Game.Set.Piece!
Liverpool had travelled to south west London knowing that although they had a perfect start to the season after five games, that they had to improve their away record overall against 'top 6' sides, if they were to have any chance of gaining their first league title since 1990. After a disappointing midweek defeat to Napoli, Liverpool went back to a lineup that has become what Jurgen Klopp deems to be his strongest side, as Georginio Wijnaldum returned to the midfield in place of James Milner. Chelsea, had N'Golo Kante back after injury and Mason Mount passed a late fitness test after taking a knock. Chelsea went with four at the back after using three centre halves in their win last week at Wolves, as Frank Lampard deemed it too risky to try to match up with the pace of Liverpool's front three.
Neither side managed to properly assert themselves on the game early on, but then Liverpool managed to take the lead in the 13th minute. Sadio Mane, was bought down on the edge of the box by Andreas Christensen, and Liverpool produced a training ground set piece to go in front. Jordan Henderson, Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, stood over the free kick, Henderson left them, as Salah rolled the ball to Alexander-Arnold, who whipped the ball into the top corner, Kepa in the Chelsea goal had no chance. A well thought out routine by the Reds, these fine margins are what make all the difference in a big game. Chelsea almost drew level in the 24th minute, when Christensen played a slide rule pass out from the back to Tammy Abraham, but Adrian was quick off of his line to spread himself and blocked the effort. A very good bit of goalkeeping that Alisson would have been proud of. Shortly after, Chelsea thought that they were level again, only for VAR to rightfully deny them. in the build up to Cesar Azpilicueta bundling the ball in, Mount was offside, before he got the ball to Willian. Mount was only just a fraction off, but offside is offside, Graeme Souness, in the Sky Sports studio summed it up brilliantly by saying, "you cannot be a little pregnant, you are either pregnant or you are not!". After Stamford Bridge finally quietened down post the VAR intervention, in the 29th minute Liverpool came up the other end and Wijnaldum was obstructed by Azpilicueta. This time on the freekick, Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson stood over it, Alexander-Arnold rolled it to Robertson and his cross was headed in by an unmarked Roberto Firmino. Chelsea paying the price, as Liverpool exploited their zonal marking. Before the half ended, Salah cut in off the right flank, but his shot was deflected wide.
Liverpool, could have added to their lead at the start of the second period, when first of all, Chelsea did not pick up Roberto Firmino, in the second phase of play from a Liverpool corner, and his volley was saved by Kepa diving sharply to his left, then Sadio Mane could only head wide. In the 50th minute: the ball deflected off Azpilicueta from a ball into the box by Alexander-Arnold, and Kepa made another good stop to keep it out, but it turned out Alexander-Arnold was offside anyway. Liverpool were starting to find gaps, as Chelsea pushed more players forward in search of an equaliser, in the 69th minute, Mane found Salah, who sprinted forward, but then his first touch was too heavy and he ran into three Chelsea defenders. Straight after, the Blues came up the other end, and Kante picked the ball up about 30 yards from goal, he ran...he still ran and he got to the edge of the box and cracked a shot into the top corner, 2-1. Fabinho, had let him run without trying to make a proper challenge, probably the only foot put wrong by the Brazilian in the whole 90 minutes. Despite this, one of Liverpool's defenders should have still tried better to come forward and try to close him down. Liverpool were looking weary, their midweek trip to Naples was starting to take its toll and Chelsea believed the comeback was on.
In the 77th minute, Chelsea caught Liverpool on the break and had a great chance to storm forward, but Fabinho made a very intelligent tactical foul to prevent them, this ended up being vital. Chelsea continued to attack and created opportunities, Marcos Alonso almost scored a header from a free kick, but he was denied by Adrian, the linesman flag went up shortly after, but Alonso and Adrian were not to know this. Then they could not convert two glorious chances, substitute Michy Batshuayi could only head wide, and in the last minute of normal time, Mount could only shoot over the bar on his left foot from 12 yards. In injury time, Robertson broke up play and then went on an incredible run that almost took him to the edge of Chelsea's box, it pretty much summed everything about him as a player. The Scotsman has drive, determination, great stamina and commitment. So Liverpool held on for a huge win, 6 wins from 6 this season, and going back to the last campaign, that is now 15 wins in a row, as they continue to build on the club's Premier League record for consecutive victories.
It was not pretty at times, but the result was the main thing for Liverpool here, it was important that they bounced back from the Champions League defeat to Napoli, and even more imperative that they kept their five point lead over the champions Manchester City. Grinding out results is essential when you are challenging for a title, no team plays well every time they win. Two set pieces got the job done, and more wins like this will be welcome, if it means lifting the trophy in May.
@DubulDee
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