20 October 2024
Liverpool 2 Chelsea 1
Liverpool welcomed Chelsea to Anfield having been knocked off the top of the table earlier in the day after Man City’s late winner against Wolves. Enzo Maresca’s side came into this game unbeaten since the opening weekend, looking to make a statement. This was seen as Arne Slot’s biggest test since taking over as The Reds’ manager.
With Alisson missing due to injury, Kelleher was brought in as understudy. Slot’s South American duo, Diaz and Mac Allister were only fit enough to make the bench. If ever there was a moment for The Blues to exploit a chink in the armour of the Anfield outfit, this was it. The game started as a scrappy affair with neither side able to get a foothold in the game.
A long ball forward saw Jota look to get past Tosin, with a clear run through on goal. The Chelsea defender hauled him to the ground. John Brooks immediately produced a yellow card. Having seen Saliba sent off for Arsenal the day before in an identical situation, it underpinned the incompetency of Premier League officials once again.
In no other job in the world could you constantly mess up and still have an employer the following day. The top-flight is full of these ego-driven officials, who think they are the stars everyone has come to see. Even with the technology at their disposal, run by buffoons, they constantly get it wrong. Led by their ringmaster, Howard Webb, the epitome of all that is wrong in the modern game.
The referee had lost control of this game from the opening exchanges. James lost the ball in a dangerous position and threw himself to the ground in a theatrical way to try and con Brooks into a decision, with minimal contact. Of course, he duly obliged. Clowns be clowning after all. It was looking like another day where the man in the middle was going to spoil a mouthwatering clash.
While The Reds had kept Palmer quiet for the majority of the game, momentarily he had a brief glimpse of goal but Jones did well to block his shot. After having a penalty appeal turned down moments earlier, Salah played the ball into Jones, who was upended as he turned towards goal. This time the referee pointed to the spot and Anfield erupted.
Up stepped the Egyptian King to take it and he sent Sanchez the wrong way, giving the hosts the lead. Liverpool had been knocking on the door but had finally broken the deadlock in this tight affair. They thought they had doubled their lead when the impressive Jones played it Salah. His cross was knocked in at the back post by Gakpo but the Dutchman had just strayed offside in the process.
Jackson had a brief glimpse of goal from a tight angle but his first-time shot clipped the post on its way through. Slot’s side countered and Jones was wiped out by the Chelsea keeper. The referee pointed to the spot immediately but a subsequent VAR review sent him to the monitor. After some deliberation, Brooks then overturned his decision.
You wonder whether these officials even know the rules of the game nowadays. Yes, the Chelsea keeper had got a slight touch on the ball, but his follow through had upended the Liverpool midfielder. By the letter of the law, this was a foul. Even for VAR to get involved was ludicrous as this was certainly not a ‘clear and obvious error’ by the official to award the penalty in the first place.
In the closing stages of the first half, Madueke picked out Palmer in space in the box. The usually reliable attacker, checked onto his left foot and shot, with the ball narrowly whistling over the top of the crossbar. It felt like a big moment for the visitors and one they had passed up. The hosts headed in at the interval with the narrowest of leads.
Immediately after the restart, Caicedo threaded a ball through the defence for Jackson to run onto and slot home. The assistant raised their flag for offside but a VAR review awarded the goal. It was clear to see that Konate had played the Chelsea striker on. It was the perfect reply from the visitors and would ask serious questions of Slot’s Liverpool.
However, The Blues’ lead lasted all of three minutes. Salah played a teasing pass into the back post, where Jones took one touch to steady himself before clipping his effort past the advancing Sanchez. Anfield erupted as they went ahead once again. Not for the first time, Chelsea were guilty of switching off in defence when put under pressure.
As the game headed into added time, Brooks had produced seven yellow cards in the game. When you see stats like this, it is clearly evident that the referee was not in control of the game whatsoever. Palmer clipped in a late free kick into the box but Veiga headed it harmlessly over the crossbar. It was the last chance for the visitors to get anything from this game.
Liverpool deserved their victory but it was another game where pundits will have plenty of contentious moments to discuss that almost changed the course of this game. Video technology was brought in to get rid of that, it is obviously not working. However, the clubs only have themselves to blame as they had the opportunity to vote to scrap it at the end of last season and opted not to.
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