FT: Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool
Summary
- FT: Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool
- Alexander-Arnold curls home opener (14)
- VAR chalks off Azpilicueta equaliser
- Firmino heads for 0-2 (29)
- Kante solo effort for 1-2 (70)
- Mount, Kante both start
- Firmino, Henderson return
PLAYERS RATINGS
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Couldn’t really do anything about the two goals in the first half, with them both being decent finishes.
A superb save early in the second half to deny Roberto Firmino and wasn’t tested too much after that. 7
Cesar Azpilicueta
Thought he had scored, but ruled out for offside. Really gave everything for the performance, with a couple of dangerous balls into the box.
Liverpool were giving him a lot of space on the right and he tried to use it well. 7
Not good positioning for the Firmino goal. Looked like a really serious injury that made him come off in the first half. 5
Fikayo Tomori
His toughest test yet, but he seemed to pass it with flying colours. Always going to be really tough up against Salah and he dealt with him very well.
Good ace and positioning from the youngster and he looks Chelsea’s best defender right now with another excellent display. 8
Emerson Palmieri
The injury obviously not 100% as he had to come off early in the match. 5
N’Golo Kante
Didn’t look fully fit and off the pace for much of the game. Lacked the dynamic edge at times, but he showed his utter class with his goal.
A stunning run through the middle and then the finish was even better, hitting the top corner of the net. 7
Jorginho
Tried to control the play as much as he could and really did well to push the ball around, controlling the middle of the park well.
However, the one side that was disappointing was the final third. Too many times the balls went astray and moves broke down. 7
Mateo Kovacic
A bit like Jorginho, where it was a decent game from the Croatian, but the final third product just wasn’t there.
Liverpool were willing to let the balls go into the wide areas, which clogged up the space in the middle and made it difficult. 6
Mason Mount
A game where things just didn’t quite work for him. Not through lack of effort, but couldn’t really have the influence.
Some good set-piece taking, but he wasn’t quite at the best that we have seen from him this season so far. Massive chance at the end to equalise which he missed. 5
Willian
Just not the influence you want from your veteran winger. Didn’t offer enough going forward and looked frustrated throughout the encounter.
The Blues need more from one of their star men. 4
Tammy Abraham
Not strong enough in the tackle against Virgil an Dijk, and really it was the test that showed he still has a bit of a way to go.
Got into some nice areas at times, but couldn’t make it count. 5
Substitutes
Marcos Alonso (on for Emerson 16′)
Not good for the Firmino goal, not getting close enough to the Brazilian and allowing him to head in.
Saw a lot of the ball in the second half, with the play going down the left, and some good moments from him. 6
Kurt Zouma (on for Christensen 42′)
