A game Liverpool cannot afford to lose

It is a little early in the season to suggest any game is must-win for any team, although Portsmouth fans approach every match in that frame of mind. Liverpool will not fall out of the title race if they fail to win at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, but defeat could prove extremely costly.

The Reds would fall six points behind Chelsea after eight games and it is very likely that old rivals Manchester United will have opened up a similar gap, as they will surely have beaten Sunderland on Saturday.

A six point difference is not an impossible gap to close, but Rafa Benitez knows the consistency of his main Premier League title rivals makes coming from behind a quarter of the way into the season difficult. United do not often let leads slip in the closing stages of campaigns.

Throw in the threat of Manchester City and Arsenal, and it becomes clear that Liverpool cannot afford too many slip-ups against the other protagonists. So what are their chances of returning from London with their title bid intact?

Reds fans can travel with confidence. Their team have just hammered Hull City 6-1, taking their goal tally for the season to 22 from seven matches, with key man Fernando Torres in superb form.

The Blues lost at Wigan Athletic last weekend, earning a stinging rebuke from captain and manager, so it would not be the biggest surprise of the season so far if Liverpool repeated their league win at the Bridge last season.

In fact Benitez’s outfit have lost only one of their last four League and Champions League trips to Chelsea and a draw seems the most likely outcome. Defeat for Liverpool would irreparably damage their Premier League title odds and aspirations, but victory would mean the top four crisis club is suddenly Chelsea.