Liverpool defeated Chelsea 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday, with Curtis Jones scoring the game’s deciding goal to maintain Arne Slot’s side atop the Premier League standings. The 23-year-old English footballer’s first goal since January was the difference. In an intense contest, Liverpool triumphed for the tenth time in 11 games across all competitions under the new manager slot.
Against the run of play, the hosts took the lead thanks to a penalty kick from Mohamed Salah in the 29th minute, but Nicolas Jackson’s goal after halftime tied the score for Chelsea. However, Chelsea’s lead was short-lived as Jones capitalized on Salah’s low cross to beat visiting goalkeeper Robert Sánchez at close range. Liverpool never found it easy against a Chelsea team that had more shots on goal and repeatedly had a good finish that left them just short of an equalizer.
However, Slot’s team persevered to pass their toughest Premier League test to date. Liverpool has 21 points from eight games, one point ahead of second-place Manchester City, who defeated Wolves 2-1 earlier on Sunday. Chelsea, with 14 points, is still in sixth place.
Liverpool’s transfer to a new era under Slot, the replacement of Juergen Klopp, has gone well, but the first in a treacherous sequence of games that begins at Arsenal next weekend was a visit from Enzo Maresca’s upbeat Chelsea team. They were under pressure for extended periods, and Chelsea will be disappointed that they did not return home with a point.
Maresca’s men played some aggressive football right away to demonstrate their intentions, and Jones performed admirably to block Cole Palmer’s shot when it appeared as if Palmer would score. However, Salah hammered home the penalty after Levi Colwill tripped Jones in the area to give Liverpool the lead.
At the stroke of halftime, Sanchez clumsily brought down Jones, but a VAR check indicated the keeper had made touch with the ball first, leading Liverpool to be awarded another penalty.
Palmer missed the mark for Chelsea in stoppage time in the first half, but three minutes into the second half, Moises Caicedo’s pass set Jackson free, and he slotted the ball past Caoimhín Kelleher. However, the goal was initially called offside, but a VAR check revealed Ibrahima Konate had played him on. However, Chelsea was in the wrong as three minutes later, the excellent Jones gave Liverpool the lead again.
Meanwhile, England’s defender John Stones’ controversial stoppage-time goal helped Manchester City to edge past Wolves 2-1 victory on Sunday, setting a club record of 31 league games unbeaten. Defending champions City controlled the ball from the beginning to the end at Molineux, but they were taken aback in the seventh minute when Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen calmly finished from close range after a fantastic cross from Nelson Semedo.
Ederson denied Semedo a clear opportunity to put Wolves ahead once more, but Josko Gvardiol, a City defender, found space to receive the ball and skillfully curled a shot past Jose Sa for a well-earned equalizer in the 33rd minute. To the delight of City manager Pep Guardiola and the visiting supporters, Stones’ late goal from a corner went to a VAR assessment for a potential offside by Bernardo Silva in front of the goalie. However, it was allowed.
I’m pleased to win in that fashion and get on the scoresheet again, said Stones, who also scored a last-minute equalizer against Arsenal last month. It was a tough game. I’ve got to give credit to Wolves, how they stopped us creating chances, made it difficult for us in the final third, he added.
