Liverpool pummelled Chelsea on their way to a 4-1 win at Anfield, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League with a brilliant display.
Liverpool 4-1 Chelsea
Premier League (22), Anfield
January 31, 2024
Goals
Jota 23′ (assist – Bradley)
Bradley 39′ (assist – Diaz)
Szoboszlai 64′ (assist – Bradley)
Nkunku 70′
Diaz 79′ (assist – Nunez)
With a buoyant atmosphere at Anfield, Liverpool found Darwin Nunez in the mood, with three audacious efforts early on testing goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic as the Reds passed and pressed effectively.
There was little about Chelsea throughout the first half, with Conor Gallagher operating in a strange, overlapping role, effectively up front.
Nunez came close to opening the scoring in the 19th minute, with his bright run onto Ibrahima Konate‘s pass followed by a left-footed shot that Petrovic brushed onto the far post.
The persistence of a brilliant Conor Bradley sparked the opener for Liverpool, winning ball on the right and driving forward to feed Diogo Jota, who forced his way through challenges into the box and finishing simply with his left for 1-0.
A dream then came true for Bradley, who scored his first goal for his boyhood club, firing into the bottom corner from distance after another storming run from right-back.
Liverpool should have had a third before the break after Jota was fouled in the box, but Nunez, true to form, struck his spot-kick against the post.
HT: Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea
Mauricio Pochettino responded to a first-half humbling with a triple change, as Malo Gusto, Mykhailo Mudryk and Christopher Nkunku came on for Ben Chilwell, Gallagher and Noni Madueke.
It did give Chelsea a marginal threat, not least as Gusto delivered a cross for Mudryk, who slid it high over the goal, but they barely worried Liverpool.
Liverpool had the next say, and it was Bradley who set up the third goal of the game, surging towards the byline and lifting a sumptuous cross for Dominik Szoboszlai to head in.
Jurgen Klopp could then turn to his bench, both saving legs for Sunday’s trip to Arsenal and giving minutes to those returning as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson came on along with Harvey Elliott and Cody Gakpo.
There was a consolation goal, at least, for Christopher Nkunku, while after hitting the bar and the post in the first half, Nunez rattled the crossbar with a powerful header.
Nunez showed his quality for his assist, though, spinning his marker after Alexis Mac Allister‘s deft pass and sending a perfect cross for Luis Diaz to convert.
Despite the blemish of Nkunku’s second-half strike, it was a remarkable performance and a result to match for Liverpool – including a star-making turn from their new right-back.
TIA Man of the Match: Conor Bradley
Referee: Paul Tierney
Liverpool: Alisson; Bradley (Alexander-Arnold 68′), Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez (Robertson 68′); Mac Allister, Szoboszlai (Elliott 68′), Jones (Clark 82′); Jota (Gakpo 68′), Diaz, Nunez
Subs not used: Kelleher, Quansah, McConnell, Gravenberch
Chelsea: Petrovic; Disasi, Silva, Badiashile, Chilwell (Gusto 46′); Caicedo (Chukwuemeka 66′), Enzo, Gallagher (Nkunku 46′); Madueke (Mudryk 46′), Sterling, Palmer (Casadei 86′)
Subs not used: Argylle, Bergstrom, Gilchrist, Washington, Broja
Next match: Arsenal (A) – Premier League – Sunday, February 4, 4.30pm (GMT)
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