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Matchday Preview: Chelsea vs LIVERPOOL

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The Reds take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday

The Reds take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday

Last weekend saw Chelsea crowned champions, and there is likely to be a party atmosphere at Stamford Bridge this weekend, with Liverpool also expected to give Chelsea a guard of honour. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows a variety of reasons that have contributed to Chelsea topping the league.

Eden Hazard, the PFA player of the year, has made 160 successful dribbles, 50 more than his closest challenger Alexis Sanchez. Hazard has also completed the second most passes in the opposition half according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index with 1,434. Hazard has scored fourteen goals and laid on a further nine for his teammates, and is 9/2 to score first this weekend with 888sport.com.

The only player to have made more passes in the opposition half than Eden Hazard is his teammate Cesc Fabregas. Fabregas has completed 1,504 passes in the opposition half, leading to an incredible 17 assists. One side of Fabregas’ game that has perhaps gone unnoticed is his defensive contributions. Fabregas has made 82 successful tackles which ranks him inside the top 20 in the league for completed tackles,
according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Fabregas’ midfield partner Nemanja Matic has been key to the Chelsea side this season, so much so that he made the PFA Team of the Year. Matic has made the most tackles of any player in the Barclays Premier League, dispossessing his opponent 117 times over the course of the season. As well as this, Matic has an 86.1% pass completion rate, one of the highest in the division.

Liverpool are still holding out hope for a top four finish but will almost certainly need three wins from their last three games as they look to overturn a four point deficit on Manchester United.

Martin Skrtel has had a great season if the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index is anything to go by. Skrtel has made the seventh most blocks in the division with 33, as well as winning a superb 80% of his attempted tackles. In addition, he has made 294 clearances and 54 interceptions.

Jordan Henderson has gone from strength to strength this season and according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he has made more tackles than any other Liverpool player, with 79. In addition, Henderson has made the ninth greatest number of passes in the opposition half in the Premier League with 916.

Raheem Sterling has been another one of Liverpool’s top performers this season. The England international has completed 99 successful dribbles, the third most in the Premier League according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Sterling has scored seven goals and assisted nine for his teammates, and he is 8/1 to score first this weekend against Chelsea with 888sport.com.

EA Sports PPIData supplied by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Select and manage your own team of stars with at http://fantasy.premierleague.com or with FIFA Ultimate team.

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I'm a 32 year old Liverpool fan, living in the heart of the City Centre. I've supported the club since the day I was born and have been writing articles for L4L for over 3 years, writing close over 350 articles in that time. My favorite player of the past generation is Sami Hyypia.

I am the current editor for L4L, with my day job being in R&D for the NHS.