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Mason Mount’s goal in the first half condemned Liverpool to a 1-0 loss as Chelsea gave the hosts their fifth straight loss at Anfield.
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The defeat of Jurgen Klopp’s men marks the first time Liverpool have capitulated five straight home games in the club’s illustrious history.
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Both Liverpool and Chelsea came into this game with a chance to get back in the top four. However, the home team was unable to capitalize on Timo Werner’s goal which was disallowed for offside, as Mount put the Blues in front just before halftime with an exquisite goal from the top of the penalty area.
Positive
Liverpool’s pressure play was brilliant at times in the early stages, and Chelsea barely had time on the ball when it worked. There were also good moments in terms of chance creation, with Mohamed Salah among those who got good balls in the area.
Negative
While the press performed well near the start, it was almost non-existent for long periods. It also seemed as if there were momentary lapses of concentration on the part of the men in red. A few simple balls on top left Liverpool completely exposed at times, which should be very concerning. There were also some incidents where players wasted too much in the attacking areas. It should also be concerning how flat the performance was at times. As reflected in the ratings, no one was terrible, but there was also no one who really tried hard to make something happen.
Manager rating out of 10
5 – Liverpool were average for long periods of the game and Klopp couldn’t find a way to change that. His decision to remove Salah seemed quite questionable as while he was not in his prime, the Egyptian was one of Liverpool’s leading players who seemed capable of making something happen.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players submitted after 70 minutes are not rated)
GK Alisson, 5 – He looked a bit awkward on his feet at times and will have been grateful for the offside call after his indecision allowed Werner to get ahead of him. He did well to stop the German after it was played in the second half.
DF Trent Alexander-Arnold, 5 years He did some good runs down the field and hit some menacing balls. However, part of his defensive positioning was suspect and the right-back could have done more to help Fabinho avoid the goal.
DF Ozan Kabak, 6 – The Turkish international was calm with the ball and delivered it brilliantly at times. He got away with one after playing Werner on the side, but seemed confident defensively most of the time.
DF Fabinho, 6 – Upon his return from injury, Fabinho competed and did a good job harassing Werner at times, but Mount was beaten by the goal.
DF Andy Robertson, 6 years He did a great job going up and down the left wing, but some of his last balls weren’t what he expected. He did a very clever goal-line clearance.
MF Thiago Alcantara, 5 – The Spaniard was clean with the ball at his feet and made some very aesthetically pleasing passes, but he couldn’t turn that into real penetration and lost it unnecessarily at times.
MF Georginio Wijnaldum, 6 – He was fairly calm in the stages, but was reliable in his performance, especially when the ball was at his feet.
MF Curtis Jones, 6 – He struggled to keep the ball in tight spaces and seemed the Liverpool player most likely to make something happen at times. Likewise, there were periods in which the young man fainted from the game.
FW Mohamed Salah, 6 – It was a busy performance from the Egyptian, who was let down by Sadio Mane after pounding a brilliant ball into the box for his attacking partner. He was one of Liverpool’s most dangerous players.
FROM Roberto Firmino, 6 – He provided a good grip and was unlucky with a late ball that crossed the goal. He missed the target by a half chance and did not threaten at all during periods of the game.
FW Sadio Mane, 5 – The winger struggled a lot in the first half, wrinkling his lines when an opportunity presented itself and was often unable to keep the ball. While he was still far from his best, Mane looked slightly better in second period.
Substitutes
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, 6 years He replaced Salah in the 62nd minute and was clean in his game, but he simply lacked the leading edge Liverpool so desperately needed.
Diogo Jota, 6 – He replaced Jones in the 62nd minute and looked strong, making great runs behind the Chelsea defense, even if they didn’t always get the service they deserved.
James Milner, N / A – He replaced Thiago in the 80th minute and tried to get Liverpool back into the game, but couldn’t catch the pass.
