LIVERPOOL 1 – 1 CHELSEA
Liverpool – Gravenberch 6’
Chelsea – Fernandez 35’
Pre-Match
Florian Wirtz is out with illness for this one. Rio Ngumoha is in the starting line up, which is exciting. Mamardashvili is back in the goal in Alisson’s absence. Liverpool haven’t quite guaranteed a top five finish, but it’s close. A win today would get them nearly to the finish line. Of course, top four and automatic Champions League qualification is the real goal. Right now they’re ahead of Aston Villa on only goal difference.
First Half
Chelsea have started the game with a very high press, making themselves a nuisance for the defenders trying to play the ball out from the back. However, Curtis Jones shows the danger in that when he serves up a pass to Kerkez that opens up plenty of space in the center of the pitch. Kerkez runs with it, but hits a dead end. Hopefully we’ll see more of this from Liverpool as the game goes on.
The game starts in the perfect way with Ryan Gravenberch curling a beautiful goal from the edge of the box, following a free kick from Dominik Szoboszlai. Van Dijk almost makes it two when the Reds get an early corner. However, his header sails over the bar and the chance is wasted.
Rio Ngumoha is doing well, pulling Chelsea players to him like magnets. I hope he scores 1000 goals in a red shirt. And always finishes his homework, of course.
Enzo Fernandez evens the score with a pretty mid free kick that none-the-less sails into the net. So much for an easy afternoon.
Second Half
Chelsea score very early on in the second half, but it’s offside, so Liverpool are let off.
Chelsea’s high press continues to allow Liverpool to break if they find a way through. Jones nearly capitalizes on one such occasion, but it’s another disallowed goal. This time it’s Cody Gakpo deemed a fraction offside in the build up, so the goal is disallowed. It’s a shame, because it was a nice one.
Szoboszlai has his shot blocked. Liverpool look eager to score a second. In the first half, they’d been allowing Chelsea free range in the midfield, but now they’re putting pressure on.
Ngomoha is substituted for Alexander Isak, to the displeasure of the Anfield faithful who clearly love the teenager. Moments later, Szoboszlai nearly scores again, but it rattles the post and ricochets out instead.
More subs from Slot: Konaté limps off for Joe Gomez, which is worrying, while Federico Chiesa replaces Gakpo, who has not had a very effective game.
Liverpool live to torment me, so of course van Dijk’s header also gets stopped by the woodwork.
As the end of the game nears and both teams get desperate, the yellow cards start flying. Gomez and Alexis Mac Allister both pick up one.
Final Thoughts
The game ends in a disappointing draw, giving Aston Villa freedom to jump back over them into fourth place if they win their game against Burnley tomorrow. Only two more games left.
