Chelsea closer to Champions League spot after beating Liverpool
Chelsea 3
Fernandez (3′)
Quansah (OG, 56′)
Palmer (pen, 90’+6)
Liverpool 1
Van Dijk (85′)
Chelsea gave their bid to secure a Champions League place a huge boost by beating the title winners at Stamford Bridge.
Enzo Fernandez set the tone for the afternoon with an early strike, before an own goal from Jarell Quansah doubled the lead soon after half-time.
Virgil van Dijk powered home a header to make the final few minutes nervy, but a penalty converted by Cole Palmer in the final seconds ensured the victory – and ended his goal drought.
Chelsea went ahead inside just three minutes, when Palmer took the ball on a sweeping attack and slipped in Pedro Neto, who provided the perfect cutback for Fernandez to slot into the bottom corner.
Enzo Maresca’s side were on top for much of the first half, against a lacklustre Liverpool team that featured six changes and struggled to create much in the final third.
Fernandez and Romeo Lavia controlled the tempo in midfield, and makeshift right-back Moises Caicedo came close to adding a second when he hit the crossbar from a tight angle on the 30-minute mark.
Noni Madueke also had the ball in the net after rounding keeper Alisson on the stroke of half-time, but Nicolas Jackson was offside in the build-up.
Chelsea came out strong after the break and got a deserved second in the 56th minute, when Palmer beat his man on the right and drilled a ball into the six-yard box, which bounced into the net after it was smashed against Quansah by Van Dijk as he attempted to clear.
Liverpool then threatened for a spell, and captain Van Dijk pulled one back in the 84th minute, rising highest to head home from a corner to set up a tense finish.
But with Stamford Bridge in full voice behind them, Chelsea wrapped up the win when Palmer slotted his penalty – his first goal since mid-January – past Alisson following a foul on Caicedo.
The win moves the Blues level on points with fourth-placed Newcastle ahead of next weekend’s showdown with the Magpies at St James’s Park.
Chelsea: Sanchez; Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Lavia (Gusto 77), Fernandez (James 87); Neto, Palmer, Madueke; Jackson (Sancho 71).
Subs not used: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Badiashile, Tosin, Dewsbury-Hall, George.
