Chelsea and Liverpool played out a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon as both sides got their 2023-24 Premier League seasons underway.
The visitors took the lead inside 18 minutes, after Luis Diaz capitalised on a sublime cross from Mohamed Salah, to tap in Liverpool’s first.
The Egyptian nearly doubled the lead soon after, going one-on-one with new Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez to place the ball into the back of the net, but the Liverpool forward was offside in the build-up.
Axel Disasi would pull one back for the blues on the 37th minute, capitalising on a looping header into the penalty area to strike the ball past Alisson who came out to meet him. Ben Chilwell looked like he had made it 2-1 to the home side just two minutes later, but his goal was also chalked by VAR for offside.
Mail Sport’s LEWIS STEELE was at Stamford Bridge and brings you some of the things you may have missed.
Luis Diaz scored the opening goal as Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw against Chelsea
Enzo Fernandes was a standout during the match for Chelsea, with the Argentine seen chatting to Mauricio Pochettino on the touchline during the game
Fernandez also went toe-to-toe with his compatriot Alexis Mac Allister who also impressed
Argentina’s World Cup winners show their class
Only two goals in the end but this game was as open as pretty much everyone predicted in the first half, with neither team looking overly assuring defensively – but the two standout players were both Argentine World Cup-winning midfielders.
Alexis Mac Allister put in an admirable performance at the heart of Liverpool’s midfield and played a deft pass to set Mo Salah running for their goal, while the former Brighton man was dogged out of possession in the No 6 role.
In the blue corner, compatriot Enzo Fernandez was man of the match and ran the show in midfield.
But it was painstakingly obvious both teams were crying out for an out-and-out holding player to anchor their midfield. Has anyone considered that Moises lad from Brighton?
Liverpool owners make rare appearance in London
Speaking of Caicedo, Liverpool owner John Henry jetted in for a rare appearance at a Liverpool match – with fans hoping the American will have been prompted to act and sign a No 6 after witnessing the Reds’ midfield often overran.
Other fans joked that Henry and opposite number Todd Boehly should have a fight – with the winner getting to sign Caicedo. Sadly, the Ecuadorian looks set for Stamford Bridge, though Chelsea did not get their wish of completing the signing in time for him to be here for the game.
Axel Disasi scored Chelesea’s equaliser just before half-time, belting the ball past Alisson
Mohamed Salah (middle right) who failed to add to his achievement of scoring in every opening league game for Liverpool fumed after he was substituted on the 77th minute
But the Liverpool boss, Klopp, admitted that he empathised with his forward’s frustrations
Poch’s dugout renovations
Mauricio Pochettino has taken a leaf out of his idol Marcelo Bielsa’s book by implementing a number of miniscule changes at Chelsea this summer and one of those is switching the dugouts.
Pochettino said he would feel at home in what was the away dugout – which he patrolled with Southampton and Tottenham – as he switched them in belief that the new home space is bigger, which gives him more room to pace up and down.
It did not stop him charging up the touchline to argue with the assistant referee, though.
The seventh straight stalemate
Seven straight clashes between Chelsea and Liverpool have been level after 90 minutes now, with this ending a run of four goalless games int a row.
Liverpool did win two of those on penalties, though, in the 2022 FA Cup and Carabao Cup finals.
This was the first time in Mo Salah’s Premier League career that he has played on the opening weekend and not scored.
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