LFC v Chelsea: Pre-match stats

This is Liverpool’s 50^th game of the campaign – the 12^th successive season they have reached that milestone.

Earlier this season Liverpool won 2-1 in the league at Stamford Bridge. Maxi Rodriguez opened the scoring on 33 minutes and despite Daniel Sturridge equalising on 55, Glen Johnson popped up with the winner 3 minutes from time.

Last season Liverpool recorded their second Premier League ‘double’ over Chelsea. Today they go for their third – all within the last 4 seasons.

The Reds' win at Stamford Bridge in November meant they recorded back-to-back league wins at Chelsea for the first time since 1974-75.

All of Liverpool’s goals against the Londoners last season were scored by current Chelsea players. Fernando Torres scored both in the 2-0 Anfield win while Raul Meireles netted the only goal of the game at Stamford Bridge.

Both sides have won 16 of the 39 Premier League meetings with Chelsea scoring 47 and Liverpool 43.

Steven Gerrard in 2003 and Pepe Reina in 2006 have both been sent off against Chelsea in the league – each occurring at Stamford Bridge.

Glen Johnson made his Chelsea debut against Liverpool on this ground in 2003. He went on to appear on 72 occasions for the club in all competitions from 2003-2007 scoring 4 times.  

Steven Gerrard has scored once for Liverpool in 33 appearances against Chelsea. His strike in October 2005 came in a 4-1 defeat at Anfield. If he starts he will captain Liverpool for the 250^th time in the Premier League.

Liverpool are looking to record a fourth successive league win over Chelsea home and away for the first time since August 1974.

Jordan Henderson made his career league debut against Chelsea in November 2008. His Sunderland team lost 5-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Kenny Dalglish has never lost to Chelsea as Liverpool manager in 11 league meetings with 8 wins and 3 draws. His only defeat in 14 in all competitions came last Saturday.

Patrik Berger scored Liverpool’s last hat trick against Chelsea at Anfield in October 1997 in a 4-2 win. Roberto Di Matteo was in the visitors line-up that day.

Berger is one of 4 Liverpool hat-trick scorers in the league against the Londoners. The others were James Stewart in 1910, Fred Pagnam (1915) and Gordon Hodgson (1930).

Liverpool‘s biggest league victory over Chelsea here came in April 1935 when they won 6-0.

There has only ever been 1 goalless draw between the sides in the league on this ground in 68 league meetings. It came on 9^th October 1971.

The Reds have failed to score in only 2 of the last 31 home league meetings with Chelsea.

Liverpool are looking to record a second successive home league win over Chelsea for the first time since 2002-03.

Jamie Carragher has made more appearances for Liverpool against Chelsea than any other Reds player ever (42) while Frank Lampard with 36 has made the most for the Londoners against Liverpool.

Only 2 players – Ian Rush (10) and Roger Hunt (9) – have ever scored more goals for Liverpool against Chelsea than Fernando Torres (7).

Liverpool have not lost 3 successive home league games since September 1963. They were beaten 2-1 each time and still went on to win the league title.

The Reds have scored more than once at home in 2 of the last 15 league games.

Luis Suarez could become the first Liverpool player since Ian Rush in November 1982 to score a hat-trick in successive league games.

Steven Gerrard’s last goals for the Reds came in the Merseyside derby. His next goal will be his 150^th for the club.

Of Andy Carroll’s 9 goals this season only 1 has come in the first half – that was in stoppage time at West Brom in October. His last 2 goals for the club have come at Wembley.

Martin Kelly’s only goal for Liverpool came at Chelsea last November in the League Cup tie.

Glen Johnson’s last goal for the Reds also came at Stamford Bridge in the 2-1 league win earlier in the season.  

Fernando Torres returns to Anfield for the first time since signing for Chelsea in January of last year. He scored 7 goals in 8 appearances for Liverpool against his current club.

Chelsea have won 9 times on this ground in the league with 4 of those victories coming in the last 8 years.

Didier Drogba has scored 11 times in 28 appearances against Liverpool for Marseilles and Chelsea.

Salamon Kalou, John Obi Mikel, Fernando Torres and David Luiz have all made their Chelsea debuts against Liverpool.

Raul Meireles scored 5 goals in 44 games for Liverpool while Fernando Torres’ 142 games for the Reds saw him net 81 goals.

The Blues have scored 6 times against Liverpool in the last 10 league meetings home and away.

Chelsea’s last hat-trick against the Reds was scored by George Mills in August 1937 at Stamford Bridge.

The 2 draws in the 2007-08 league season are the only ones that have been played out between the sides in the last 21 Premiership meetings. 

This will be the 32^nd meeting between the clubs, including last Saturday’s Cup Final, since the start of the 2004-05 season.

Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 3 away league games since losing at Manchester City in March. They won 4-2 at Aston Villa and drew 1-1 at Fulham and 0-0 at Arsenal.

In 9 away league games since Christmas Chelsea have scored in the first half on 2 occasions – Daniel Sturridge at Villa and Frank Lampard (penalty) at Fulham.

Of Chelsea’s 5 away league defeats this season 3 have come in the North-West – at Manchester United, Everton and Manchester City.

They have kept clean sheets in 2 of their last 11 away league games.

Chelsea have lost just 1 of the last 13 in all competitions.

Scorers this season: (league in brackets)

Liverpool: Suarez 17 (11), Bellamy 9 (6), Carroll 9 (4), Gerrard 9 (5), Maxi 6 (4), Kuyt 5 (2), Skrtel 4 (2), Adam 2 (2), Downing 2 (0), Agger 1 (0), Coates 1 (1), Henderson 1 (1), Johnson 1 (1), Kelly 1 (0), Shelvey 1 (0), own goals 6 (4).

Chelsea: Lampard 16 (11), Sturridge 13 (11), Drogba 12 (5), Mata 12 (6), Ramires 11 (4), Torres 11 (6), Terry 6 (5), Ivanovic 5 (3), Kalou 5 (1), Meireles 5 (1), Luiz 3 (2), Malouda 3 (2), Cahill 2 (1), Anelka 1 (1), Bosingwa 1 (1), own goals 2 (2).