to team mate Diego Costa before a corner kcik is taken during the Premier League match between Swansea City and Chelsea at The Liberty Stadium on September 11, 2016 in Swansea, Wales. (photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images)

Chelsea’s ability to bounce back

Chelsea dropped points for the first time in the Conte era against Swansea City on Sunday. Last season, dropped points led to more dropped points as the squad struggled to find anything but a negative mentality. Even when Chelsea appeared to bounce back, it almost always proved a false dawn.

Chelsea showed shades of this mentality following the Swans first goal. The Blues were absolutely deflated, with individual as well as the team performances dipping towards despair.

A draw that feels like a loss is still just a draw, though. The Blues need an immediate response. They must recapture the “never say die” attitude they showed against West Ham and Watford and put Liverpool to the test. If they fail to do so, the threat of spiraling into a negative mentality will become a trying issue for Conte going into a difficult series of fixtures.

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 27: Eden Hazard of Chelsea celebrates scoring his sides first goal with team mates during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Burnley at Stamford Bridge on August 27, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

Shaky defenses and soaring offenses

Chelsea have been able to score goals in every match this season. With 9 so far this season, they are second only to Manchester City and level with Liverpool for goals scored.

On the other end, Chelsea have struggled to keep a clean sheet, with Thibaut Courtois only having one to his name. Luckily, Liverpool have had an even worse defense. They have conceded 7 goals in this young campaign, failing to keep a clean sheet in any fixture.

Both teams have offenses that are producing while their back lines struggle. They have both relied on simply scoring more than they concede. So when both meet on Friday, goals are sure to flow. The only question is, who breaks down worse?

On paper, Chelsea look to be better suited for the task, but the strongest attack that the Blues defenders have faced so far was Watford’s. If the Blues are to come out on top, then the defense needs to be much sturdier than they have been, and hope the forwards rampage against Liverpool’s even shakier defense.

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 27: Victor Moses of Chelsea celebrates scoring his sides third goal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Burnley at Stamford Bridge on August 27, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images)

Substitutes finding playing time

In every fixture so far, Antonio Conte’s substitutes have breathed new life into the XI on the pitch. Conte, however, evidently prefers to keep a consistent starting XI from game to game. He only changes his starters for injuries and when rotating for the EFL Cup.

With yet another cup game coming in midweek, the substitutes may be playing for a starting spot against Leicester City. Michy Batshuayi and Victor Moses have been the go-to subs so far. Both have rewarded their manager’s confidence by scoring off the bench, and will hope he will increase their playing time substantially.

Cesc Fabregas and Pedro have also seen time on the field towards the end of matches. Conte may not rotate heavily against a stronger cup opponent, but his substitutes will be making their case for inclusion in the EFL Cup starting XI.

Batshuayi and Moses will inevitably see some minutes against Liverpool. Will they successfully turn those minutes into starts in the cups and maybe even the Premier League?