Cole Palmer was the inventive heartbeat for Chelsea as they beat an out-of-sorts Liverpool to spice up their possibilities of ending the season in a Champions League qualifying spot.
The England playmaker performed an element in all three targets as Chelsea moved on to 63 factors, degree with Newcastle and only one behind third-placed Manchester Metropolis.
Enzo Fernandez obtained the primary for the Blues after three minutes with Jarell Quansah’s second-half personal objective doubling their benefit. Virgil Van Dijk pulled one again for Liverpool with 5 minutes to go however the champions conceded once more by way of a Palmer penalty in stoppage time to undergo simply their third league defeat of the season.
Fernandez strikes early
Liverpool lacked their normal fluency within the early phases as their much-changed facet struggled to gel and it was no shock when the house facet struck with their first assault of be aware.
Intelligent play in midfield from Palmer created house down the correct for Neto and his cut-back was good for Fernandez to regulate after which hearth previous Alisson.
Chelsea are forward inside three minutes! 💢
Enzo Fernandez finesses the ball into the underside nook 🔵 pic.twitter.com/l6yKV26IhT
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 4, 2025
Noni Madueke may’ve made it 2-0 two minutes later however held on to the ball too lengthy when he had choices proper and left and the possibility was gone.
Liverpool rode their luck once more after 10 minutes when Alisson got here charging out of his objective and clattered into Nicolas Jackson with the Senegal striker by way of on objective. The Reds goalkeeper would absolutely have seen crimson had it not been for the assistant referee elevating his flag for offside.
Liverpool had provided little going the opposite means however carved out a chance after 21 minutes however, following good work from Wataru Endo, Mohamed Salah mis-controlled within the space when a greater contact would have given him time to shoot on objective.
Salah was wasteful once more two minutes later with the Egyptian permitting the ball to flee his clutches within the space having been performed in by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Neto was inflicting Kostas Tsimikas issues down Chelsea’s proper facet and the winger got here shut after 43 minutes, reducing contained in the Greek left-back earlier than firing in a shot that flew into the sidenetting.
Quansah and Van Dijk trigger their very own issues
Chelsea arguably deserved a second objective and it duly arrived by way of an uncommon supply 11 minutes after the restart.
Palmer weaved into the realm together with his low cross inflicting confusion. Van Dijk’s hurried clearance crashed straight into Quansah with the ball ricocheting into his personal web.
A Jarell Quansah personal objective doubles Chelsea’s lead! 🫣 pic.twitter.com/fLCvzxHs2k
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 4, 2025
Liverpool regarded all at sea however they did reply effectively to going two targets behind.
Van Dijk may have redeemed himself however headed a nook over the bar when effectively positioned whereas substitute Darwin Nunez was denied by some good defending from Levi Colwill when it appeared he was set to halve the deficit.
Slot sends for the large weapons
Sensing a shift in momentum, Reds boss Arne Slot despatched on common starters Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. Salah remained on however Liverpool’s high scorer was having a day to neglect and he fluffed one other presentable alternative with 13 minutes to go, heading Tsimikas’ inviting cross extensive from shut vary.
Chelsea have been enjoying on the break however it virtually paid dividends with Enzo Maresca’s males twice coming near including a 3rd.
First, substitute Jadon Sancho was denied by a sensible cease from Alisson earlier than Palmer virtually caught out the Brazilian goalkeeper with a bit of great talent.
The previous Manchester Metropolis ahead obtained to the byline and with Alisson creeping off his line anticipating a cut-back, Palmer clipped one throughout the objective and off the far submit.
“What are they doing?” 😳
Virgil van Dijk rises highest and pulls one again for Liverpool 🔴 pic.twitter.com/Z9bG0wCPzP
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 4, 2025
Van Dijk had induced Chelsea issues from set-pieces all afternoon and the Liverpool captain lastly made his aerial dominance depend after 85 minutes, powering house Mac Allister’s outswinging nook from the correct.
It regarded like Liverpool have been able to stage a grandstand end however it by no means actually materialised and Chelsea capitalised on one other error on the again so as to add a 3rd.
Some sloppy play from Szoboszlai noticed the ball go free within the Liverpool space and Moises Caicedo was first to it solely to be tripped by the hapless Quansah. Palmer stepped up and made no mistake, slotting the ball to Alisson’s proper and into the nook.
