Liverpool vs. Chelsea, League Cup: Preview, team news, how to watch

After the debacle of Saturday night, it's perhaps a good time to switch gears and play a little League Cup football. On paper, it's another important rivalry game. In reality, it's unlikely to be too high on either manager's list. So, in a way, it's a bit of a free hit, especially for Chelsea who are not expected to come out as winners on this occasion.

And speaking of managers, Xabi Alonso returns to the ground where he not only had an excellent playing career, but where he was expected to be plying his managerial trade this summer. But as things turned out, he took the Chelsea job rather than the Liverpool one. So that adds a bit of intrigue, though it's little more than a sideshow. Alonso himself put it best in his pre-match press conference.