Champions League
2008-04-22 - Liverpool vs Chelsea
A Sports Betting Pick by chappers
- Champions League Semi Final - 1st Leg -
Anfield
22nd April 2008 KO 19.45PM (live on ITV1)
Liverpool (4th EPL)
Played 35 with 69 points
Yet another season comes to an end and yet another season sees Liverpool doing well in the Champions League and another chance of reaching the final and once more they have to play Chelsea in a semi-final and with Liverpool winning the last semi final in the Champions League v Chelsea, Liverpool will be hoping to make it again and heap more misery on Chelsea.
Liverpool have been in great form in recent weeks and have won their last three games which includes the 4-2 win at Anfield in the Champions League when they played Arsenal. They are on a six match unbeaten run and have not lost since Manchester United beat them 3-0 at Old Trafford back on the 23rd March. Liverpool have only lost this game in the last fourteen games and before this the shock home defeat in the FA Cup was the last they lost and also the last time they lost in front of their own fans.
At Anfield this season Liverpool have got their act together since the start of the season saw them draw far to many games. They have a home record of 11-6-1 so that’s a win rate of 65% and only Manchester United have gone to Anfield in the league and won. In the Champions League at home this season only Marseilles have went to Anfield and came away with the win, so as usual Liverpool at home in the Champions League are very much a force to be reckoned with.
Chelsea (2nd EPL)
Played 35 with 78 points
With Manchester United failing to win this weekend it means that Chelsea do have a chance of taking the title away from them. It does mean that they have to beat Manchester United when they visit this weekend and also still have to hope that United slip up at some point while at the same time Chelsea have to win the two remaining games after the United one.
Chelsea have been in decent enough form in recent weeks but only drawing at home to Wigan 1-1 last week could well cost them the title as two extra points there would see them go to the top with a win over United this weekend. Chelsea have not lost a league game since the 18th December when they went to Arsenal and lost 1-0, but late goals in both the Wigan game as I’ve mentioned and also a 4-4 draw with Spurs, when Chelsea were 3-1 up could come back to make sure that the title goes to Old Trafford once more this season.
Chelsea are again in the semis of the Champions League and yet again they need to try and beat Liverpool in order to make it to the final. This season has seen them do very well in Europe with their only defeat coming in the last round when Fenerbache beat them 2-1 in Turkey.
Head to Head
Chelsea has a decent record at Anfield over recent years but in saying that they haven’t won there since a 4-1 win back in 2005.
Verdict
Liverpool and European nights just seem to go together and after their great 4-2 win over Arsenal a few ago then Liverpool will not fear anyone when playing at Anfield and even more so in the Champions League where they always seem to do well.
Chelsea unlike Liverpool still have a chance of the league title and with Manchester United coming to Stamford Bridge this weekend it will be interesting to see what team that Chelsea put out.
Chelsea for me will be hoping to get at least an away goal and not lose this game but I think that Liverpool are more than capable of scoring a couple in the this game and I think they may just take a slight advantage into the second leg so I’ll be backing Liverpool to win @ 2.25
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Liverpool to win this match
