Chelsea drew the away team Liverpool 1-1 in the first-round match of the English Premier League.
This is the fifth game in a row in the Premier League, the two teams are drawn. If only counting the two main halves in all competitions, the two teams have drawn all seven recent confrontations. At Stamford Bridge on the evening of August 13, they both scored a goal, both were denied a goal by VAR for offside and created four corners together.
The match can be divided into two distinct halves, when in the first 45 minutes the two teams played with high intensity and created consecutive dangerous opportunities. As for the rest, the speed of the game, the number of chances decreased, but the failed passes increased. In the first half, Liverpool scored more in the first half, while Chelsea only rose in the second half.
Liverpool opened the scoring in the 18th minute with respectable passes from goalkeeper Alisson Becker. Then rookie Alexis Mac Allister slashed the ball up the right wing to let Mohamed Salah dive. The Egyptian star turned the ball into the middle and then poked a slot as if to put Luis Diaz into the penalty area to cushion his left foot and beat goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
Minutes later, Salah put the ball in the net and the referee initially recognized the goal. But after VAR drew the line, they determined him to be offside a short distance, so the goal was canceled. Out on the touchline, Klopp raised two thumbs and forefingers to indicate offside by an inch, then he smiled, accepting the decision.
The wind reversed later, when Chelsea equalized from a set piece. The ball flew out of the penalty area, but defender Ben Chilwell headed straight for center-back Axel Disasi to jump down and hit Alisson’s leg and fly into the net. Minutes later, Chilwell put the ball into the net but again VAR denied the goal.
The loose defense of the two teams explains why they competed to buy midfielder Moises Caicedo from Brighton despite paying more than 130 million USD. Allister, despite being an organized midfielder, has to play more defensively in this match, similar to Enzo Fernandez on the home side.
According to the Guardian , coach Mauricio Pochettino will be more than happy with this result, because Liverpool is more appreciated. Chelsea will find the first three points under Pochettino in the second round against West Ham at London Stadium in a week. And Liverpool was returned to Anfield to receive Bournemouth the day before.
