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Liverpool He showed Chelsea Much work remains to be done to challenge the champions for the Premier League title, as Sadio Mane took advantage of a red card in the first half from Andreas Christensen to score both goals in the 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge. .
Mane caused the Danish to be sent off and then led the Reds to the lead before pouncing on another terrible mistake by Blues goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
At the other end, Alisson Becker also demonstrated the value of a good goalkeeper when he saved Jorginho’s penalty 15 minutes from time to deny the Blues a lifeline.
The victory brings Liverpool to the points level with Everton, Arsenal and Crystal Palace at the top of the table as the only teams with the most points in their first two games.
Chelsea spent 200 million ($ 260 million) in the transfer market trying to close the 33-point gap between the teams last season, but the decision to invest most of that in forwards rather than addressing more defensive needs urgent was seriously exposed.
The lack of defensive reinforcements with Thiago Silva still not fitting into the game was obvious in Frank Lampard’s game plan, as the Chelsea manager tried to protect a baseline that conceded 54 league goals last season in a first half cautious.
Christensen rescued Kepa from another embarrassing mistake when he was caught in no-man’s-land early on, but the defender rallied to prevent Roberto Firmino from converting Mohamed Salah’s center.
Despite Liverpool dominating possession, Chelsea had the best view on goal in the first half as Timo Werner trailed wide from the edge of the area.
But the good defensive work by the hosts was undone seconds before halftime when Mane ran to Jordan Henderson’s ball over the ball and Christensen dropped it.
Referee Paul Tierney initially only showed a yellow card, but overruled his decision after seeing the incident on an on-court monitor and Christensen was fired.
Jurgen Klopp upset Lampard when he said the Reds couldn’t behave like clubs owned by oil-rich states or oligarchs like Manchester City and Chelsea in the transfer market.
But Liverpool have been busy this week with Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota becoming their first major signings in two years.
Klopp instantly called on Thiago to make his halftime debut in place of the injured Henderson and it only took five minutes in the second half to make the breakthrough.
Mane did the damage again when he met Firmino’s center with a firm header towards the far corner.
Chelsea’s spending spree is not over yet with Edouard Mendy set to join from Rennes as Lampard’s patience with Kepa, which cost a world record 72 million for a goalkeeper two years ago, exhausted.
Liverpool’s second will only have confirmed the former England midfielder’s decision, as Kepa’s casual pass was intercepted by Mane, who then turned the ball into an empty net.
Alisson’s record as the world’s most expensive goalkeeper lasted just three weeks in 2018 between his signing for Roma and Chelsea paying Athletic Bilbao’s Kepa’s release clause.
But the Brazilian has more than justified his $ 67 million price tag by winning the Champions League and Premier League over the past two seasons and produced a big save when Liverpool needed it.
Thiago did not have a dream debut as he was the culprit of cutting off Werner’s legs when he stormed into the area.
Jorginho’s stuttering run has fooled many goalkeepers in the past, but Alisson held firm before diving to his left to save.
