Liverpool reclaimed top spot in the Premier League as they earned a hard-fought 2-1 win over Chelsea at Anfield.
The Reds took the lead through a Mohamed Salah penalty in the first half, but Nicolas Jackson hit them back early in the second.
However, they quickly regained their lead through Curtis Jones and held on under pressure to secure an important three points.
How the game developed
Chelsea’s chances almost received a decisive early blow when Tosin Adarabioyo dragged down Diogo Jota as the last man, but he escaped a red card thanks to Levi Colwill’s close range on the cover.
The visiting fans’ hearts were in their mouths again moments later when a pass from Robert Sanchez was intercepted by Cody Gakpo but fortuitously bounced into the grateful keeper’s hands.
To his credit, Chelsea responded well after a slow start, with only a desperate block from Curtis Jones preventing Cole Palmer from firing a shot into the box.
The Scouse midfielder then played a crucial role at the other end, forcing Colwill into a clumsy challenge which secured a penalty for Salah to convert.
Liverpool he thought they had another shot at the end of the half only for a VAR review to show Sanchez got a significant touch on the ball before tipping over Jones.
And Chelsea went into the break threatening again, their best effort seeing Palmer fire just wide of the 18-yard box.
If the late chance served as a warning, then Liverpool did not heed it, and the visitors hit their stride almost immediately after the restart.
An offside call had originally been flagged after Jackson coolly slotted home one-on-one, but a VAR intervention ensured the goal stood.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, they were level for just three minutes, with Jones catching the Chelsea defense asleep to latch on to a Salah dink at the back before slotting the ball home.
From there, the visitors continued to dominate possession, but Liverpool’s tenacity prevented them from doing much.
Possibly the closest came when Renato Veiga headed home a free-kick just inside the box, ensuring his side came away with nothing from an impressive performance on the road.
The decision to bring in Curtis Jones for the out-of-form Alexis MacAllister proved to be the difference between the two sides on Sunday.
The Scouse midfielder gave the Reds a point in the final third, winning a penalty and scoring the winning goal, and also worked his socks off in the defensive third, making a stunning block to deny Cole Palmer what looked like a certain goal in the first half.
Jones’ ability to keep Palmer quiet was perhaps the main reason Liverpool ran out of winners.
GK: Kevin Kelleher – 6/10 – Liverpool restricted the amount of shots the Irishman had to face and was generally strong in his handling and use of the ball.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7/10 – He wasn’t as influential as usual on the ball, but this was an outstanding defensive performance from a player who rarely gets credit for that part of his game.
CB: Ibrahima Konate – 6/10 – A little shakier than his centre-half partner, as evidenced by the rash foul that saw him earn a yellow card.
CB: Virgil van Dijk – 7/10 – He won every battle when Chelsea’s attackers dared to approach him and kept Liverpool solid throughout.
LB: Andy Robertson – 6/10 – He looked to have a tough afternoon as Madueke blew the early wickets for him, but battled back to put in a strong performance.
DM: Ryan Gravenberch – 6/10 – He didn’t live up to his excellent recent performances, but he turned things around and was important in keeping the ball late.
DM: Curtis Jones – 8/10 – Liverpool’s most influential midfielder on both sides of the ball by far and carried his goal brilliantly.
AM: Dominik Szoboszlai – 6/10 – An up-and-down performance from the Hungarian, who has worked hard but has been let down by his decision-making on occasions.
RW: Mohamed Salah – 7/10 – He scored his penalty and set up Jones for the winner with a fabulous ball. He always responds against Chelsea.
ST: Diogo Jota – 6/10 – Looking a real threat in the early stages, forcing Tosin into a foul that could have seen him sent off, but he was injured after half an hour.
LW: Cody Gakpo – 5/10 – He was unable to make the most of James’ potential rustiness and was a peripheral figure before being subbed off just after the hour mark.
Substitutes
SUB: Darwin Nunez (30 for Jota) – 7/10 – He gave Liverpool the start they needed after replacing Jota early in the game.
SUB: Luis DÃaz (65 for Steel) – 6/10
SUB: Alexis Mac Allister (81 for Jones) – 6/10
SUB: Joe Gomez (81 for Alexander-Arnold) – 7/10
Subs not used: Vitezslav Jaros, Wataru Endo, Jarell Quansah, Kostas Tsimikas, Tyler Morton.
manager
Arne Slot – 7/10 – He doesn’t want to see his team suffer as much possession as this, but they are certainly strong defensively under his watch.
GK: Robert Sanchez – 5/10 – Lucky to get away with a series of poor passes from behind and perhaps could have been quicker with Jones for the winner.
RB: Reece James – 6/10 – He looked surprisingly sharp in his first outing for a while, keeping Gakpo quiet and using the ball well.
CB: Tosin Adarabioyo – 5/10 – Saved from an early red card by Colwill’s position and the subject of a rare center back substitution in the second half.
CB: Levi Colwill – 5/10 – Could have few complaints on the penalty kill and never looked comfortable.
LB: Bad Taste – 7/10 – Liverpool were never challenged with him appearing in midfield and was a key factor in Chelsea controlling the game.
DM: Moises Caicedo – 7/10 – He got an assist and won many of his battles; he showed Liverpool what they missed out on by not signing him.
DM: Romeo Lavia – 7/10 – A solid presence in midfield, winning his duels and barely giving the ball away as Chelsea dominated the center of the park.
AM: Cole Palmer – 5/10 – Not even the best, with Liverpool’s midfielders doing an excellent job of shutting him down.
RW: Noni Madueke – 6/10 – He had the beating of Robertson in the first half but faded in the second before being replaced.
ST: Nicolas Jackson – 7/10 – He took his goal well and was always a handful, often turning points up the field into more.
LW: Jadon Sancho – 5/10 – Tucked into the unusual task of man-marking Alexander-Arnold, but didn’t do enough to threaten the defender in possession.
Substitutes
SUB: Pedro Neto (46 for Sancho) – 6/10 – He looked menacing when he came in, but maybe he didn’t do enough.
SUB: Renato Vega (53 for James) – 7/10 – He helped Chelsea continue to outnumber Liverpool in the middle.
SUB: Benoit Badiashile (53 for Tosin) – 6/10
SUB: Endo Fernández (53 for Lavia) – 6/10
SUB: Christopher Nkunku (76 for Madueke) – 6/10
Subs not used: Marcus Bettinelli, Axel Disasi, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Joao Felix.
manager
Enzo Maresca – 7/10 – He had the right things to ensure Chelsea were set up to control the game, but could he have found a way to produce more cutting edge?
