Since the arrival of Roman Abramovich to English football 15 years ago, and with Chelsea becoming Champions League regulars ahead of Liverpool as a result, there has certainly been bad blood between these two clubs, with several notable flashpoints.
Nevertheless there have also been a number of players to represent either institution, and we’ve profiled those who have done so since the year 2000 and ultimately determined which club got the best out of them.
Fernando Torres
Time at Liverpool: 2007 to 2011 (142 appearances)
Time at Chelsea: 2011 to 2015 (172 appearances)
Trophies at Liverpool: None
Trophies at Chelsea: FA Cup 2011/12; UEFA Champions League 2011/12; UEFA Europa League 2012/13
A star during his formative years with boyhood club Atletico Madrid, the Spanish marksman joined Liverpool in 2007 and became an instant hit, though he’d go from hero to villain when he swapped Anfield for Stamford Bridge several years later.
Despite collecting more silverware with Chelsea, he never reached the goalscoring heights displayed with the Reds.
Verdict: Liverpool
Nicolas Anelka
Time at Liverpool: 2001 to 2002 (22 appearances)
Time at Chelsea: 2008 to 2012 (184 appearances)
Trophies at Liverpool: None
Trophies at Chelsea: Premier League 2009/10; FA Cup 2008/09 and 2009/10; FA Community Shield 2009
One of European football’s hottest prospects when he broke through at PSG in the mid-90s, Nicolas Anelka never really fulfilled his potential, instead the languid Frenchman flirted with greatness.
Anelka experienced a loan spell with Liverpool – his fourth different club at the time – where he started to really enjoy his football once again. After much travelling, he’d arrive at Stamford Bridge and it seemed he finally found his home, but that wasn’t to be.
Verdict: Chelsea
Joe Cole
Time at Liverpool: 2010 to 2013 (42 appearances)
Time at Chelsea: 2003 to 2010 (281 appearances)
Trophies at Liverpool: None
Trophies at Chelsea: Premier League 2004/05, 2005/06 and 2009/10; FA Cup 2006/07 and 2009/10; Football League Cup 2004/05; FA Community Shield 2005
A star of West Ham’s esteemed academy, the Londoner turned down many overtures (including from Manchester United) before joining Chelsea, where he ultimately flew like an eagle.
The arrival of Jose Mourinho stunted his flamboyance, but nevertheless he proved to be a pivotal member of the Portuguese’s first all-conquering Blues side.
However, after falling down the pecking order he would join Liverpool, though unfortunately he was a shadow of his former self at Anfield.
Verdict: Chelsea
Yossi Benayoun
Time at Liverpool: 2007 to 2010 (134 appearances)
Time at Chelsea: 2010 to 2013 (24 appearances)
Trophies at Liverpool: None
Trophies at Chelsea: UEFA Europa League 2012–13
Benayoun’s opening two seasons in English football with West Ham opened the eyes of many, but it was Liverpool that won his signature after impressing at Upton Park.
The highlight of his three years was unquestionably scoring the Reds’ winner at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid in their 2008/09 Champions League Round of 16 first-leg clash.
He also became the first player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League (vs Besiktas), FA Cup (vs Havant & Waterlooville) and Premier League (vs Burnley) for the same club; a feat yet to be matched.
Benayoun would then return to London with Chelsea, but his spell at Stamford Bridge is largely forgettable.
Verdict: Liverpool
Glen Johnson
Time at Liverpool: 2009 to 2015 (200 appearances)
Time at Chelsea: 2003 to 2007 (71 appearances)
Trophies at Liverpool: Football League Cup 2011/12
Trophies at Chelsea: Premier League 2004/05, Football League Cup 2004/05
Another graduate of West Ham’s renowned academy to cross the capital to Chelsea, but unlike Cole, the full-back was at best a squad player.
Johnson would move to Portsmouth before Liverpool recruited him, and that was where he really shone, earning him numerous England international caps as a result of his brilliance at right-back.
Verdict: Liverpool
Raul Meireles
Time at Liverpool: 2010 to 2012 (44 appearances)
Time at Chelsea: 2011 to 2013 (48 appearances)
Trophies at Liverpool: Football League Cup 2011/12
Trophies at Chelsea: FA Cup 2011/12, UEFA Champions League 2011/12
The combative Portuguese midfielder ended a six-year association with FC Porto when he turned up at Anfield in 2010, Meireles would be in and out of the team, but made his presence known whenever he played.
His time at Anfield was cut short as he followed teammate Fernando Torres to west London where he’d lift his first piece of silverware in English football. Despite clinching the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League, Meireles only featured sporadically in the tournaments.
Verdict: Liverpool
Boudewijn Zenden
Time at Liverpool: 2005 to 2007 (49 appearances)
Time at Chelsea: 2001 to 2004 (59 appearances)
Trophies at Liverpool: UEFA Super Cup 2005, FA Community Shield 2006
Trophies at Chelsea: None
“Bolo” Zenden joined Chelsea from Barcelona in 2001 but the multifunctional Dutch midfielder couldn’t hold down a regular starting berth, primarily due to numerous destabilising injuries.
Nevertheless, his performances for the Blues were a sharp contrast to those with Liverpool, whom he represented on a season-long loan in the mid-2000s.
Verdict: Chelsea
Mohamed Salah
Time at Liverpool: 2017 to present (50 appearances)
Time at Chelsea: 2014 to 2016 (19 appearances)
Trophies at Liverpool: None
Trophies at Chelsea: None
Liverpool and Chelsea battled for the Egyptian forward’s signature before he decided to take his talents from FC Basel to west London. It never worked out, though he did bag a rare goal in the 6-0 mauling of Arsenal, and after limited playing time, Salah joined Fiorentina on loan before signing permanently with Roma.
He’s now back in England after the Reds finally got their man, and now he is really showing his old club what they are missing, as he leads the Premier League scoring charts with 31 goals.
Verdict: Liverpool
Daniel Sturridge
Time at Liverpool: 2013 to present (133 appearances)
Time at Chelsea: 2009 to 2013 (96 appearances)
Trophies at Liverpool: None
Trophies at Chelsea: Premier League 2009/10; FA Cup 2009/10, 2011–12; UEFA Champions League 2011/12
A blocked path to regular first team football at Manchester City saw Sturridge take his talents to Stamford Bridge, but again it was a struggle, and he eventually settled at Anfield (albeit picking up a number of injuries along the way).
Despite making a trailblazing start to his Liverpool career, his future on Merseyside now seems bleak with the England international seemingly no longer in Jurgen Klopp’s plans.
Verdict: Liverpool
Victor Moses
Time at Liverpool: 2013 to 2014 (22 appearances)
Time at Chelsea: 2012 to present (119 appearances)
Trophies at Liverpool: None
Trophies at Chelsea: Premier League 2016/17, UEFA Europa League 2012/13
A string of impressive performances with Wigan saw Chelsea bring Moses to Stamford Bridge, before loaning him out, with Liverpool being one of those clubs.
He performed reasonably well in red, but since returning to west London he’s taken things up a notch. No longer an explosive winger, Moses has been converted into one of the league’s foremost wing-backs under Antonio Conte.
Verdict: Chelsea
Fabio Borini
Time at Liverpool: 2012 to 2015 (38 appearances)
Time at Chelsea: 2009 to 2011 (8 appearances)
Trophies at Liverpool: None
Trophies at Chelsea: None
It just never happened for the Italian marksman as he came through at Chelsea, and after enjoying a loan spell with Swansea City, they sold him to Italian outfit Parma.
He would subsequently return to England with Liverpool but he found it hard to cement a consistent presence in their starting XI, though it was a better scenario than the one he was in several years prior.
Verdict: Liverpool