Chelsea vs Liverpool

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea will assess striker Diego Costa, who could play despite hurting his ribs in the midweek League Cup exit at Stoke.

Pedro will be monitored after returning to training, while Nemanja Matic is back from a ban, but Branislav Ivanovic and Thibaut Courtois remain out.

Liverpool striker Christian Benteke is fit to play after recovering from a knee injury.

However, Daniel Sturridge is still sidelined by a similar problem.

Kolo Toure misses out with a hamstring injury but James Milner returns from a one-match suspension.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Guy Mowbray: "Special used to be normal for both these clubs, but these are far from 'normal' times.

"The word on the street is that Jose Mourinho will be out on his ear if Chelsea lose - but don't whisper that near him. He has as much time for the man on the street as the Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious had.

"Meanwhile, the new punk in town - fresh from his first win as Liverpool boss - will see this as a special challenge to savour.

"Before beating Bournemouth, Jurgen Klopp called for Reds players and fans alike to lose the fear of things going wrong.

"It's a message that Chelsea could do well to follow right now too."

Twitter: @Guymowbray 

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho: "The results are, especially in my case, in your eyes [the media], the results are everything.

"It's a bit strange because a few months ago when I won so many matches and I was champion of England, people were saying there were things more important than the results.

"In this moment the results are more important than anything. It's a contradiction."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "Do the Chelsea players not know any more how to play football? No, of course not.

"I am not sure it is easier to play Chelsea now than last year - why should it be?

"Okay, being full of self-confidence maybe makes some things different, but to be wounded can make you stronger too.

"They don't feel life is as good as it could be and now they want to change it and that is big motivation."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

This is an incredibly difficult game to call, because Jurgen Klopp is just starting to build and Jose Mourinho is threatening to self-destruct, but I am going to go for a draw.

Lawro's full predictions v England rugby league star Sam Tomkins

• Think you can do better than Lawro? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round's Premier League fixtures in ourPredictor game.

• MATCH FACTS

  Head-to-head
  • Chelsea are unbeaten in their last eight league and cup games against Liverpool (W4, D4).
  • The Reds claimed three successive victories at Stamford Bridge in 2011 but are without a win there since then.
  Chelsea
  • They have won one of their last seven games in all competitions.
  • The Blues have conceded 19 Premier League goals - only Norwich (21), Bournemouth and Newcastle (both 22) have worse records.
  • Their tally of 11 points from 10 games represents their worst start to a Premier League season, and equals the poorest by the defending Premier League champions (matching Blackburn's tally in 1995-96).
  • Cesc Fabregas has recorded one assist in 10 Premier League appearances this season - compared to nine in his opening 10 games last season.
  • Jose Mourinho has suffered defeat in six of his last 12 Premier League matches, after losing just six of the previous 64.
  Liverpool
  • The Reds have drawn their last three Premier League games - the last time they recorded four consecutive draws was between December 2007 and January 2008.
  • They have won one of their last 10 Premier League away games (D5, L4). That was their victory at Stoke on the opening weekend of the season.
  • Christian Benteke has headed 14 Premier League goals since August 2012 - the joint-highest figure in the division (level with Olivier Giroud).