Liverpool, Chelsea draw
LIVERPOOL, England - Liverpool and Chelsea’s chances of a top-four finish suffered a blow as the pair played out a disappointing 0-0 draw in the Premier League on Saturday, while Everton’s relegation fears grew after a 2-0 loss at West Ham United.
Only Southampton are below Everton - on goal difference alone - after the bottom side lost 1-0 at home to Aston Villa, while West Ham’s win meant Bournemouth replaced them in the bottom three despite earning a point in their 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest.
Newcastle United stretched their unbeaten Premier League run to a club-record 15 matches and crept up into third place despite being held to a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace.
On Juergen Klopp’s 1000th game in management, Liverpool seemed shorn of confidence as they looked to avoid three straight league defeats, only creating half chances with Cody Gakpo missing the best of them in the opening period at Anfield.
The visitors introduced big-money January signing Mykhailo Mudryk in the second half but, while he looked lively, the Ukrainian was unable to lift the Blues, who earned a single point that leaves them 10th, level on 29 points with Liverpool in eighth and Brentford ninth.
All three sides are nine points off the top four, with Chelsea having played 20 games to Liverpool and Brentford’s 19 apiece.
Liverpool have failed to win any of their last three league games, while it is the first time they have failed to score in consecutive matches in the competition since March 2021.
Chelsea are now without a win in their last six league games on the road, their longest comparable run in the competition since September-December 2015.
“We have to be ready for little steps and this is a little step,” Klopp said. “A clean sheet against Chelsea, we didn’t create a lot of chances and they had some as well.
“We defended in the second half with passion and clear organisation, but we were too deep in these moments. In the end, I’m OK with 0-0 because you have to accept these steps.”