Gone are the days when these foes slugged it out in the latter rounds of the UEFA Champions League to build a rivalry that is uniquely based upon European endeavours rather than domestic geography.
Chelsea remain a juggernaut and have continued their ruthless efficiency to sit at the top of the league, while victory over Spartak Moscow in midweek guaranteed a place in the last 16 of the European Cup.
But in contrast Liverpool have suffered a sorry fall from grace amid off and on-field problems to leave the 18-time champions of England slumped in the bottom half of the table and reliant on Steven Gerrard rescue acts in the Europa League.
Carlo Ancelotti, who only arrived at Chelsea in 2009 to mean he was not a part of the previous, classic European clashes, therefore takes his team to Merseyside as strong favourites when once it was an even contest.
Liverpool have mustered a mini-revival in winning against Blackburn, Bolton and Napoli to ease some of the pressure on Roy Hodgson and reassure new principal owner John W Henry that he has not invested in a complete dud.
However, this has also only served for the likes of Chelsea's Petr Cech, Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba to issue warnings, as if preaching to young pretenders, that it is against the big boys when victories take significance.
Hodgson, who has known Ancelotti since the mid-Nineties when he invited the then Italy assistant manager to spend a week learning from his training methods during a spell as Switzerland boss, will therefore be determined to prove a point.
Liverpool will reinstate a number of their key performers to the starting XI after Hodgson attempted to offer rests in the 3-1 home win over Serie A outfit Napoli on Thursday night.
Captain Gerrard scored a match-winning hat-trick in his second-half outing against the Italians and will start, while Fernando Torres, who watched from the stands will also be recalled.
Holland international Dirk Kuyt could return from an ankle ligament injury, while Lucas Leiva is likely to start, but Joe Cole will not face his former club after sustaining a hamstring injury at Bolton.
It will be interesting to see who is selected in central defence from Jamie Carragher, who has been covering at right-back prior to Glen Johnson's return to fitness, in-form Sotiros Kyrgiakos and Martin Skrtel.
Ancelotti has confirmed that John Terry will return for the trip to the North West after the England defender remained as an unused substitute against Spartak at Stamford Bridge.
But star midfielder Frank Lampard's comeback from a groin injury, which has caused him to miss Chelsea's last 12 matches, has been delayed.
Influential winger Florent Malouda is fit after an ankle problem, however, there are slight doubts about Michael Essien (toe).
Brazilian Ramires returned from an ankle complaint in midweek, but Yossi Benayoun will not line-up against his ex-employers as a torn Achilles tendon means he is still a long-term absentee.
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Konchesky, Meireles, Lucas, Poulsen, Maxi, Gerrard, Torres.
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Essien, Malouda, Anelka, Drogba.
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