Chelsea 2-2 Liverpool
One of the first Premier League blockbuster clashes of 2022 and my word, it did not disappoint!
I billed it as a match neither could afford to lose, even more so after Manchester City’s last-gasp success at Arsenal – in the first blockbuster clash of 2022 – on New Year’s Day.
What followed was arguably the game of the season so far, a contest full of great goals, technique and intensity and Premier League highlights galore.
Highlights of the game
There was big team news even before a ball was kicked.
We already knew Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp would be the latest Premier League boss to be absent from the dugout due to a suspected positive test for Covid-19.
What followed were three other key absences as goalkeeper Alisson, centre-back Joel Matip and Roberto Firmino were all ruled out for the same reason.
While only Alisson was likely to have started, it was a blow which meant the substitutes bench didn’t look as strong as normal with Thiago and Takumi Minamino already out and Andrew Robertson serving the final game of a three-match suspension.
Equally, Chelsea had issues of their own, caused more by injuries than illness.
Already without Reece James (hamstring) and Ben Chilwell, who is likely to miss the remainder of the season following knee surgery, centre back Andreas Christensen and striker Timo Werner failed to pass fitness tests, although they did have at least have the welcome news that veteran Thiago Silva was fit enough to start.
Their big news, however, surrounded a player who was fit, striker Romelu Lukaku.
In an interview recorded several weeks ago but aired on Thursday, Lukaku said he was ‘not happy’ with his bit-part role under Blues boss Thomas Tuchel earlier this season.
Misinterpreted or not – Lukaku has been missing through injury and Covid – Tuchel said the comments had brought the club “noise we don’t need” and he promptly showed who is boss by dropping the Belgian striker from the squad altogether.
If the pre-match news was dramatic, the events that followed on the pitch more than matched it.
In fact, frenetic and frantic are words which barely do justice to what followed.
Within the opening seconds, Sadio Mane was booked for elbowing Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta.
The Senegalese man then played in team-mate Mohamed Salah only for his international team-mate Edouard Mendy to pull off a save.
Mendy, Mane and Salah are among those set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations after this match.
Down the other end and Christian Pulisic was in but young Caoimhin Kelleher, deputising for Alisson, made an excellent save to stop the American rounding him.
Then straight back down the other end and the opening goal as an awful touch from young home defender Trevoh Chalobah fell to Mane who coolly rounded Mendy and blasted into the net.
An even contest continued but, after 25 minutes, Liverpool suddenly had a two-goal lead after a moment of magic from the league’s best player in the first half of the campaign.
Full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold’s ball to Salah was superb but Salah’s touch was even better as he placed it coolly over Mendy to double his side’s advantage.
The respect in which the player is held grew even more as he refused to celebrate in front of the fans of his former club.
Chelsea were frustrated and it was beginning to show. Yes, this was an even contest but the scoreline suggested otherwise and, at that point, my betting was on an away win.
We had only witnessed half the drama though as, four minutes before half-time, Kelleher punched away a Marcos Alonso shot but Mateo Kovacic. outside the box, returned it with interest, firing back an unstoppable volley into the bottom right corner – another contender for goal of the month and maybe more!
Remarkably, Chelsea fans were joyous moments later as N’Golo Kante flicked the ball past young defender Ibrahima Konate and Pulisic expertly lifted it over Kelleher and into the net.
Both sides could still have scored one more each in first half stoppage time and the whistle for half-time was the cue for an almighty intake of breath – and that was just for those watching, let alone playing!
Into the second half and both teams continued to create openings with Diogo Jota winning possession and playing in Salah whose sublime chip almost beat Mendy who managed to scramble the ball around the post for a corner.
The impressive Senegalese number one then denied Mane before the other custodian Kelleher, who was just as impressive, reacted superbly to keep out a half volley from Pulisic.
Chelsea looked the stronger unit as the match wore on but, even as players on both sides understandably tired, it could have gone either way.
In truth, neither team deserved to lose and, with both missing key men, is a result they will probably take.
Of course, the real winners were Manchester City. The SBOTOP Premier League betting odds have swung dramatically towards Eastlands over the last few weeks.
Key statistics
There were just 245 seconds between Chelsea’s two first-half goals.
Mane received the earliest booking (15 seconds) on record in a Premier League game since 2006-07.
Salah has been directly involved in 14 goals in his past 14 league matches in London, scoring nine and assisting five.
This game saw fans standing (in designated safe standing areas) in a Premier League game for the first time since 1994.
None of the previous 39 meetings in all competitions between these sides have ended goalless, with the last 0-0 coming at Stamford Bridge in February 2008.
The Blues have not won their opening league game of the calendar year since beating Crystal Palace in 2016 (drawn four lost two).
The Reds are winless in their four Premier League games in London this season (drawn three, lost one), letting in 10 goals – two more than they conceded in their previous 12 visits to the capital.
This was Fabinho’s 100th Premier League appearance for Liverpool.
What’s next?
It’s an important week now for both sides in cup competitions.
Chelsea host Spurs in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final on Wednesday (January 5), while Liverpool travel to Arsenal the following night at the same stage in the same competition.
Its then FA Cup third round weekend with both having home ties against lower league opposition.
Chelsea host Chesterfield on Saturday, while Liverpool entertain Shrewsbury.
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