Chelsea vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction from thrilling match

The teams are out on the pitch as Stamford Bridge erupts.

We are moments away from kick-off here as second host third in the Premier League!

Liverpool have not lost consecutive away Premier League games in nearly four years.

They were beaten by Leicester City at the King Power Stadium last time out. Is an impressive streak set to end at Stamford Bridge this afternoon?

Who will lead the line for Chelsea? Will it be Kai Havertz or Christian Pulisic?

Either way, they have big shoes to fill because we know it won’t be, well, he who shan’t be named.

Mo Salah has scored the most goals and laid on the most assists of any Premier League player so far this season.

The Egyptian has been the standout player in England’s top flight in the 2021-22 campaign an perhaps in the whole of Europe.

Will we see a 16th Premier League goal of the season today? Or perhaps a 10th assist?

One last look at the starting line-ups then.

Chelsea: Mendy, Chalobah, Silva, Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Kante, Kovacic, Alonso; Mount, Havertz, Pulisic.

Liverpool: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Henderson, Milner; Mane, Salah, Jota.

We are just 15 minutes away from the biggest Premier League match of 2022.

Ok, ok, I know. It may only be 2 January but this really is a crunch clash between two of the best in Europe.

The loser can count themselves out of the title race. The winner can keep their slim hopes of catching Manchester City alive.

Final predictions?

Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders insists there will be no excuses despite Jurgen Klopp being absent for today’s game due to a positive Covid test.

Lijnders said: “Jurgen has just mild symptoms, that’s a positive, but Jurgen is Jurgen, he gives positive vibes, his full support, his energy from home.

“He is also a top manager, so the team and staff are prepared and the well-drilled. The moment these top managers step away, hopefully the team can still perform. Jurgen gives a lot of responsibility and freedom, and his full support.

“We don’t come here with excuses, we come here to attack this game, we come with hunger and with the idea to create a final. We are not a team of excuses, whoever is missing, we want to make this a special game with the group we have.”

Thomas Tuchel believes it is easier to focus by leaving Romelu Lukaku out for today’s game.

Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “The thing got too big, too noisy, so close to the match, so I decided to protect the preparation for the match, so that is why he is out. Of course we have spoken, twice to the main players, but after that we had to realise it was too close to the match, it’s too big.

"We delayed the decision over what to do, but while are delaying we have to protect the preparation for the match, we have a big game to play.

“Full focus, which is had to get even without this decision, was easier in my opinion if he is not in the squad, and that is why we did it. It was a difficult decision, but in my opinion it was the decision to take.”

Big afternoon for this man. Kelleher is in for Alisson due to a suspected positive Covid test for the Brazilian. He will be hoping to keep a memorable clean sheet at Stamford Bridge.

Firmino and Matip also out with suspected positives.

The Liverpool players are out on the pitch warming up. This will be Sadio Mane’s final appearance for Liverpool before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations.

The same goes for Mo Salah.