Premier League Big Match Focus: How to back a 9/2 Bet Builder in Chelsea v Liverpool

• Salah scores in openers

• Pochettino chasing end to run of draws

• Read Betfair's new 90 minute payout offer here

• Claim your free Acca here

Chelsea v Liverpool
Sunday, 16:30
Live on Sky Sports Main Event

Looking at the opening weekend of Premier League fixtures, there's one game that leaps off the page.

Chelsea and Liverpool are both entering the campaign with points to prove after disappointing last term.

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Liverpool narrowly missed out on a top-four finish, with their late charge coming just too late, while Chelsea limped towards 12th place in a season which prompted summer soul-searching and a big clearout.

A new season offers opportunities for a fresh start, though. In Chelsea's case that means a new manager in the form of Mauricio Pochettino, while both clubs have added new faces to squads which were in need of a refresh in key areas.

The overall outlook

According to Opta's projections, reigning champions Manchester City are overwhelming favourites to reclaim their title with a 90.2% chance. Chelsea and Liverpool will both fancy their chances of securing Champions League football, even if Jürgen Klopp's side are considered more likely.

Liverpool have been given a greater than 75% chance of ending up in the top four, while Chelsea's chances sit just shy of 16%. Pochettino's men can increase their chances with a fast start, and Opta ranks their opening five fixtures as the easiest in the league, with Liverpool the only opponent who finished above the Blues last term.

With big-money signing Christopher Nkunku missing through injury, though, there could be a lot of pressure on his fellow new arrival Nicolas Jackson. Chelsea's new leading man, signed from Villarreal off the back of averaging a goal every 133 minutes in La Liga last term, is 6/17.00 to score first and 2/13.00 to net at any time on Sunday.

History points to the draw

Liverpool and Chelsea have drawn their last six meetings in all competitions, though two of those were followed by penalty shoot-out wins for the Merseyside club.

The last four have ended goalless, with Klopp getting the same result against Thomas Tuchel (twice), Graham Potter and Bruno Saltor, and no game in English football has ever ended goalless five times in a row, but a history-making deadlock under yet another manager is available at 11/112.00.

If there is to be a winner, recent Premier League seasons suggest Liverpool start faster than their opponents. A full decade has passed since their last opening day defeat, against West Bromwich Albion in August 2012, while Chelsea's most recent loss in their first game of a campaign was the 4-0 reverse at Manchester United in 2019.

Liverpool are also in the midst of an 11-game unbeaten run, dating back to their goalless draw with Chelsea in April. No Premier League club is on a longer unbeaten run in the competition, though it's worth acknowledging a number of the senior stars involved in that run - including captain Jordan Henderson and vice-captain James Milner - have now moved on.

Salah starts fast

Former Chelsea forward Mohamed Salah scored 30 times in all competitions last season despite his team's struggles. The Egyptian is poised to stay at Anfield despite reported interest from the Saudi Pro League, and has an impressive early-season record to protect.

Salah has scored in the season opener in all six of his Liverpool seasons: against Watford in 2017, West Ham in 2018, Norwich in 2019, Norwich again in 2021 and Fulham in 2022, as well as three against Leeds in 2020.

He is 11/26.50 to score first, the same odds as team-mate Darwin Núñez after the Uruguayan's impressive pre-season and 6/42.50 to score at anytime.

Chelsea v Liverpool prediction

Opening day fixtures can sometimes be tight affairs, but that's rarely the case with Liverpool. All but one of their openers under Klopp have brought four or more goals - the exception was a 3-0 win at Norwich in 2021 - and that's 8/52.60 to happen again.

If you want to include that in a bet builder, there are plenty of available options. We have our eye on Liverpool to win or draw with Salah to score anytime and more than 3.5 goals, which is available at 9/25.50.

Betfair's 90 minute payout is running this weekend, meaning if you back a team that's winning after 90 minutes, it won't matter what happens after that. This means a tip on Man City to win last week's Community Shield would have come good, and it also applies to acca.

With 90 minute pay-out and a free acca available this week, we've got another tip for you. We're looking all over Europe, and you can back Liverpool, Barcelona and Celtic in a 7/24.50 acca this Sunday.