Liverpool forced to share points with Chelsea as the Blues leave Anfield with a 1-1 draw in the Premier League.
Arne Slot’s side failed to make it seven Premier League losses in a row for Chelsea, and handed them their first points since March. The Blues will be the happier of the two sides with the point today, though the away side created more chances.
Ryan Gravenberch gave the home side an early lead in the game, with good work from teenager Rio Ngumoha on the left wing. The winger found the Dutchman unmarked at the end of the box, and he made no mistake in curling the ball past Filip Jorgensen with some power.
However, the Reds failed to make the most of the early lead, as Virgil van Dijk had his shot go over the bar from yards out. He did well to wriggle away from Enzo Fernandez, but could not keep his shot on target.
Chelsea had multiple chances to get back in the game, but Girgio Mamardashvili did well to keep the scoreline intact. However, a smart free-kick from Enzo Fernandez saw them pull level before the break.
Cole Palmer and Curtis Jones found the back of the net in the early parts of the second half, but both goals were ruled out for offside. Cucurella was offside for the Blues in the buildup, while Gakpo was offside before he headed the ball back for Jones.
Here are the ReadLiverpoolFC ratings:
Girgio Mamardashvili – 7
Impressive display yet again, as he made a number of saves to deny the Chelsea players. His save against Enzo Fernandez in the first half was a key reason the scoreline remained intact.
Curtis Jones – 5
Why Arne Slot insists on playing Jones as a right-back is a question that will remain a mystery. He was not able to handle Cucurella and the Chelsea man was getting a lot of space to work.
Virgil Van Dijk – 7
Solid at the back, but should have scored in the first half to double the lead for Liverpool. Came close in the second half, too, when he smashed the crossbar with a header just before the 80th minute.
Ibrahima Konate – 6
Not his best game, and he had trouble handling Joao Pedro. The Frenchman needed help, but Curtis Jones was unable to provide it when needed.
Milos Kerkez – 7
Best defender for Liverpool today, as he was able to keep Gusto and Palmer quiet when they were trying to attack from his side. Forced the Blues to switch their attack to the opposite flank and also made a stunning tackle to stop the Chelsea right-back from going clear on goal.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 5.5
After a poor first half, Szoboszlai did well to pull himself together in the second. He hit the post with a stunning shot off the post, and was constantly pressing the Chelsea backline.
Alexis Mac Allister – 6
A poor first half was followed by a stunning start to the second, as he was diving into tackles and also making last-man blocks. Showed the fighting spirit in the game, but got booked for a challenge of Joao Pedro at the very end.
Ryan Gravenberch – 8
The goal was the highlight of his display, though he was the best midfielder for the Reds today. He was doing everything possible to get on the ball as much as possible, but got very little help in dealing with Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.
Jeremie Frimpong – 6
Another game that should be used as a reason the Dutchman should be played as a right-back, not a winger. He looked more comfortable in the second half, when he was playing a little deeper.
Rio Ngumoha – 8
A scintillating first half was followed by a quiet second, before he was taken off in the 66th minute. The teenager was brilliant against Malo Gusto, and the Anfield crowd was stunned to see the teenager being taken off by the manager.
The assist was a cherry on top of his performance, and without a doubt, Malo Gusto will be having nightmares of the winger.
Cody Gakpo – 5
Yet another poor display from Gakpo today, and it was no surprise that the fans booed Arne Slot when he took Ngumoha off instead of the Dutchman. His only contribution today was the assist for Jones, which was ruled out because he was offside.
Substitutes
Alexander Isak – 6
Tried to make space, but was not allowed to have a proper shot by the Chelsea defenders.
Federico Chiesa – 5
Brought in too late in the game, and would have done more if he had been sent off along with Isak.
Joe Gomez – 6
Came on for Konate and did his job.
