The decisive play of the game happened near the break. In a hubbub in the middle of the area, and after several attempts at Liverpool’s shot, A ball heading towards Chelsea’s goal was stopped by Reece James, first with his thigh and then with his arm. Although the referee did not whistle anything live, the VAR recommended reviewing the play: penalty and expulsion. In that way Salah managed to tie Havertz’s opening goal and put Liverpool 1-1 that, despite the insistence during the second half, he did not move anymore.
Two of the top candidates for the Premier League title met at Anfield. On the one hand, the Champions League champion who has Lukaku as the icing on the cake of his project. The Belgian was challenged to face a plethora of Van Dijk, so he looked for the seams on Matip’s side. Although he did not achieve his goal, he did manage to assert his physique to help his team. At the exit from a corner, Havertz headed in a parable and beat Alisson to make it 0-1.
Liverpool had started the game well, mainly led by the youth and inventiveness of Harvey Elliott, the 18-year-old who started again for the second consecutive season. It is already essential for Klopp and it will be very difficult to move him from there. After Salah’s draw, when Liverpool went for three points against a rival with 10 players, Elliott stayed on the field for the 90 minutes.
In the second half the arrivals to the Mendy area followed one another. Klopp’s tried once. Chelsea were locked in with five defenders, three midfielders and a single striker, Lukaku, too lonely and too far from the rival area. By then, Jota had already replaced Firmino, who was not the correct starter, and tBoth Salah and Henderson looked for their opportunity from outside the area. None entered. The ‘blues’ resisted. After a full point of both teams, the first draw of the season.