Friday 23 January 2015 13:32, UK
Jamie Carragher has warned Liverpool they will be in for a totally different game in the Capital One Cup semi-final return leg at Stamford Bridge after the 1-1 draw at Anfield.
It will be totally different. What I saw from Liverpool tonight was them at their best, but it’s going to be a big ask at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool dominated Tuesday night's first-leg encounter but could not finish Chelsea off after Raheem Sterling’s superb second-half equaliser, and the former Reds defender fears they will struggle without a home crowd behind them.
He said on Sky Sports: "It will be totally different. What I saw from Liverpool tonight was them at their best.
“When you have that pace and penetration in your play, bring the crowd together and use the energy from the players and crowd together, they caused Chelsea massive problems.
"They won’t have that at Stamford Bridge. I’m sure they'll take six or seven thousand Liverpool fans, but they won’t be able to use the crowd."
Carragher, who won the League Cup with Liverpool in 2001, 2003 and 2012, says the Reds' fortunes in the second leg will depend on how they set up against a Chelsea side who contained on Tuesday.
He added: "Chelsea were very lucky tonight, but it will be about how Liverpool set up.
"Do they sit back? Go on the counter-attack? It’s difficult to go to Chelsea, but that was a great performance tonight.
"They’ll be buzzing that they came back against the top team in the country, but it’s going to be a big ask at Stamford Bridge."
Former Chelsea midfielder and current Sunderland boss Gus Poyet agreed, insisting he cannot see Chelsea defending at Stamford Bridge as they did at Anfield, particularly Eden Hazard and Diego Costa.
He told Sky Sports: "I cannot see Hazard defending too much, or Costa. They’re going to be up front.
"Now the shape of Liverpool when they’re attacking has to be different. [Emre] Can; how is he going to mark? how isolated is he going to be?
“It was a totally different Chelsea. Not the Chelsea that was aggressive at the weekend, they were holding, waiting.
“It was like the Chelsea of a few years ago when they won the league, making it difficult for the opposition.”
The two sides meet again for the return leg at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, January 27, live on Sky Sports.
