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Liverpool shrugged off last week’s roller coaster ride over Leeds at Anfield with a quiet and dominating 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Sadio Mane and new signing Thiago were the driving forces behind Jurgen Klopp’s side, which showed why it will be difficult to dethrone them in the Premier League this season.
– Report: Mane’s magic when Liverpool beat 10-man Chelsea
The Reds started the brighter of the two sides and enjoyed plenty of possession, playing like the locals in the opening exchanges. However, the game didn’t really change until shortly before halftime, when Andreas Christensen was sent off for denying Sadio Mane a scoring opportunity.
Having fired just one shot on goal in the first half, the man’s lead proved decisive, as Mane scored twice in nine minutes after the restart: the first was a good header past Kepa Arrizabalaga after a excellent approach play by Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, while the second saw the Senegalese international intercept Kepa’s pass in the area and calmly enter the empty net.
Chelsea had a chance to get back into play with a quarter of an hour left, when Thiago fouled Timo Werner in the box, only for Alisson to make a strong save from Jorginho’s shot to keep the score at 2-0.
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- Liverpool sinks 10-man Chelsea with double from Mane
The win keeps Liverpool perfect to open the season and they will need this boost to get Arsenal into league form next Sunday.
Positive
Most. It felt like a “return to form” for a team that have been notably a couple of speeds below their best since winning the 2019-20 Premier League title in July. They were tighter, sharper and more assertive on defense after conceding three goals at home last week to Leeds United. He also looked skilled in attack and will have been boosted by the ease with which new signing Thiago got into midfield after the break, giving them the incisive passer they were missing.
Negative
Klopp could perhaps find fault with Liverpool’s squandering around goal, with 12 of their 18 shots not on target at Stamford Bridge. It didn’t make much of a difference in the end, but the Reds must continue to channel their ball dominance and ensure they don’t give opponents any hope of getting back into games after taking the lead.
Administrator rating (out of 10)
Jurgen Klopp, 8 – Did little wrong with his picks, placing Fabinho neatly in central defense in light of Joe Gomez’s injury, and also getting immediate dividends to put Thiago in the lineup at halftime despite the fact that the ink barely dries on your contract. with the club!
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Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players submitted after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Alisson, 7 – Such was Liverpool’s dominance and lack of shots, that the Brazilian international did not have a save in the first half. However, he had to be strong on a couple of occasions after the break, including an impressive save to deny Jorginho’s penalty in the 75th minute that could have been a tough last quarter hour.
DF Trent Alexander-Arnold, 6 – A slow start from Alexander-Arnold, who was sometimes caught in position but was typically still dangerous when he had the ball at his feet in the opposite half.
DF Fabinho, 7 – Is there a reason why I can’t play in the back rooms every week? He played his role with poise, read the game well alongside Van Dijk and proved equally difficult to beat in one-on-one situations. A notable challenge to deny Timo Werner at the break, with the score 0-0 in the first half, showed his level of confidence and comfort.
DF Virgil van Dijk, 7 – Normally confident in the rear, he did little wrong as usual to keep things tight and avoid Chelsea’s counterattack via Werner.
DF Andy Robertson, 6 – Hasty and boisterous effort down the left, but not as precise with his crosses as can be. Fortunately, Chelsea’s limitations didn’t force him to work too hard on the defensive side of the ball.
Mane was wonderful for Liverpool on Sunday, scoring both goals in a well-deserved away win over Chelsea. Michael Regan / Getty Images
MF Naby Keita, 6 – He worked tirelessly as he does in midfield before being retired after the hour mark in favor of fresh legs.
MF Jordan Henderson, 6 – An imposing performance from the skipper, who not only dominated in the middle but showed an excellent variety of passing. He was unlucky enough to get hooked at half-time when he was replaced by new Thiago Alcantara at half-time, although it was a precaution given complaints of a tight thigh.
MF Georginio Wijnaldum, 6 – Few players in the Premier League can match the pace of work and effort of the Dutchman on both sides of the ball. A quiet afternoon from an individual point of view, but he did his job admirably from start to finish.
FW Mohamed Salah, 6 – Salah was involved from the start, bonding well and putting others on the line. He had a blocked shot and then a penalty cry faded after Mateo Kovacic apparently flipped him over. He bonded well with Firmino again as Liverpool took the lead, playing a clean one-two with the Brazilian who later crossed for Mane. Hard-working and busy in the top three.
DE Roberto Firmino, 7 – The Brazilian was unlucky not to overtake Liverpool when his shot from close range was cleared off the line by Marcus Christensen. He then played a crucial role as Liverpool took the lead, crossing over for Mane to put the visitors ahead.
FW Sadio Mane, 9 – The star man of the day, Mane’s constant presence around third in attack paid off with two good goals, one as a result of his great positioning and the other thanks to his persistence and positivity in putting pressure on Kepa to make a costly mistake. He did both goals well and came close to completing what would have been a well deserved hat trick.
Substitutes:
MF Thiago, 8 – Made a surprising debut for the Reds at halftime of what was a 0-0 game at Stamford Bridge and was an immediate improvement in midfield, keeping possession in good shape and also creating plenty of opportunities with his passes. scope and vision. He was lucky that Alisson denied Jorginho’s penalty, which was awarded after Thiago knocked down Werner in the box with 15 minutes to go.
MF James Milner, 6 – Replaced Keita in the 64th minute and continued Liverpool’s aggressive pressure from midfield as needed. Some sloppy touches prevented him from creating a couple of scoring chances.
FW Takumi Minamino, N / A – He was too late to make an impact, replacing Firmino in the 86th minute.
Source: espn.co.uk
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