Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool: Player ratings as Blues silence title celebrations
- Enzo Fernandez fired Chelsea into an early lead
- A comedic own goal from Jarell Quansah doubled the hosts' advantage
- Virgil van Dijk reduced the deficit for Liverpool before Cole Palmer's late penalty
Chelsea brought Liverpool's freshly crowned champions crashing back down to Earth with a convincing 3-1 victory at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.
Enzo Maresca warned that Liverpool would not be "different or relaxed" despite wrapping up the Premier League title last weekend. Whether it was complacency or simply a lack of fluency, the Reds were unusually sluggish throughout.
A swift thrust down the right wing ended with Enzo Fernandez coolly stroking Chelsea in front after three minutes. Another surge down that flank doubled the hosts advantage in the 56th minute, although they owed their second goal to the hapless Jarell Quansah.
Finding himself very much in the wrong place at the wrong time, Liverpool's backup centre-back had the ball blasted into his groin by Virgil van Dijk. The pain of conceding compounded by an ache to make every onlooker cross their legs.
Van Dijk managed to divert the ball into Chelsea's goal in the 85th minute. Liverpool may have been ineffective in open play, but their potent threat from set pieces was belatedly rewarded with a thumping header from the skipper to set up a nervy conclusion for the hosts.
Cole Palmer cemented all three points with a stoppage-time penalty, bringing a fitting conclusion to an impressive individual and collective display from the west London outfit against their lofty opponents.
Chelsea player ratings (4-2-3-1)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Robert Sanchez | 6.4/10 |
RB: Moises Caicedo | 7.8/10 |
CB: Trevoh Chalobah | 7.4/10 |
CB: Levi Colwill | 7.2/10 |
LB: Marc Cucurella | 7.8/10 |
CM: Romeo Lavia | 7.4/10 |
CM: Enzo Fernandez | 8.2/10 |
AM: Cole Palmer | 9.0/10 |
RW: Pedro Neto | 7.7/10 |
ST: Nicolas Jackson | 6.5/10 |
LW: Noni Madueke | 7.6/10 |
SUB: Jadon Sancho (72' for Jackson) | 6.4/10 |
SUB: Malo Gusto (78' for Lavia) | 6.6/10 |
SUB: Reece James (88' for Fernandez) | N/A |
Subs not used: Filip Jorgensen (GK), Benoit Badiashile, Josh Acheampong, Tosin Adarabioyo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tyrique George.
Liverpool player ratings (4-3-3)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Alisson | 7.4/10 |
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold | 5.8/10 |
CB: Jarell Quansah | 5.1/10 |
CB: Virgil van Dijk | 7.3/10 |
LB: Kostas Tsimikas | 6.7/10 |
CM: Harvey Elliott | 6.1/10 |
CM: Wataru Endo | 7.1/10 |
CM: Curtis Jones | 6.4/10 |
RW: Mohamed Salah | 6.5/10 |
ST: Diogo Jota | 5.8/10 |
LW: Cody Gakpo | 6.4/10 |
SUB: Conor Bradley (57' for Alexander-Arnold) | 6.5/10 |
SUB: Darwin Nunez (58' for Jota) | 6.1/10 |
SUB: Alexis Mac Allister (69' for Endo) | 6.8/10 |
SUB: Dominik Szoboszlai (69' for Elliott) | 6.2/10 |
SUB: Federico Chiesa (82' for Tsimikas) | N/A |
Subs not used: Caoimhin Kelleher (GK), Andy Robertson, Ibrahima Konate, Luis Diaz.
Player of the match - Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
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