The nightmare continues for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool as the champions lose their 5th consecutive home game for the first time in history by losing 1-0 to Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League.
It was another evening to forget for the team from Merseyside who were outclassed by Thomas Tuchel’s resurgent Chelsea. Mason Mount was the hero of the match as he scored a stunning goal in the first half to give the Blues 3 points.
The Blues started on the front foot with Timo Werner running in behind Liverpool’s central defence that featured Fabinho and Ozan Kabak.
Werner had 3 big chances to start the game, all inside 25 minutes as he brought down a peach of a cross by left back Ben Chilwell to nicely create some space at the edge of the box to get his shot away that narrowly went wide.
The second chance for Werner came from a lovely cross by captain Cesar Azpilicueta who managed to play a ball through that the German was able to reach but the ball bounced a bit too high making it difficult for Werner to direct past Alisson in goal.
Werner did score in the 24th minute only to be ruled out by a controversial VAR decision that people have still been heavily criticizing as it was his shoulder that may have been millimeters offside but there was no clarity on that either.
Liverpool has now lost 5 home games in a row in the Premier League. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/PA Images via Getty Images)
Liverpool had a golden opportunity to go a goal up as Mohamed Salah picked out Sadio Mane with a perfect cross but the Senegalese failed to connect on the volley as he missed the ball.
Mason Mount was brilliant as he usually is and he scored a stunning goal after he was picked out on the left flank by N’golo Kante.
Mount ran into space taking on Fabinho and then fighting a lovely driven shot past Alisson’s left into the bottom corner from just inside the box to give Chelsea a much-deserved lead before the first half break.
Chelsea continued its dominance in the second half as Hakim Ziyech’s shot had beaten Alisson but was cleared off the line by Andy Robertson.
The chances kept coming for the Blues as Ziyech nearly picked out Werner whose outstretched leg could not get the telling touch on the ball to steer it past Liverpool’s goalkeeper.
Warner was played through once more as Mason Mount picked him out with a neat through ball but Alisson stood firm to block the shot.
Liverpool only managed 1 shot on target in the entire game and that came in the 85th minute as Georginio Wijnaldum headed the ball straight at Edouard Mendy in Chelsea’s goal.
The Reds went 68 games unbeaten at Anfield but have now lost 5 consecutive since. Jurgen Klopp needs solutions to the problems his team are going through, and needs them soon as the race for the top 4 heats up in the Premier League.
Chelsea’s win takes them to 4th in the Premier League table on 47 points, now just 3 behind 3rd placed Leicester City and 4 behind Manchester United in 2nd.
Everton and West Ham can go above the Blues with wins as they have a game in hand. Everton, in fact, place against Chelsea on Monday, which will be a potential 6-pointer but the Toffees’ game in hand is against Burnley and you would expect them to win that.
West Ham face a tough Leeds United followed by a crucial tie against Manchester United so Chelsea will fancy their chances on staying in 4th and closing in on 2nd and 3rd.
Chelsea are unbeaten in the league since Tuchel has taken charge so things are looking good for the Stamford Bridge faithful.
Liverpool has only managed to pick up 3 points from the last 18 in the league and and are now languishing in 7th, 22 points off league leaders Manchester City and 8 points behind rivals Manchester United. Currently, Everton are the better side in Merseyside as they also sit 3 points ahead of their derby rivals, with a game in hand.
