Chelsea vs. Liverpool keys to the match: Should Reds bench Florian Wirtz to get back on track?

Chelsea will look to end their three-match winless streak in the Premier League on Saturday, but it'll be a tall task hosting Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. The Reds suffered their first loss of the season in all competitions, falling to Galatasaray in the Champions League. While it was their first loss, it was one that was a culmination of their issues during this young season, as Arne Slot looks to figure out what his best XI is.

Alexis Mac Allister won't be available for the match, which increases the need for Dominik Szoboszlai to make a return to midfield. He started at right back in Champions League play while Jeremie Frimpong was on the wing, but with Mohamed Salah likely to return to the lineup, that will either force Frimpong back to right back or to the bench. With Conor Bradley healthy, Slot does have options if he feels that his team are too defensively frail to move Frimpong back.

How to watch Chelsea vs. Liverpool, odds

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 4 | Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Stamford Bridge -- London
• TV: NBC | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
• Odds: Chelsea +180; Draw +275; Liverpool +130

Keep 11 men on the pitch

The fact that this has to be said is strange. Chelsea have seen a player sent off in three of their last four matches played, losing two of those. They won't have anyone suspended for this clash since Joao Pedro will miss out in the Champions League, but aggression will work against them with Liverpool coming to town. No team won more penalties than Liverpool's nine last season, and they converted them all with Salah being clinical from the spot.

Liverpool will bring everything that they can forward to face Chelsea, especially since the defense will allow goals if they sit back for too long. If Chelsea allow chances from the spot, this is a game that will be over before it begins.

Bench Florian Wirtz

Balance hasn't been there for Liverpool, and part of that has been the struggles of new signing Florian Wirtz figuring out positioning in the side. While Wirtz is a player who will be important to Liverpool in the future, the adjustment to the Premier League and not being the main man in the attack have been drastic. Slot's defense will already take a hit with Alisson being unavailable for the match with a hamstring injury, giving him even more of a reason to focus on possession.

It was something that Liverpool did well last season, controlling games until their opposition made a mistake but this season they've lacked that controlling factor. While some of that stems from figuring out how to fit the midfield together, steps back from the defense have also made it tougher to figure things out going forward. It says a lot about the strength of the team that they only have one loss this season despite the concerns surrounding them, but if things don't improve, trips like this one away to Chelsea are where more losses could begin.

The push for the top for is on

The top half of the Premier League is quite crowded. Liverpool may be leading the league ahead of this match, but they only are ahead of Arsenal by two points; failing to win away to Chelsea could see the Gunners go top ahead of the international break, giving them hope that after coming in second for three consecutive seasons, this is the time to push for the title. Belief is something that can push a team quite a way, so it's important for the Reds to maintain control of things. Chelsea also find themselves in eighth place currently. While it's early, and they're not far off of a top four place, trailing teams like Crystal Palace, Tottenham, and Manchester City will make the climb up the table tougher than it may seem.

The Blues were able to qualify for the Champions League last season behind a deep squad that could rotate due to Conference League duties. But this season, Enzo Maresca has had to shorten his rotation because he needs his first team for UCL and Premier League play. Balancing both competitions could see Chelsea miss out on the top four, but taking points off the defending champions at home would go a long way to get them where they want to be.