Liverpool 4 Chelsea 1: Reds run riot and Nunez sets unwelcome record as Blues fume over two penalty rulings

THEY have always known how to party on Merseyside, but this is going too far for them.

Because if things continue as they are, Jurgen Klopp’s farewell to Anfield will be the longest in living memory.

Conor Bradley shouted with glee after scoring his first Liverpool goal. Darwin Nunez hit the woodwork four times, including on his penalty.

All those Liverpool fans weren’t joking when they claimed they’d make his last few months in town unforgettable.

They haven’t spent any time getting down to business. If things continue like they are, Klopp will need a larger luggage to carry all of his medals when he returns home.

So much for those who thought his midseason revelation of an end-of-season departure would derail his quest for greatness.

The way they responded to the news that stunned football hints that a quadruple isn’t such a farfetched ambition after all.

Not if tonight’s annihilation of Chelsea is any indication. However, when your opponents are as clueless as the Blues, it certainly helps.

Nonetheless, Liverpool were fantastic, despite the fact that Mauricio Pochettino’s team was terrible. Please whisper lightly, but Klopp might end his career as a title winner.

And so much for those who believed that losing Mo Salah’s firepower to Africa Cup of Nations duty and subsequently to the treatment table would leave them shooting blanks.

In five games without the Egyptian, they have scored 17 goals. They should have had much more as well.

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You recognize that there will be a lot of complaints as long as they keep scoring at least one more than others ahead of them.

Tonight it was four, which should have been at least double and possibly even more. They flew out of the traps, never faltered, and never looked defeated.

Qualities include poise, class, energy, determination, and persistence. The folks in red had them all, whereas the ones in blue had none.

Diogo Jota, the excellent Conor Bradley, summer signing Dominic Szoboszlai (thank goodness they didn’t sign Moises Caicedo), and Luis Diaz all scored goals.

But it’s possible that half a dozen more Liverpool players scored as well.

Liverpool were on fire, rampant, and ran wild from beginning to end. Klopp is shining his way through matches these days, and they could use him to light up the city.

No one did it nearly as well as Bradley, a youthful right-back making only his second Premier League start.

Well, no matter how many games this kid – who only left his teens in the summer – plays, by the time he hangs up his boots, he will rarely have an evening like this one.

Bradley’s sweet strike nestled in the bottom corner.Jurgen Klopp commended Bradley for his fantastic performance.

When he finally took his bow 20 minutes later, everyone at Anfield was on their feet and clapping. Rarely has a standing ovation been so well earned.

Bradley outperformed all of the expected heroes in a game where they had enough of them. He was gorgeous. He was great. He was unstoppable.

Bradley’s toe grabbed the ball from a marauding Ben Chilwell for the first time on 23 minutes, before hammering it to Jota right outside the area.

Jota’s left foot, right foot step threw him between Thiago Silva and Benoit Badiashile, and while he was fortunate with the ricochet, the finish could not have been more clinical.

Seven minutes before the break, the lad from the Northern Irish town of Castlederg in County Tyrone had a night to remember that he would never forget.

Bradley ran off to the right after Luis Diaz scooped it up halfway. One touch created space, and the next was an excellent finish for his maiden Reds goal.

Diogo Jota started the scoring.Dominik Szoboszlai thundered through a stunning header.

Fantastic thing. And there’s more to come, this time in the form of a laser-guided delivery from the right flank midway through the second half that Szoboszlai heads in.

If Darwin Nunez hadn’t gone on a one-man mission to set a new record for hitting the woodwork, Chelsea’s faces would have been redder than their opponents’ jerseys by the conclusion of it all.

He rattled the bar or post FOUR times, including a penalty kick after Jota was knocked down by Badiashile’s clumsy foot. He was also great.

Maybe that’s why he eventually decided, “I’ll turn provider instead of blowing this for a game of soldiers,” and teed up Diaz for the fourth 11 minutes later.

Chelsea had received the most meaningless of lifelines when Christopher Nkunku pulled one narrowly inside the far post.

They had every reason to be upset because they should have received penalty kicks when Virgil van Dijk escaped with fouls on Conor Gallagher and Nkunku.

However, don’t think Chelsea was unlucky. They were quite fortunate not to receive a worse punishment. Is it party time?

Christopher Nkunku got one back to make it 3-1. Luis Diaz’s fourth strike sparked frenzied celebrations at Anfield. Chelsea had another frustrating night.

By the time he finally took his bow 20 minutes from the end, everyone inside Anfield was on their feet and applauding. Rarely has a standing ovation been so richly deserved.

In a game when they were hardly short of heroes, Bradley outshone all the likely candidates. He was stunning. He was superb. He was unstoppable.

It was Bradley’s toe which initially nicked the ball from a marauding Ben Chilwell for the first on 23 minutes, following up by drilling the ball to Jota just outside the box.

Jota’s left foot, right foot step bundled him between Thiago Silva and Benoit Badiashile and although he got lucky with the ricochet, the finish couldn’t have been more clinical.

Seven minutes before the break a night to remember became a never-to-be-forgotten one for the youngster from the Northern Irish town of Castlederg in County Tyrone.

When Luis Diaz picked it up on halfway, Bradley hared off down the right. One touch earned space, the next was a perfect finish for his first Reds goal.

Diogo Jota opened the scoring

Dominik Szoboszlai thundered in a superb header

Sensational stuff. And more to come – this time in a laser-guided delivery from the right flank midway through the second half for Szoboszlai to thunder in a header.

Had Darwin Nunez not gone on a one-man mission to set a new record for striking the woodwork, Chelsea’s faces would have been redder than their opponents’ shirts come the end of it all.

A record FOUR times he rattled the bar or post, once from the penalty spot after Jota was sent tumbling by Badiashile’s clumsy foot. And he was superb, as well.

Maybe that’s why he eventually thought blow this for a game of soldiers, I’ll turn provider instead, and teed up Diaz for the fourth, 11 minutes from time.

By then Chelsea had got the most irrelevant of lifelines when Christopher Nkunku dragged one just inside the far post.

They can rightly feel hard done to in that they should have had spot kicks when Virgil van Dijk escaped with fouls on Conor Gallagher and Nkunku.

Yet don’t for one minute think Chelsea were unfortunate. They were damn lucky not to get an even bigger hiding. Party time anyone?

Christopher Nkunku pulled one back to make it 3-1

Luis Diaz sent Anfield wild with the fourth

It was another frustrating night for Chelsea

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