Background
The annual season curtain raiser is about to get under way and Rafa and Jose have already passed comment ahead of the game.
Jose reckons the reds are favourites against a 50% strength Chelsea....! The Portugese whinger said:
"They will feel that they are in much better condition than Chelsea, so they have to win the game. If they lose against a Chelsea side at just 50 percent of their quality, that could affect their confidence ahead of the Premiership season."
Click here to listen to Mourinho
Meanwhile Rafa re-iterated Jose's success may be based on pounds not tactical genius.
Rafa said:"They spend more than everybody else every summer, but when we put a side on the pitch against them they know we will match them. We have beaten them in cup competitions, it does not matter how much money they spend, 11 against 11 for us always gives us a chance."
Team News
Robbie Fowler and Fabio Aurelio are likely to be out of contention for the game. Chelsea have Cech and Joe Cole out through injuries.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Luis Garcia, Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko, Pennant, Bellamy, Zenden, Crouch, Dudek, Paletta, Gonzalez, Kromkamp, Agger, Warnock, Sinama-Pongolle, Peltier.
Chelsea (from): Cudicini, Hilario, Ferreira, Geremi, Carvalho, Terry, Bridge, Mikel, Ballack, Diarra, Essien, Lampard, Wright-Phillips, Shevchenko, Drogba, Robben, Kalou.
Our Prediction
Well we put the kiss of death on the reds against Haifa - we predicted a 3-0 win. So this week we have decided on a bit more restraint and pessimism.
Anfield Online Prediction/Kiss of death: 4-1 to Liverpool. (150/1)
Betting Latest
Chelsea are favourites at 11/2. The reds are 5/2 for the win and the draw at 90 mins is 2/1.
Scorelines of note include Liverpool 2-0 (22/1)!!, Reds 2-1 (12/1) and Reds 1-0 (8/1).
If you think the reds will be winning at half time only for Chelsea to nick it then the odds are 25/1. The reverse situation is 33/1.
Gonzalez is 16/1 to score the first goal, Bellamy is 13/2 and Gerrard and Crouch are both at 8/1.
Season start betting amount: £20
Current LFC betting total: £9.20
Our Bet: £1 on Chelsea HT, Reds FT (33/1) and £1 on Reds 2-0 (22/1) and £1 on Reds 4-1 (150/1)...
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