Liverpool travelled to West London to take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening. The Reds were looking to consolidate their position in the top 4 by securing a positive result on the day and they made a good start to the contest. They dominated possession during the first quarter of the game but conceded a goal in the 32nd minute when Olivier Giroud scored the opener with his headed effort. Klopp’s side tried to respond before half-time but the Blues defended in numbers to deny them.
The Reds came back strong in the second half but failed to register a shot on goal. Chelsea defended well and put their bodies on the line which helped them carve out a 1-0 victory on the day.
Let’s take a look at how each Liverpool player performed during the match.
GK: Loris Karius – 6/10
The German keeper was left helpless in the lead up to the first goal. He distributed the ball well but couldn’t help his side secure a result at Stamford Bridge.
RB: Nathaniel Clyne – 5/10
He looked like a player struggling for regular game time. The Liverpool right-back was second-best in most challenges and was justifiably subbed in the second half.
CB: Dejan Lovren – 6/10
The Croatian defended well and retained possession for his team. However, he couldn’t do much about Giroud’s goal which ultimately cost his team the match.
CB: Virgil van Dijk – 6.5/10
The Dutch centre-back looked composed on the ball but some of his passes failed to hit it’s mark.
LB: Andrew Robertson – 5/10
The Scottish defender looked tired and his impact on the opposition half faded as the match went on.
CM: Trent Alexander-Arnold – 5/10
The Reds youngster began the match as a midfielder but ended up in the right-back position. His crossing was woeful, to say the least, so he will be hoping for better days in a Liverpool shirt.
CM: Georginio Wijnaldum – 6/10
The Dutch midfielder failed to replicate his heroics from Rome in midweek and looked tired at times during the match. However, he did keep the ball well and quietly bossed the midfield in the second half.
CM: James Milner – 7/10
The England international was probably Liverpool’s best player on the pitch. He worked hard for the visitors and slotted in at left-back towards the dying embers of the game which sums up his strong work ethic and versatility.
RM: Mohamed Salah – 5/10
Another quiet game from the Egyptian, he tried his best but failed to have an impact inside the Chelsea penalty box.
ST: Roberto Firmino – 6/10
The Brazilian worked his socks off but struggled to make any meaningful contribution inside the opposition penalty area.
LM: Sadio Mané – 5.5/10
The Reds speedster saw a lot of the ball but was unable to create chances for his teammates. The Nigerian forward was mostly guilty of choosing ‘the safe option’ while passing the ball.
Substitutes:
CM: Jordan Henderson – 6.5/10
Klopp’s men bossed the midfield with Henderson on the pitch as he retained the ball well in the second half. However, it wasn’t enough as the Reds were not able to unlock the Chelsea defence.
ST: Dominic Solanke – 5/10
The English youngster got two good chances to score but failed to hit the target with any of his attempts.
LB: Alberto Moreno – N/A
The Spaniard hardly had any time to make an impact in the game.
