Ahead of their Capital One Cup semi-final, Matt Stanger looks at the key battles between Liverpool and Chelsea…
Diego Costa v Martin Skrtel
It’s fair to say that Costa won this battle the last time these two teams met, scoring the winner in Chelsea’s 2-1 victory at Anfield in November. The 26-year-old proved a handful for Skrtel throughout, managing five shots and creating more shooting opportunities (four) than any other player on the pitch.
“It was a fantastic performance and an expression of ambition,” said Jose Mourinho of his team’s performance. “In the second half, against Liverpool, at Anfield, every team accepts a point as a good result. My team didn’t accept that, so the way they performed in the second half was an expression of that ambition and self-belief they have at the moment.”
Costa embodied the Blues’ fighting spirit, with the image of his ripped shirt flapping in the wind perfectly capturing his dogged display. Skrtel will need to be at the height of his powers to deny the Premier League’s top scorer, with the outcome of the first leg potentially hinging on this duel.
Raheem Sterling v Cesar Azpilicueta
Following Liverpool’s 2-0 win at Aston Villa, in which Fabio Borini scored his first goal for the club since April 2013, there is a strong chance that Brendan Rodgers will stick with the same attacking line-up. That would mean Raheem Sterling starting on the right of a front three, pitting him against Chelsea left-back Azpilicueta.
Sterling’s pace and trickery will pose a significant threat to the Spaniard, with the Liverpool forward contributing to nine goals (four strikes and five assists) in the Premier League and only five players averaging more dribbles per game.
However, it is Azpilicueta’s willingness to get forward that could decide this battle. The 25-year-old set up Costa’s winning goal at Anfield in November with a typical lung-bursting run down the left and will be eager to support the attack again as Chelsea go in search of a first-leg advantage. Sterling must be wary of his defensive duties as well as the need to impose himself in the final third.
Nemanja Matic v Jordan Henderson
Although it was Costa who scored the winner in Chelsea’s 2-1 victory earlier in the season and Azpilicueta who provided the assist, the Blues’ fight-back owed much to Matic’s commanding display in midfield. Mourinho’s Serbian ‘giant’ made more tackles than any other player on the pitch and also made three times as many interceptions as any of his team-mates.
Henderson, on the other hand, struggled to make an impact in the centre of the pitch. The 24-year-old recorded the worst passing accuracy of any Liverpool player to complete 90 minutes and was also blunt in an attacking sense, failing to create a single chance and firing two shots off-target.
With doubts over Steven Gerrard’s fitness, Lucas’ selection in the middle may give Henderson more licence to roam. His intelligent runs from deep have previously proved effective in creating space for the Reds’ attack, and he will hope to keep Matic busy to allow the likes of Sterling and Philippe Coutinho room to cause problems.
source: skysports.com
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