Preview: Chelsea vs. Liverpool: Team news and prediction

Chelsea welcomes Liverpool in the first round of the Premier League.

Two of last season's major disappointments face each other in their first round of the Premier League, and there's pressure right from the start as both teams have high expectations of making it to the top 4 this season. Both sides have been active in the transfer market, with Liverpool bidding farewell to several profiles; James Milner, Jordan Henderson, and Fabinho being the most notable departures, but players like Chamberlain and Keita are also history at Anfield. They've brought in Mac Allister and Szoboszlai while being very close to securing Moises Caicedo, who Chelsea was also interested in.

Chelsea, on the other hand, have bid farewell to Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Kovacic, and Pulisic, while bringing in Nkunku, Disasi, Jackson, Sanchez and Ugochukwu as replacements. Mauricio Pochettino is also the new manager at Chelsea, so it will be intriguing to see the impact he's had on the team during the pre-season and whether he's the man to steer the club back on track. 

Both teams have had a good pre-season, with Chelsea (W3 D2) remaining unbeaten while Liverpool suffered a loss to Bayern Munich (W3 D1 L1). Liverpool's attack has looked quite strong, with all the offensive players contributing with goals and assists, but their defense has been a concern as they have conceded too many goals. Chelsea, too, have been sharp in attack but have also focused on improving their organization. On paper, tonight's match should be high scoring, but tactical considerations could also play a role for both teams.

Last five meetings between Chelsea and Liverpool: 
0-0: Chelsea vs. Liverpool
0-0: Liverpool vs. Chelsea
0-1: Chelsea vs. Liverpool
0-1: Chelsea vs. Liverpool
2-2: Chelsea vs Liverpool 

Christopher Nkunku and Wesley Fofana are out of the match, which likely means that the young talent Levi Colwill will get the chance to start. Benoit Badiashile and Noni Madueke are doubtful for the game, but they probably weren't expected to be in the starting lineup anyway. Nicolas Jackson, the new signing from Villarreal, appears to be starting as a forward now that Nkunku is injured.
Liverpool is without Thiago and Bajcetic, both of whom are expected to return to the training field soon but are not yet ready to play a match.

Chelsea’s predicted line-up: 
Robert Sanchez; Reece James, Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, Ben Chilwell; Enzo Fernandez, Gallagher; Raheem Sterling, Carney Chukwuemeka, Mykhailo Mudryk; Nicolas Jackson.

Liverpool’s predicted line-up: 
Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson; Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones; Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota.

Prediction: 
An opening match that both teams would prefer not to lose, especially with two offenses that have been strong in pre-season. However, we also believe that both teams will emphasize their defenses, and a draw would be acceptable for both sides. Therefore, we predict the match will end in a 1-1 draw.