Chelsea picked up a point against Liverpool with a solid performance at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.
Graham Potter’s men put on a strong performance in Merseyside and were unlucky not to pick up all three points, looking like the more dangerous of the two teams going forward. The Blues had a goal ruled out early on, and there were plenty of positives to take from a solid display, which also saw new signing Mykhailo Mudryk make a strong debut off the bench.
Chelsea though they had found the breakthroughg within minutes of kick-off when Kai Havertz turned home a Thiago Silva shot that hit the post. But upon review, while Havertz was behind Silva, his whole body was not behind the ball, and with no Liverpool player further advanced, he was just offside.
The Blues continued their dominance early on but ultimately struggled to create clear-cut chances. Liverpool moved away from a high press after a disappointing start, and they got their reward in the form of growing into the game. Though, they too saw little of goal, with Thiago Silva and Benoit Badiashile forming a blue wall, making key blocks between them.
The second half was just as tight, though Hakim Ziyech came close, firing over after a superb solo run that saw him take the ball almost right across the pitch. Chelsea’s new signing Mykhailo Mudryk was brought off the bench in the 55th minute, and he looked seriously dangerous, changing the feel of the game with a sparkling turn of pace.
Though, he did miss a key chance at the back post after a fine delivery from Ziyech. Liverpool did their fair share of pressing late on, but even with a lively Darwin Nunez, they failed to cut Chelsea open. Potter will have been pleased with how solid his side were defensively at Anfield, but he may well see this one as an opportunity lost in terms of getting all three points.
Here we rate the Chelsea players from the draw. Take a look below...
9. Mason Mount (off at 81) - 5
Energetic, as usual. He did miss out on a chance by choosing to pass far too quickly in the first half, and it wasn’t the only time his back was turned to goal. Mount has to be more selfish at times in the role he is playing. | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
10. Lewis Hall - 5
Needed to take less risks in his own half, at times, playing his team into trouble. Despite that, he did pretty well defensively. Made way for Mudryk in the 55th minute. | Getty Images
11. Kai Havertz (off at 81) - 6
Unlucky to see an early goal ruled out for a marginal - and bizarre - offside. Held the ball up well but lacked that extra something. Likely a victim of his tactical role here. | Getty Images
12. Mykhailo Mudryk (on at 55) - 8
Sizzling from the moment he came on. Changed the intensity of the game with his pace and intensity. Missed a good chance, but the winger’s debut off the bench was an eye-catching one. Brilliant to watch. | Getty Images