Liverpool suffered a fifth successive competitive home defeat for the first time in their history as Chelsea made it 10 games unbeaten under new manager Thomas Tuchel with victory at Anfield.
Mason Mount’s superb individual strike three minutes before half-time gave the visitors a deserved win and moved them into the top four, while Liverpool are now in seventh place and in a serious dogfight for the Champions League places.
Mount scored brilliantly when he cut inside to fire a low shot past Liverpool keeper Alisson, reward for a first half dominated by the Blues, who also had a Timo Werner effort ruled out for offside.
Liverpool, for whom a visibly angry Mohamed Salah was substituted just after the hour, barely threatened but were furious when penalty claims were rejected by the video assistant referee after Roberto Firmino’s cross clearly struck N’Golo Kante’s hand.
Alisson had to save well from the lively Werner but one goal was enough to give Chelsea and Tuchel another fine victory as they move four points ahead of the Reds.
Tuchel’s beaming smile and congratulations for his Chelsea players will have carried an added tinge of pleasure as he finally experienced victory at Anfield.
Tuchel has suffered last-minute losses at the stadium in a Europa League quarter-final with Borussia Dortmund and then in a subsequent Champions League game with Paris St-Germain.
He and Chelsea were not to be denied here, though, and while Liverpool will debate why they were not awarded that second-half penalty, no-one could seriously question the fact that the visitors were vastly superior to the beleaguered champions as they fall hard and fast from last season’s status.
Tuchel has had a rejuvenating impact on Chelsea since succeeding the sacked Frank Lampard in January, and victories like this – albeit against a Liverpool team who appear to be a sitting duck at Anfield these days – will increase confidence and belief.
Mount deserved his goal for a performance of the highest quality, while Kante looked back to his best as he patrolled midfield.
Werner gave one of his finest displays since joining Chelsea and deserved a goal of his own, while Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger performed with such efficiency in defence that Liverpool did not have an effort on target until Georginio Wijnaldum’s tame 84th-minute header.
All in all, it was an excellent night’s work for Tuchel and Chelsea.
