Chelsea boosted their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League with a 3-1 victory over champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
2024/2025 Premier League
3-1
Match Report
Superb Cole Palmer ends lengthy goal drought with late penalty as Blues spoil the champions' title party after fans boo guard of honour.
Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer were on target as Enzo Maresca's side consolidated their place in the Premier League's top five.
Fernandez struck after just three minutes, controlling Pedro Neto's low cross before slotting past Alisson.
The Blues doubled their lead in fortuitous fashion in the 58th minute, when Virgil van Dijk's attempted clearance ricocheted off Jarrell Quansah and into his own net.
Van Dijk gave the Reds hope five minutes from time when he powered home a header from Alexis Mac Allister's corner.
However, Chelsea put the contest to bed with virtually the last kick of the game, as Cole Palmer slotted home from the penalty spot after Quansah felled Moises Caicedo.
4 - Liverpool are only the fourth team to lose their first league game after they were crowned Premier League champions, after Arsenal in 1997-98 (vs Liverpool), Chelsea in 2005-06 (vs Blackburn), and the Reds themselves in 2019-20 (vs Manchester City). Hungover. pic.twitter.com/GulROlAduc
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 4, 2025
Data Debrief: Reds slip up as Palmer ends drought
Liverpool are only the fourth team to lose their first league game after they were crowned Premier League champions after Arsenal in 1997-98 (against Liverpool), Chelsea in 2005-06 (against Blackburn) and the Reds themselves in 2019-20 (against Manchester City).
They came unstuck against an inspired Chelsea, who have now won seven of their last eight league games at Stamford Bridge.
Fernandez got the ball rolling after just two minutes and 47 seconds with the Blues' earliest league goal on home soil since Antonio Rudiger netted 14 seconds earlier against Stoke City in December 2017.
Van Dijk gave Liverpool hope with his 13th headed goal from a corner in the Premier League; a tally only bettered by John Terry (19) and Dion Dublin (14).
However, Palmer had the final word as he rounded off an impressive display, during which he registered the most shots (five), most chances created (four), joint-most passes into the final third (13) and joint-most touches in the opposing box (eight) of any Chelsea player.
After 1,162 minutes, the England international finally found the net in the Premier League once more, as he calmly beat Alisson from 12 yards.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
1' Salah's crossing saved!
3' Terrible start for champions,a great Chelsea goal! Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool (Enzo)
6' Noni Madueke has a chance to make it 2-0. Big let-off for Liverpool
9' Gakpo tests Sanchez from an angle as Alisson breathes a big sigh of relief
10' The Liverpool goalkeeper cleaned out Jackson but the Chelsea forward was offside
13' Gakpo cross to the back post just evades Mohamed Salah
15' The Liverpool midfield is basically Endo at the moment
21' Alisson picking up the ball in some dangerous positions
24' Arnold may have been offside but a better touch from Mohamed Salah there
26' This time it's Wataru Endo's poor touch that stops a promising Liverpool attack
32' Moises Caicedo's chipped cross clips the crossbar before going out of play
33' Palmer loses that chance!
42' Pedro Neto, just like he was for the goal, he fires a shot into the side-netting
43' Chelsea have the ball in the net. But the flag is up for offside
48' Endo stops Jackson from getting a toe-poke at goal
51' Yellow Card! Van Dijk booked
54' Yellow Card! Trevoh Chalobah booked
56' The ball hits Quansah and flies into net for an own goal! Chelsea 2-0 Liverpool
58' Yellow Card! Quansah booked
64' Big tackle from Jones on Cole Palmer, who has been the game's outstanding player
66' Gakpo's crossing stopped by Colwill
67' Darwin Nunez has just missed a good chance from another sub
69' Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai are coming on for Liverpool
71' Substitution for Chelsea
77' Mohamad Salah floats a header just wide from a Kostas Tsimikas cross
80' Big save from Alisson Becker denies Chelsea third goal through Jadon Sancho
81' Cole Palmer hits the post after an incredible piece of skill
83' Federico Chiesa is on for Liverpool
85' Van Dijk heads in from a corner!! Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool
85' Palmer tests Alisson Becker after Virgil halved the deficit by heading home
87' Neto's shot over the bar
94' Penalty Goal! Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool
Line-ups
Chelsea XI: Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah, Robert Sánchez, Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Madueke, Enzo, Caicedo, Colwill, Lavia, Nicolas Jackson
Subs: Adarabioyo, Sancho, Reece James, Dewsbury-Hall, Badiashile, Jørgensen, Gusto, Josh Acheampong, Tyrique George
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Endo, Salah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Jota, Alexander-Arnold, Gakpo, Curtis Jones, Elliott, Quansah
Subs: Robertson, Kelleher, Konate, Chiesa, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Luis Díaz, Nunez, Conor Bradley