THE SHARPE END: Chelsea and Liverpool are undergoing brave new eras with Enzo Maresca and Arne Slot – but neither team has had the start they expected

No one expected Liverpool and Chelsea to start this well. Arne Slot filling the heavy metal platform boots of Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino replaced b y a coach in Enzo Maresca with no Premier League experience and a squad of thousands to sift through. 

And yet their starts have exceeded both expectations and results from last season. What’s more fascinating is how they have done it. 

Slot’s teams were supposed to be the possession kings yet, so far, his Liverpool side have had less than last season under Jurgen Klopp. Fewer completed passes, too . . . and more fast breaks on the ball. 

It’s the same with Chelsea. Even when Maresca won the Championship with Leicester, their fans found the slow passing football tedious at the best of times. 

Pochettino was the aggressive counter-attacker. Not according to the numbers.. 

t’s the same with Chelsea. Even when Maresca won the Championship with Leicester, their fans found the slow passing football tedious at the best of times

Enzo’s unstoppable attack meets Arne’s immovable defence

16 – only Man City (17) scored more goals than Chelsea (16) over the first seven games, while only Spurs had a higher xG (15) than the Blues (14.7). 

2 – … yet no side conceded fewer goals (2), kept more clean sheets (5) and conceded a lower xG than Liverpool. Something has got to give

No one made more tackles and interceptions in the first seven games than Moises Caicedo

The real £115m man?

Moises Caicedo could have been in the other dressing room. Liverpool agreed a £111m deal for the midfielder last year, only for Chelsea to pinch him for £115m. Only now, though, are they seeing the best of him. 

No one made more tackles and interceptions in the first seven games, and all over the pitch. Caicedo is giving the protection Chelsea’s defence needs and they will need it against his former suitors on Sunday.