Liverpool did well....Pretty passing from Liverpool as they enjoy a rare attacking spell in this second half. It's all too intricate in the end, however, as no one proves selfish enough to have a shot, which sees the chance come to nothing. Still, more warning signs issued to Chelsea. they won 2-1
Liverpool have been the better side so far but Conte will be furious with the manner of the Reds’ goal.
Coutinho’s cross was excellent but there were three Liverpool players completely unmarked at the far post.
Lovren’s finish was also impressive, as he timed his volley well, but there is no way that he should be given that much space.
Jordan Henderson scored a stunning
winning goal as Liverpool ended Antonio Conte’s unbeaten record as
Chelsea manager with an impressive 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge on
Friday.
In a dominant first-half display,
Liverpool took the lead through Dejan Lovren before England midfielder
Henderson curled home a superb effort from distance in the 36th minute.
Diego Costa reduced the arrears in the
second half with his fifth goal of the campaign, but Jurgen Klopp’s men
held out to register another eye-catching Premier League win.
Liverpool have also beaten Arsenal and
champions Leicester City this season, the only blot on their league
record being a surprise 2-0 defeat at promoted Burnley.
They moved level on points with Chelsea
and Merseyside rivals Everton in the early-season standings, two points
below leaders Manchester City.
It had been with a 3-1 victory on this
ground that Klopp recorded his first win as Liverpool manager 11 months
ago. On Friday’s evidence, his team are title contenders.
Chelsea would have gone top with
victory, but instead Conte tasted defeat for the first time in his
fledgling tenure as his side dropped points again following last
weekend’s 2-2 draw at Swansea City.
It was Conte’s first home league defeat since a 2-1 loss to Sampdoria with Juventus in January 2013.
David Luiz, meanwhile, lost to Liverpool
on his second Chelsea debut, following his return to the club from
Paris Saint-Germain, just as he had in his first appearance back in
February 2011.
Liverpool were unexpectedly without
Roberto Firmino due to what the club said was a “minor groin strain”,
but any fears they might miss the hard-working Brazilian forward were
banished immediately.
Costa volley
The away side registered two shots on
target inside the first two minutes, Thibaut Courtois saving from
Georginio Wijnaldum and Daniel Sturridge, and they took the lead in the
17th minute.
Chelsea were punished for twice switching off at a free-kick on the Liverpool left.
First they allowed Philippe Coutinho to
take the set-piece quickly, giving the Brazilian time to measure an
in-swinging cross towards the back post.
Slack marking left Sadio Mane and Lovren
unmarked and it was the Croatian — back in the team after an eye injury
— who seized the chance, beating Courtois with an adroit side-foot
volley.
After Sturridge had thrashed a
cross-shot across goal, Chelsea produced their first real chance when
Luiz’s looping header from Willian’s free-kick was fielded by Liverpool
goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
But within two minutes the hosts were
2-0 down as Henderson gathered a hurried clearance from Gary Cahill,
steadied himself and arced a sublime 25-yard shot right into Courtois’s
top-left corner.
Chelsea’s players were being bypassed by
the match, but they managed to plug some of the holes in their defence
in the second half and in the 61st minute, Costa gave them a lifeline.
Joel Matip’s unnecessary decision to go
to ground enabled Nemanja Matic to reach the byline on the left and the
Chelsea midfielder cut the ball back for Costa to volley home at the
near post.
The Brazil-born Spain international
scored a late equaliser at Swansea and he threatened to do the same
here, brilliantly gathering Oscar’s headed knock-down and lashing a shot
at Mignolet.
But despite Conte sending on Cesc
Fabregas, Victor Moses and Pedro, it was Liverpool who came closest to
scoring again, substitute Divock Origi’s header drawing a fine goal-line
stop from Courtois.
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