1. How will Luis Suarez fare?
Reactions to Luis Suarez’s performance against Manchester City were typically exaggerated, with many critics wrongly intimating he failed to make any impact.
The Uruguayan actually had a decent game — he was at the heart of most of the chances Liverpool created.
However, because he failed to score, people questioned whether he can make an impact on big matches.
While it’s true that 16 of Suarez’s 19 goals this season have come against teams in the bottom seven, he has scored in the past against Chelsea, Arsenal, both Manchester clubs and several other prestigious sides.
To suggest he is incapable of influencing big games against top sides is nonsense, and irrespective of how he plays today, Suarez will still rightly be regarded as one of the world’s best players.
2. How badly will Chelsea miss Ramires?
John Terry and the rest of the back four are invariably largely credited for the fact that the Londoners have such an excellent defensive record in the league this season.
However, the Brazilian Ramires is arguably equally important in maintaining their solidity at the back, constantly breaking down the dangerous attacks in front of them.
The 26-year-old has become a fundamental part of the Chelsea team since moving to the club from Benfica.
The defensive midfielder has featured in all 18 of their league matches so far this season, and played in all but three of their matches last year, but will be absent from this afternoon’s match through suspension.
Hence, it will be interesting to see the degree to which they miss the player who Jose Mourinho clearly views as an integral member of the team.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have problems of their own, with Steven Gerrard, Jose Enrique and Daniel Sturridge all still absent.
3. Can Liverpool silence the doubters?
The current consensus regarding the Anfield club is that for all their excellent displays this season, they aren’t quite ready to challenge for the title.Nevertheless, while they were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Man City recently, they more than held their own in the game, and will have felt aggrieved not to have come away with at least a point.
Yet notwithstanding their occasional misfortune, of the league’s top seven teams, a lacklustre United outfit are the only side they’ve managed to beat so far.
Beating Chelsea away therefore would send a statement out that they are serious about this title race. A loss, on the other hand, would cause the criticism and doubts to grow, with team morale likely to suffer also.
4. Will Ivanovic mark Suarez?
There’s little need to remind anyone what happened the last time Luis Suarez and Branislav Ivanovic crossed paths on a football field.
Liverpool fans will hope that Suarez will have learned from the stupidity of his actions on that occasion and will rise above any attempts at intimidation today.
The 29-year-old Serbian defender, meanwhile, will surely not baulk at the task of keeping Suarez quiet either.
He seems too tough and experienced to shirk the challenge of marking the prolific Uruguayan, though whether he will succeed in silencing him is another matter.
5. How much will form/history impact on the teams’ respective mentalities?
Incredibly, Chelsea have never lost at Stamford Bridge in the league with Jose Mourinho as manager, which gives you some idea of the gargantuan task facing Liverpool this afternoon.
The Reds, on the other hand, have failed to win five of their last six away games — though they did manage a victory as impressive as it was emphatic, when they overcame Tottenham 5-0 at White Hart Lane.
Moreover, Liverpool will find further scope for optimism when their recent record with Chelsea is assessed.
The Londoners have lost seven and won just two of their previous 13 encounters with the Reds.
Therefore, such conflicting statistics seemingly confirms what we already know — it’s likely to be an extremely closely fought game between the two talented sides today.
