Chelsea’s Champions League place not yet secure after defeat at Anfield

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Liverpool
5
Chelsea
3
23'
Keita
38'
Alexander-Arnold
43'
Wijnaldum
45'
Willian
55'
Firmino
61'
Abraham
73'
Pulisic
84'
Oxlade-Chamberlain

Chelsea’s pursuit of a Champions League place will go down to the wire after they were beaten in an eight-goal thriller at Anfield.

Liverpool raced into a three-goal lead before Olivier Giroud scored in first-half stoppage time.


A Christian Pulisic double after the break gave the Blues hope but the newly-crowned Champions managed to see the game out and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s late goal sealed their win.

Frank Lampard’s men started brightly but were punished before the half hour mark.

Naby Keita nicked the ball off of Willian before firing an unstoppable shot past Kepa for the opener.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Gini Wijnaldum then netted before Giroud gave the Blues a glimmer of hope with the final kick of the half.

The second half started similarly to the first. Chelsea started it well but Liverpool were clinical and Roberto Firmino made it four 10 minutes in.

Tammy Abraham and Pulisic were introduced and instantly combined to half the deficit, the latter finding Abraham, who couldn’t miss.

The American added another to make the hosts’ nervous but substitute Oxlade-Chamberlain put the game out of reach.

Chelsea therefore need a point against Wolves on Sunday to guarantee a top-four finish.

Chelsea: Kepa, James,Azpilicueta, Zouma, Rudiger, Alonso (Emerson 86), Jorginho, Kovacic, Willian (Hudson-Odoi 58), Giroud (Abraham 58), Mount (Pulisic 58)
Subs not used: Caballero, Christensen, Tomori, Loftus-Cheek, Pedro.