Luis Diaz has been in outstanding form for Liverpool this season, and another goal against Chelsea on Sunday would see the No. 7 equal Ian Rush‘s feat.

Should he score today Diaz will become the first Liverpool player to score in three successive league games against Chelsea since Ian Rush in October 1990.

Today Rush celebrates his 63rd birthday. He scored 10 goals in 19 Liverpool appearances against Chelsea in league and cup.

 

Liverpool chasing their 3,000th win

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 21, 2024: Liverpool's Luis Díaz (R) celebrates with team-mates Darwin Núñez (L) and Mohamed Salah (C) after scoring the opening goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. Liverpool won 3-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 21, 2024: Liverpool's Luis Díaz (R) celebrates with team-mates Darwin Núñez (L) and Mohamed Salah (C) after scoring the opening goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. Liverpool won 3-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

A win would see Liverpool record their 3,000th in history in all competitions, including penalty shootouts.

A victory will also see them record a 50th Anfield success over Chelsea in league football, while one goal will be their 250th in all league encounters.

Should Liverpool lose, though, it will be their 350th top-flight defeat at Anfield.

 

Record vs. Chelsea

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 31, 2024: Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 31, 2024: Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool are seeking a third successive win over Chelsea in all competitions for the first time since November 2011, when they recorded a sequence of four.

The Reds have lost two of the last 19 home and away league clashes, both by a 1-0 scoreline – at Chelsea in 2018 and at Anfield behind closed doors three years later.

However, they have won only three of the last 14 in all competitions against the Blues on Merseyside.

In the last 10 Anfield league encounters and in 13 in all competitions, Liverpool have managed to score more than once on only three occasions – winning 2-0 in 2019, 5-3 in 2020 and 4-1 last season.

In the last 13 home league encounters the Reds have kept two clean sheets.

 

Kelleher’s milestone day

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 10, 2024: Liverpool's goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Burnley FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 3-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 10, 2024: Liverpool's goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Burnley FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 3-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Caoimhin Kelleher‘s next appearance will be his 50th for the club in all competitions.

He made his debut in September 2019 and has kept 16 clean sheets, two of which came in winning League Cup finals at Wembley against Chelsea in 2022 and 2024.

Fifty-seven percent of all Kelleher’s appearances for Liverpool have come since September 2023.

 

A strong start for Chelsea

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 31, 2024: Chelsea's Enzo Fernández looks dejected after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 4-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 31, 2024: Chelsea's Enzo Fernández looks dejected after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 4-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Chelsea are one of two teams with a 100 percent win record away from home in the league this season. Liverpool are the other.

Going into this weekend’s fixtures, only Man City (17) have scored more top-flight goals this season than Chelsea’s 16.

Chelsea are undefeated in their last six away league games since a 5-0 defeat at Arsenal in April, winning five and drawing the other.

They have won their opening three games of a league campaign for the first time since 2017/18. Not since 2008/09 have they extended that to four in a row.

 

Today’s referee

LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, January 7, 2024: Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold speaks with referee John Brooks during the FA Cup 3rd Round match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC at the Emirates Stadium. Liverpool won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, January 7, 2024: Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold speaks with referee John Brooks during the FA Cup 3rd Round match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC at the Emirates Stadium. Liverpool won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

John Brooks takes charge of his seventh Liverpool game (three previous wins) and his fifth of Chelsea (three wins).

His last Liverpool game was the 4-3 FA Cup defeat at Man United last season.

He has reffed just one Premier League game this season – Tottenham vs. Brentford last month.

 

This season’s scorers

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 25, 2024: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring the second goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 25, 2024: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring the second goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool: Salah 6, Diaz 5, Jota 4, Gakpo 2, Konate 2, Mac Allister 1, Nunez 1, Szoboszlai 1, Van Dijk 1

Chelsea: Nkunku 7, Palmer 6, Madueke 5, Jackson 4, Neto 2, Felix 1, Dewsbury-Hall 1, Renato Veiga 1, own goals 1


* Stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).

 



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