Conor Bradley produced a memorable display by scoring his first Liverpool goal and grabbing two assists as the Reds beat Chelsea to maintain their grip on first place in Premier League.
Jurgen Klopp’s side went into this round of fixtures five points clear at the top and, with Arsenal and Manchester City winning their games against Nottingham Forest and Burnley respectively, the Anfield club needed to do likewise against the Blues.
Having beaten Bournemouth 4-0 in their previous league outing, they once again put in a confident and dominant display to sweep Chelsea aside.
Darwin Nunez twice hit the woodwork in the opening stages – and four times in total – before Diogo Jota showed great persistence to force his way through defenders to slot in from Bradley’s pass.
The 20-year-old Northern Ireland international, who has emerged as a very exciting talent at Liverpool this season, then got the goal his recent impressive displays have warranted as he raced into the box from the right before driving into the far corner.
Liverpool should have been 3-0 up at half-time but Nunez struck the post from the penalty spot after Jota was brought down.
Mykhailo Mudryk missed a glorious chance to halve the deficit after the break when he lashed high over the bar with just Alisson to beat.
Dominik Szoboszlai punished Chelsea for that miss as he got Liverpool’s third, heading home Bradley’s cross, and although Christopher Nkunku drove in a consolation for the visitors, Luis Diaz added a fourth late on with a close-range strike.
It was the perfect result for the Reds both in retaining their advantage at the top of the Premier League as well as boosting confidence before they face Chelsea again in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on 25 February.
Bradley shines as Reds look determined to send Klopp off on a high
This was Liverpool’s second game since the shock announcement by Klopp that he will leave the club at the end of the season after eight years at the club.
The first game following the news was an emotional FA Cup fourth-round fixture against Norwich against Anfield on Sunday, and it clear from both that performance and now this that Klopp’s players are determined to ensure his final season at the club ends in memorable fashion.
Liverpool put five goals past Norwich to win 5-2 and they could easily have had as many in a dominant first half against Chelsea, with the unfortunate Nunez striking the woodwork three times.
But the night belonged to the exceptional Bradley, who once again rose to the occasion despite the presence of fellow full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold on the bench, and he was deservedly given a standing ovation when he went off in the second half.
More to follow.
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Chelsea
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Squad number28Player namePetrovic
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Squad number2Player nameDisasi
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Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva
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Squad number5Player nameBadiashile
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Squad number21Player nameChilwell
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Squad number25Player nameCaicedo
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Squad number8Player nameFernández
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Squad number11Player nameMadueke
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Squad number23Player nameGallagher
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Squad number7Player nameSterling
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Squad number20Player namePalmer
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Squad number10Player nameMudryk
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Squad number17Player nameChukwuemeka
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Squad number18Player nameNkunku
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Squad number27Player nameGusto
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Squad number31Player nameCasadei
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 84BradleySubstituted forAlexander-Arnoldat 68′minutes
- 5KonatéBooked at 76mins
- 4van Dijk
- 2GomezSubstituted forRobertsonat 69′minutes
- 8SzoboszlaiSubstituted forElliottat 69′minutes
- 10Mac Allister
- 17JonesSubstituted forClarkat 83′minutes
- 20JotaSubstituted forGakpoat 68′minutes
- 9NúñezBooked at 47mins
- 7Díaz
Substitutes
- 18Gakpo
- 19Elliott
- 26Robertson
- 38Gravenberch
- 42Clark
- 53McConnell
- 62Kelleher
- 66Alexander-Arnold
- 78Quansah
Chelsea
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 28Petrovic
- 2DisasiBooked at 41mins
- 6Thiago Silva
- 5Badiashile
- 21ChilwellBooked at 35minsSubstituted forGustoat 45′minutes
- 25CaicedoBooked at 11minsSubstituted forChukwuemekaat 66′minutes
- 8FernándezBooked at 33mins
- 11MaduekeSubstituted forMudrykat 45′minutes
- 23GallagherSubstituted forNkunkuat 45′minutes
- 7Sterling
- 20PalmerSubstituted forCasadeiat 85′minutes
Substitutes
- 10Mudryk
- 17Chukwuemeka
- 18Nkunku
- 19Broja
- 27Gusto
- 31Casadei
- 36de Souza Eugênio
- 42Gilchrist
- 47Bergström
Live Text
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Match ends, Liverpool 4, Chelsea 1.
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Second Half ends, Liverpool 4, Chelsea 1.
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Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Enzo Fernández (Chelsea).
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Bobby Clark (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Raheem Sterling (Chelsea).
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Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Ibrahima Konaté.
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Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Raheem Sterling (Chelsea).
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Attempt saved. Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool).
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Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Raheem Sterling (Chelsea).
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Substitution, Chelsea. Cesare Casadei replaces Cole Palmer.
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Attempt saved. Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Harvey Elliott.
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Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea).
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Substitution, Liverpool. Bobby Clark replaces Curtis Jones.
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Foul by Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool).