Chelsea vs Liverpool LIVE: Cole Palmer ends goal drought to wrap up win over Premier League champions
Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool: The Blues moved level on points with Newcastle in the race for the Champions League after claiming a massive win
Chelsea claimed a huge victory over newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool to take a step closer to returning to the Champions League next season.
Enzo Maresca’s side rolled out a guard of honour for Liverpool at Stamford Bridge but the Reds, who were crowned champions last weekend, lacked their usual sharpness after Arne Slot made six changes.
Chelsea took the lead after just three minutes when Enzo Fernandez finished off an excellent move that was sparked by the brilliant Cole Palmer, who ended his goal drought by converting a late penalty.
The Blues were handed a gift of a second when Virgil van Dijk cleared into Jarell Quansah and the ball ricocheted into the back of the net. Van Dijk pulled one back with a towering header, but Chelsea managed to hold.
The victory, which was Chelsea’s first over Liverpool in 11 attempts, moves Maresca’s side level on points with fourth-placed Newcastle, who they visit next week. Defeat for Liverpool was only their third of the Premier League campaign.
Follow all of the action from Stamford Bridge with our live blog below:
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Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
31 mins: Chelsea break the pressure up as Palmer carries forward and Quansah blocks. From the corner, Neto’s shot is blocked and then Fernandez hits another poor corner straight at Tsimikas.
Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
29 mins: Liverpool continue to ramp up the pressure. Alexander-Arnold is next to find some space. He had Salah on the outside but went for goal, striking straight at Cucurella.
Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
26 mins: A better five minute spell from Liverpool as they look to get back in the game. Gakpo and Tsimikas almost exchange a one-two in the box but Chalobah cuts it out.
Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
22 mins: Alexander-Arnold looks for Jota with a low ball towards the back post, but Salah tries to jump onto it even though he was in an offside position. That may have been creeping through to Jota.
Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
19 mins: A heavy touch from Salah and Cucurella gets in to win the ball back. Most of the play from both teams has come on the other side - through Neto and Gakpo.
Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
15 mins: Neto works some space to flash a cross into the box. Quansah and Fernandez have their arms all over each other. Fernandez gets his head onto the cross but the header goes over.
Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
12 mins: Gakpo has space out on the left and looks to find Salah at the back post with a whipped cross, but there’s too much on it and the ball rolls through.
Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
9 mins: Ooooh. Has the offside flag saved Alisson? The goalkeeper rushes off his line and brings down Jackson, who had rounded him.
But the striker was offside from Caicedo’s pass, and the flag went up.
A few moments before, Gakpo shot straight at Sanchez from the left wing.
Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
7 mins: Gakpo chips a little ball into Jota in the box but Jota lets the ball slip from under him.
It may be a little early for this but I remember Liverpool getting hammered by Man City a few days after winning the title in 2020.
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