Liverpool are crawling towards Champions League qualification with dissent on their backs. There were boos on the final whistle, louder boos when Arne Slot withdrew Rio Ngumoha for Alexander Isak and jeers while Chelsea were dominating possession. And that was in the 39th minute. Protests over rising ticket prices may have been abandoned but unrest remains audible at Anfield.
What optimism could be gleaned from a mediocre contest between two clubs enduring mediocre seasons belonged to Chelsea. The visitors might have been there for the taking, especially after falling behind to an early Ryan Gravenberch strike, but they rallied to avoid equalling the club’s worst run of league defeats since 1952 and restore some confidence before next Saturday’s FA Cup final. Levi Colwill demonstrated it would be no risk to play him against Manchester City with an authoritative first start of an injury-plagued season and Reece James also impressed as a second-half substitute after almost two months out.
But for Liverpool, pegged back by Enzo Fernández’s fortuitous free-kick, this was another taxing afternoon. Deep-rooted frustrations over the team’s style of play and Slot’s substitutions bubbled to the surface. Ngumoha had cramp, the head coach explained. Liverpool fans were not to know that at the time and made their discontent clear when the 17-year-old’s number went up. The sound of Anfield captured Liverpool’s performance to perfection. The acclaim for an early lead and encouraging opening gave way to jeers and whistles before half-time as an increasingly lax home display invited Chelsea to take the initiative.
All the pre-match criticism aimed at Chelsea after a run of six successive league defeats was given further substance by their latest slow start. Ambling around in cup final weather, when interim head coach, Calum McFarlane, had called for greater urgency from the first whistle in response to last week’s defeat by Nottingham Forest, the visitors fell behind quickly. A fine finish it was too.
Ngumoha, starting against the club whose academy he left in acrimonious circumstances, cut in from the left and found Gravenberch. The Liverpool midfielder let the pass run on to his right foot and curled a thunderous shot beyond Filip Jörgensen from the edge of the area. Jörgensen was deputising for Robert Sánchez, absent due to concussion protocols, and poorly positioned as Gravenberch’s effort sailed almost into the middle of his goal. It was the ninth goal Chelsea have conceded in the opening 10 minutes of a Premier League game this season, the club’s highest tally in the competition.
Virgil van Dijk should have made it two from Dominik Szoboszlai’s deep cross but volleyed over from six yards out. Liverpool had Chelsea where they wanted them at that point. Ngumoha offered a persistent threat, Szoboszlai was finding space and the central midfield of Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister were in control. But they became far too passive, sitting back and allowing Chelsea to control proceedings, and the visitors found the contest to their liking.
Moisés Caicedo sparked the recovery with his commitment in the tackle and creativity on the ball. He chipped Marc Cucurella in behind Curtis Jones and Ibrahima Konaté twice in quick succession. Giorgi Mamardashvili, back in the Liverpool goal having recovered from a knee injury, saved the converted winger’s first attempt and was quick off his line to smother the second. A poor clearance from the Liverpool keeper led to the leveller that had been coming, however.
From the throw-in gifted by Mamardashvili’s sliced attempt straight out of play, Wesley Fofana was fouled by Cody Gakpo. Fernández drilled the resulting free-kick low towards Fofana, who had nudged Gakpo aside to move to the front of a crowded penalty area. The delivery drifted past the defender and nestled inside the far corner with Mamardashvili rooted to the spot. Fofana made it clear in the celebrations that he did not get a touch on the free-kick and that it was Fernández’s goal.
Chelsea remained in the ascendancy and stretched Anfield’s patience to breaking point for the remainder of the half. Fernández could have had a second when played through by Caicedo but his first-time shot was saved by Mamardashvili.
The visitors did have the ball in the net from a well-worked routine early in the second half but Cole Palmer’s conversion was disallowed for a close offside against Cucurella. Liverpool also had a goal chalked off in the second half with Gakpo offside when teeing up a close range header from Jones.
Liverpool, without Florian Wirtz due to illness, rediscovered some of their earlier intensity after the restart and hit the woodwork twice as they pursued a winner. Szoboszlai struck the base of a post and Van Dijk headed against the bar from a corner by the Hungary captain. Ngumoha’s substitution soured the mood and the hosts survived a check for a possible penalty when Jeremie Frimpong tangled with João Pedro. Frimpong did not connect with the ball but the video assistant referee did not find enough for a spot-kick. “It was a clear penalty,” argued McFarlane. The end result was fair.
