Alan Shearer has delivered a brutal assessment of Chelsea's chances as they prepare to face Liverpool at Anfield this Saturday lunchtime, with the Premier League legend predicting another tough afternoon for the struggling Blues.

It's been a season to forget for Chelsea, who currently find themselves languishing in ninth place in the Premier League table. The statistics make for grim reading: six consecutive league defeats, with just a single goal scored in that run. Mathematically, the highest they can finish is sixth, and a seventh straight loss could see them drop into the bottom half of the table entirely.

There is some positive news on the injury front, with Calum McFarlane confirming that Reece James and Levi Colwill have returned to training this week. However, the Blues are still facing a significant injury crisis, with Robert Sanchez set to miss the game and Jesse Derry ruled out for the remainder of the season.

The reverse fixture earlier this season saw Chelsea claim victory, but a repeat performance seems highly unlikely given their current form. Shearer didn't hold back in his assessment, telling Metro: "It's a big opportunity for Liverpool here. Chelsea look a mess, don't they? I don't know how many times I've said it, but whatever happens at the top of the club always filters down onto the pitch, and that's exactly what's happening now."

The Newcastle legend was particularly critical of Chelsea's recent performance against Nottingham Forest, describing it as "shocking" and "abysmal." He added: "It looks as if their players are trying to get through the season to the FA Cup Final, and then see what happens. You can't just turn it on and off. You can't just turn up and think, oh, we'll get through to the FA Cup Final and see what happens."

For Liverpool, this match presents a golden opportunity to secure Champions League football for next season, something that would cap off what Shearer described as "a really disappointing season for them." The former England striker concluded: "I can't look past Liverpool to win this one."

With the real danger of missing out on European football altogether next season, Chelsea desperately need to find some form - and fast. But against a Liverpool side hungry for points at Anfield, it's hard to see where that turnaround might come from.