Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League table as Curtis Jones hit the winner in an entertaining 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Anfield.
Match Report
IF Thomas Tuchel tuned in to witness this heavyweight Premier League battle, there would have been one man who made him sit up and take notice.
And while there were six Englishmen in the starting line-up of his former club Chelsea, it was Liverpool’s match-winner Curtis Jones who demanded his attention.
At 23, and into his fifth season as a regular Anfield first-teamer, it is surprising that Scouser Jones is yet to win a full England cap.
Many more performances like this and Jones will not be ignored by new Three Lions boss Tuchel.
Jones did not just net the winner early in the second half to send Liverpool back to the top of the table, but he won the penalty for Mo Salah’s opener, was originally awarded a second spot-kick, and produced an outstanding all-round display.
It was Liverpool’s seventh straight win in all competitions and their 10th in 11 outings under Arne Slot, as they re-asserted their one-point lead over champions Manchester City at the start of a run of demanding fixtures.
For Chelsea, it was the end of a seven-match unbeaten run but a performance with plenty of positives for Enzo Maresca, who is bringing sanity to the Stamford Bridge madhouse.
Neither Slot nor Maresca seem inclined to spit poison as Jose Mourinho and Rafa Benitez often did during the golden age of the rivalry between these clubs.
Both new managers had enjoyed fine starts but both had been helped by relatively gentle fixture lists.
Maresca welcomed back skipper Reece James after an injury lay-off of almost a year, while Romeo Lavia was brought in for a rare start alongside Moises Caicedo - both midfielders having snubbed Liverpool for the Blues last year.
From the off it was testy and tempestuous with ref John Brooks the centre of attention.
First up, Tosin Adarabioyo pulled down Diogo Jota just inside the Chelsea half but with Levi Colwill covering the Chelsea defender escaped with a yellow card - narrowly avoiding the same fate as Arsenal’s William Saliba the previous day.
Next Jadon Sancho went down after a tangle with Trent Alexander-Arnold but Brooks turned down his penalty appeals.Chelsea were playing some neat stuff early on.
Noni Madueke, who was giving kittens to Andy Robertson, teed up for Cole Palmer, whose shot was blocked by Jones.But then the Liverpool penalty shouts began to rain down.
Salah went down under pressure from Colwill but the Egyptian was too obvious in looking for spot-kick.Slot earned a yellow for dissent but he didn’t have to wait long for a successful spot-kick appeal against Colwill.
This time Colwill tripped Jones and Brooks pointed to the spot, Salah hammering home and sending Robert Sanchez the wrong way after plenty of Chelsea delaying tactics.It was Salah’s seventh goal of the season and a kick in the wotsits for the club which allowed him to leave early in his career.
Jota, struggling after an early knock, was replaced by Darwin Nunez but soon Liverpool thought they had doubled their lead.
A poor kick from Sanchez put Chelsea under pressure and a slick move from Jones to Salah to Cody Gakpo, netting at the back stick, came to nothing courtesy of an offside flag.
Maresca was hopping mad when Nicolas Jackson angled a shot narrowly wide of the near post when he might have aimed across goal.
In first-half injury-time, Nunez slipped a pass to Jones, who kippered Tosin with his turn and was brought down by an on-rushing Sanchez.
Brooks pointed to the spot again but was sent to his screen by VAR Michael Oliver who spotted that Sanchez touched the ball before the man.
The on-field ref concurred with his more senior colleague in Stockley Park - but Sanchez had got lucky - it was a subjective call and the ‘light touch’ VAR approach appears to be fading, as most refereeing edicts do.
Before the break, Madueke teased Robertson again and laid back for Palmer, who shot over.It was a warning shot for Liverpool but one they didn’t heed because Chelsea were soon level at the start of the second.
Caicedo’s through-ball was met by a perfectly-timed run from Jackson who drilled past Caoimhin Kelleher - although Oliver was needed again to overturn an incorrect offside call.
Slot’s men were straight back at it, though, and regained their lead within 76 seconds.
Salah’s low centre was met with a Jones surge to the back post, where he cheated the offside trap, controlled and poked past Sanchez.Maresca, who had sent on Pedro Neto for Sancho at half-time, responded with a triple substitution - introducing Enzo Fernandez, Benoit Badiashile and Renato Veiga.
But Liverpool were sensible in managing their slim lead.
Jones departed ten minutes from time to a standing ovation - and Tuchel might even have got off his sofa to applaud him as well.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
3' Highlight from Liverpool vs Chelsea
4' Colwill seems to have a handball outside the box but referee says nothing
5' Moises Caicedo struggling and having to stretch out his left hamstring
6' Diogo Jota is brought down by Tosin Adarabioyo who only gets a yellow card
12' Gusto has a swing at goal, but it is nowhere near and loops high
19' Almost a disaster for Robert Sanchez but lucky for him not getting punished
21' Match Event for Liverpool vs Chelsea
21' Sancho had gone to ground under a challenge from Alexander-Arnold but no penalty
24' Highlight from Liverpool vs Chelsea
25' Very risky from Levi Colwill, as Mohamed Salah goes down. But no penalty
29' Colwill tripped Jones and Salah blasts it from the spot! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
29' Highlight from Liverpool vs Chelsea
30' Darwin Nunez has come on for Diogo Jota, who had picked up a knock
32' Cody Gakpo scores to make it 2-0 but Salah is already offside
33' Nicolas Jackson clips the outside of the post with a chance
37' Match Event for Liverpool vs Chelsea
40' Highlight from Liverpool vs Chelsea
42' Nicolas Jackson is now needing some treatment
46' NO penalty after VAR review as Sanchez made contact with the ball before Jones
46' Pedro Neto on for Jadon Sancho is Chelsea's change
48' Jackson equalises after VAR ruled him onside! Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea
51' Curtis Jones puts Reds back to lead so quickly! Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
51' CLOSE! Palmer curls at goal 15 yards out after excellent work from Madueke
51' Match Event for Liverpool vs Chelsea
53' Triple changes for Chlesea as Enzo, Badiashile and Veiga come on
57' Match Event for Liverpool vs Chelsea
60' Highlight from Liverpool vs Chelsea
60' Salah finds Cody Gakpo but the Dutchman wastefully fires over
63' A volley from Madueke, but Kelleher is well placed and saves comfortably
63' Chelsea get a free-kick after Pedro Neto is brought down by Ryan Gravenberch
65' A change for Liverpool as Luis Diaz comes on for Cody Gakpo
69' Nunez gets a needless yellow, barging Benoit Badiashile to the floor
73' Match Event for Liverpool vs Chelsea
76' Madueke, who has had a good game, comes off and on comes Christopher Nkunku
77' A cynical block of Diaz from Veiga earns the Chelsea sub a yellow card
79' Yellow card to Konate for wiping out Nkunku near the touchline
80' Match Event for Liverpool vs Chelsea
81' Mac Allister and Gomez come on for Alexander-Arnold and the superb Jones
Line-ups
Liverpool XI: Salah, Van Dijk, Robertson, Jota, Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Gravenberch
Subs: W. Endo, Joe Gomez, Tsimikas, Mac Allister, Luis Díaz, Darwin Núñez, Vitezslav Jaros, Jarell Quansah, Tyler Morton
Chelsea XI: T.Adarabioyo, Sancho, Reece James, Robert Sánchez, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Moisés Caicedo, Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto, Roméo Lavia, Nicolas Jackson
Subs: Marcus Bettinelli, Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Felix, Pedro Neto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Benoît Badiashile, Enzo Fernández, Renato Veiga