How Chelsea could line up against Liverpool: Three at the back, Werner on the left

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Chelsea manager Frank Lampard could decide to abandon the 4-2-3-1 against Liverpool as the Blues will be without few important wide players.

It is not easy to come up with a strategy to defeat such a strong side but if Jurgen Klopp’s side have any weaknesses Chelsea could exploit, it would likely be in the wide areas.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are arguably the best attacking fullbacks in the league, even Europe, at the moment.

They had more assists than any Liverpool players as they racked up a combined 25 assists in the Premier League last season.

The pair have arguably been Liverpool’s primary creators, and to create those chances, they spend time in the final third of the pitch more often than usual fullbacks would.

Lampard must have already had some thoughts about how to exploit the space Alexander-Arnold and Robertson might leave behind, but two players who could do the job; Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech, unfortunately, will not be available.

The Chelsea manager, of course, would still have another natural winger in Callum Hudson-Odoi who also had a great game against the same opponents at Anfield in July.

Whether the teenager would start, though, is rather questionable.

Another option would be to use Timo Werner as a left-winger. Rather than having him battle against much bigger defenders such as Virgil van Dijk, let Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud who have the frames to battle these centre-backs and have Werner use his pace to find the space.

Lampard may also want to revert back to the back-three system, considering Marcos Alonso really struggled in a back-four in the previous game against Brighton.

Predicted line-up (3-4-3):

Caballero

Azpilicueta – Christensen – Zouma

James – Kante – Kovacic/Mount – Alonso

Havertz/Hudson-Odoi – Giroud/Abraham – Werner