da betobet： Chelsea’s season, which has played out against a backdrop of managerial unrest and fan discontent, was in danger of petering out when Tottenham put themselves eight points clear of the Blues in the race for the Champions League back in March.
da 888casino： However, under-fire Antonio Conte has guided his side into the final of the FA Cup and there is a smidgen of hope that they can sneak their way into the Champions League places.
If they do, it will be due to the sloppiness of this Sunday’s visitors to Stamford Bridge, Liverpool, who have taken their eye off the ball domestically in order to ensure qualification for the final of Europe’s elite competition this season.
A victory over the Reds would put the two sides level on points and while Liverpool would still be in the box seat with the far superior goal difference, they would need to get all three points against Brighton on the final day of the season to make the top four place safe, which is less than ideal with the Champions League final in Kiev looming.
So this is a huge match for Conte and that brings about no shortage of key questions for the Italian to answer and we’ve taken a look a look at some of the most pressing…
Which Liverpool will turn up?
Liverpool’s rampage to the final of the Champions League has been spearheaded by the frightening front three of former Chelsea man Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane but Klopp might wish to wrap them in cotton wool ahead of the encounter with Real Madrid later this month.
None of the Reds’ potential replacements are in the same league and if Klopp does choose to rest any or all of them, it should substantially ease the pressure on the home backline and embolden them to hold a higher line.
Liverpool’s recent Premier League performances have lacked the focus and intensity of their Champions League displays and if that continues here, it could hand Chelsea the initiative.
Should Conte recall Willian?
Chelsea edged past a timid Swansea side last weekend by matching the Welsh side’s conservative 3-5-2 system by clogging the midfield with Tiemoue Bakayoko alongside N’Golo Kante and goalscorer Cesc Fabregas.
Here, Conte may be tempted to recall Willian in anticipation of a more end-to-end encounter. That would resemble more of a 3-4-2-1 with the Brazilian and Eden Hazard given licence to roam in between the visiting defence and midfield.
Alternatively, matching Liverpool up three against three in the centre of the park might stem the Red tide and allow Hazard free reign to cause havoc solo, popping up wherever he wants. It’s a big call that could shape the match.
How do you stop Mo Salah?
In pursuit of Ian Rush’s Anfield goalscoring record goal haul in the space of a season, Salah has stumbled slightly in his last two games, drawing blanks against Stoke and former club Roma.
Nevertheless, it is still one of the toughest tasks in world football to stop Salah and Roma found out to their peril in the first leg of their encounter with the Reds how hard it is to prevent the Egyptian, who has 57 caps for his country, from wreaking havoc by using a three-man defence.
Chelsea cannot afford to leave space on the outside of their full-backs for Salah – and Sadio Mane – to run into but playing with a back five against such a relentless pressing outfit could make for a long afternoon.
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