Chelsea boosted their top-four hopes as Mason Mount’s first-half strike inflicted a fifth straight defeat at Anfield for champions Liverpool.
Thomas Tuchel’s side dominated the first half and thought they had scored through Timo Werner in the 24th minute, but the goal was ruled out by VAR after an extremely tight offside call.
However, Chelsea’s dominance did eventually pay off when Mount fired past Alisson to give the visitors a deserved lead.
Liverpool showed more urgency after the break, but they struggled to find their fluency in attack and failed to create many clear-cut chances as Chelsea held on for what could prove to be a crucial three points in the race for Champions League qualification.
Victory sees Chelsea, who continue their unbeaten start to life under Tuchel, move up to fourth in the Premier League table ahead of another crucial game at home to Everton on Monday (kick-off 6pm).
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s difficult season continues as Jurgen Klopp’s side, who stay seventh – four points behind Chelsea – go into the record books for the wrong reason after a fifth straight home defeat.
5 – Liverpool have lost five consecutive home games (league and all comps) for the first time in their history, while they’re also the first reigning English top-flight champion to lose five home league games in a row. Nosedive. pic.twitter.com/Rg25S3pmC0
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 4, 2021
How Liverpool lost again at Anfield…
Image:Liverpool have failed to win any of their last seven home league games
Chelsea enjoyed the better of opening exchanges and they created the first real opening as Werner beat the offside trap, but he couldn’t lift the ball over Alisson, who made a comfortable save.
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Tuchel said before the game they would be looking to exploit Liverpool’s high line with Werner’s pace, and they thought the plan had paid off when Werner once again raced in behind the home defence to latch onto Jorginho’s pass.
Player ratings
Liverpool: Alisson (6), Alexander-Arnold (5), Fabinho (5), Kabak (6), Robertson (6), Wijnaldum (5), Jones (5), Thiago (4), Mane (5), Firmino (5), Salah (5).
Subs: Jota (6), Oxlade-Chamberlain (5), Milner (n/a).
Chelsea: Mendy (6), Azpilicueta (7), Christensen (8), Rudiger (7), James (6), Jorginho (8), Kante (7), Chilwell (7), Ziyech (7), Mount (8), Werner (7).
Subs: Pulisic (6), Kovacic (n/a), Havertz (n/a).
Man of the match: Andreas Christensen.
The German beat Alisson, who was in no man’s land, to the ball, and fired home into an empty net, but after a VAR check, the goal was ruled out with Werner’s arm adjudged to have been offside.
Liverpool responded well after their VAR reprieve and Sadio Mane should have done better when picked out by Mohamed Salah, but the Senegal forward missed his kick with the goal at his mercy.
It was the visitors, though, who got the breakthrough they had been threatening just before half-time when N’Golo Kante’s direct pass out to the left wing picked out Mount, and he cut inside Fabinho to drill a fine finish past Alisson and into the bottom corner.
After the break, Liverpool looked livelier. There were strong appeals from the home players for a penalty when Roberto Firmino’s cross hit the raised arm of Kante from close range, but the referee waved away the appeals and VAR saw no reason to overturn the decision.
Team news
- Liverpool midfielder Fabinho returned to the starting line-up to face Chelsea after recovering from a muscle problem which has restricted him to one appearance in the last eight matches. He again played as a makeshift centre-back at the expense of Nat Phillips, with fellow Brazil international Alisson Becker returning in goal as the other change after he missed the weekend win over Sheffield United due to the death of his father. Forward Diogo Jota made his first appearance in a matchday squad for three months after recovering from a knee injury and the illness which kept him out at Bramall Lane.
- Chelsea made three changes with Reece James, Jorginho and Timo Werner coming in for Mateo Kovacic, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Olivier Giroud.
Andy Robertson cleared off the line from Hakim Ziyech after Alisson parried Ben Chilwell’s shot as Chelsea continued to threaten.
Klopp looked to his bench just past the hour mark bringing on Diogo Jota for his first appearance in three months and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but eyebrows were raised when Salah – the Premier League’s top goalscorer – made way.
Image:Mohamed Salah was substituted off in the 62nd minute for Liverpool – the only time he has been subbed off earlier in a Premier League game at Anfield was for Chelsea against Liverpool
However, Liverpool still struggled to create anything of note, while at the other end, Werner, was doing everything but score as Alisson’s leg saved another shot from the German.
The hosts eventually registered a shot on target in the 85th minute, but Georginio Wijnaldum’s weak header was easily saved by Edouard Mendy.
Chelsea’s well-drilled defence got them over the line as the champions ran out of ideas.
Image:Roberto Firmino cuts a dejected figure as Liverpool slump to defeat again
‘Big victory will bring belief to Chelsea’
Image:Thomas Tuchel has had an instant impact as Chelsea manager
Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher:
“It’s a great result for Chelsea, it really is. Thomas Tuchel has made a fantastic start to his career at the club. He’s come in on an 18-month contract and it felt like he had to get this club into the top four in his first few months. They are in that position now.
“Mason Mount was outstanding for the visitors. There was a lot of talk about him being on the bench in Tuchel’s first game, but I’m sure Tuchel is aware of how important he will be, not just this season but in the years to come for Chelsea.
“It really is a big result. You can see that from the reaction of the players. It’s not just about where it puts them now but psychologically it will bring huge belief to this club and it sends a warning to the Premier League that they will be difficult to shift out of the top four now.
“They look a really good outfit and deserved this result.”
Magical Mount
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Jamie Redknapp and Ashley Cole were glowing in praise for Mason Mount and believe he is currently Chelsea’s best player and future captain
Mason Mount has scored three goals in eight Premier League appearances under Thomas Tuchel this season, after netting only twice in 18 league appearances under previous boss Frank Lampard to start the campaign.
He has now scored 12 and assisted eight goals in the Premier League for Chelsea.
Aged 22 years and 53 days, he’s the second-youngest player to reach 20 goals and assists for the club in the Premier League after only Arjen Robben (21 years and 337 days).
