Erratic Liverpool run into red-hot Chelsea today

As Liverpool prepare to host Chelsea on Saturday they need no reminding that a 2-0 defeat in the fixture last season inflicted a massive blow to their bid to win the English league title for the first time since 1990.

Steven Gerrard's slip gifted Chelsea the lead and a late goal wrapped up victory for Jose Mourinho's team who will arrive at Anfield with a four-point lead at the top over Southampton and a 12-point advantage to seventh-placed Liverpool.

With Luis Suarez having left for Barcelona and Daniel Sturridge injured, Liverpool have scored 13 goals in 10 league games and back-to-back losses to Newcastle United and Real Madrid have ramped up the pressure on manager Brendan Rodgers.

“We haven’t been consistent enough,” he told a news conference on Thursday. "We are trying to find the balance to score more goals. It will be a tough game for us, they are unbeaten. Chelsea have big experience, players who have been there a long time."

Fixtures (all timings in IST): On Saturday: Liverpool vs Chelsea (6:15 pm), Burnley vs Hull City: Manchester United vs Crystal Palace: Southampton vs Leicester City: West Ham United vs Aston Villa (all matches at 8:30 pm), Queens Park Rangers vs Manchester City (11:00 pm). On Sunday: Sunderland vs Everton: Tottenham Hotspur vs Stoke City: West Bromwich Albion vs Newcastle United (7:00 pm), Swansea City vs Arsenal (9:30 pm)