Liverpool lose AGAIN as Chelsea score dramatic winner amid red card chaos – 6 talking points

CHELSEA 2-1 LIVERPOOL: Super sub Estevao scored a winning goal deep into stoppage time to condemn the Premier League champions to a third consecutive defeat in eight days

A Chelsea Dagger from Estevao prolonged Liverpool’s losing streak and provided another dramatic twist in the Premier League title race. Arne Slot’s side had lost back-to-back games in the Premier League and Champions League ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea weren’t in great form themselves but the Blues drew first blood through Moises Caicedo. His 20-yard strike nearly ripped the Liverpool net and blew open the game after a tense start from both sides.

Enzo Maresca’s men pushed for a second but couldn’t double their lead, giving Liverpool the chance to wrestle back momentum, as Slot made three changes before the hour mark. The Reds suddenly had a grip of the game and made it count, as Cody Gakpo finished after a nonchalant assist from Alexander Isak.

The game looked destined for a draw until one last push from Chelsea produced a winner. Estevao, fresh off the bench, was the hero and condmned Liverpool to their third defeat on the spin – not what you want before the international break.

Here are six talking points from Stamford Bridge.

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1. What a hit, son

It was something special from Moises Caicedo to break the deadlock inside the opening quarter of an hour. The midfielder found himself in acres of space in the final third after neat build-up play between Benoit Badiashile and Malo Gusto.

As Virgil van Dijk backed off, covering a potential through ball to Gusto, Caicedo saw a chance and pulled the trigger from 20 yards out. The Ecuadorian’s effort flew past Giorgi Mamardashvili, making his Premier League debut, and into the top left-hand corner, giving Chelsea a precious lead.

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2. Maresca fumes at VAR decision

Chelsea’s tails were up and Alejandro Garnacho was causing problems on his first league start for the Blues. Garnacho was tearing into the Liverpool box when Dominik Szoboszlai made contact, prompting a wave of appeals from the Chelsea contingent.

The former Manchester United star was furious when Anthony Taylor allowed play to continue, as the ball went out for a goal kick. Taylor quickly blew his whistle while he heard from VAR, who chose not to send him to the pitch-side monitor, tipping Enzo Maresca over the edge.

Taylor marched over to the touchline and showed the Blues boss a yellow card. Maresca wasn’t done arguing, though, as he continued his fierce complaints to one of Liverpool’s coaching staff.

3. Slots sees enough

It was another half of football to forget for Liverpool, as the Premier League champions stared down the barrel of a third successive defeat ahead of the international break. Arne Slot’s displeasure was clear, as Conor Bradley was hooked at half-time.

Truthfully, it could’ve been any of Liverpool’s outfielders who came off. But Bradley – replaced by Florian Wirtz, moving Szoboszlai to right-back – was the one to suffer, having lost more duels (five) than any other player in the opening 45 minutes.

And just nine minutes into the second half, slot shuffled his pack again. Andy Robertson came on for the struggling Milos Kerkez while Curtis Jones replaced Ibrahima Konate.

4. Chelsea facing injury nightmare

Chelsea can’t catch a break with their centre-backs. Levi Colwill was injured in pre-season, Tosin Adarabioyo went down last month, Wesley Fofana is continuing to work through concussion protocols, and Trevoh Chalobah was suspended for this one.

So what they didn’t need was Badiashile not making it past the hour mark, as he became their latest absentee. Maresca was forced to bring on Romeo Lavia and put Reece James at centre-back.

Then, inexplicably, came another. Josh Acheampong dropped to the turf shortly after Liverpool’s equaliser and couldn’t continue, as Jorrel Hato entered the fray.

5. Isak – genius or luck?

Alexander Isak didn’t look like a £125million player for the first hour, but his assist for Cody Gakpo’s equaliser was of that ilk – if you believe that he meant it, of course. The ex-Newcastle talisman deftly brought down a cross from Szoboszlai and the ball fell perfectly to Cody Gakpo for a simple finish.

Replays didn’t give much inkling as to whether or not Isak meant it, but it was a goal all the same – and that’s what mattered as Liverpool levelled the scores. Mo Salah then had a chance to make it 2-1, only for the Egyptian to skew his effort high in what proved to be the Reds’ best chance to grab a winner, as their focus turned to staving off a Chelsea onslaught in the dying embers.

6. Chelsea Dagger

As the clock into the sixth minute of stoppage time, we had a winner – and it was in the blue corner. Fernandez’s pass found Marc Cucurella on the left-hand side of the penalty area and Estevao got on his bike on the opposite side.

Cucurella’s low-driven cross was pinpoint and Chelsea’s wonderkid had a simple tap-in after pipping Robertson at the far post. There was such delirium at Stamford Bridge that Maresca was sent off for his celebration after running down the touchline and soaking up a memorable moment.

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