Mount goal earns Chelsea win at toothless Liverpool
LIVERPOOL: Chelsea moved into the Premier League’s top four as Mason Mount’s superb first-half goal earned them a 1-0 win at champions Liverpool who suffered a club-record fifth straight home league defeat on Thursday. Mount cut in to curl a low shot past Liverpool keeper Alisson in the 42nd minute, after Timo Werner had earlier had a goal disallowed, to give Chelsea a deserved halftime lead.
Thomas Tuchel’s side then showed great defensive discipline to stand firm in the second period as Liverpool improved.
Liverpool, who substituted a disgruntled Mohamed Salah in the second half, struggled to carve out clear chances, though, and managed only one effort on target. Chelsea, unbeaten since Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard in January, have 47 points from 27 games, one more than Everton who had briefly gone fourth by beating West Bromwich Albion. Liverpool’s title defence is in tatters and Juergen Klopp’s side have slumped to seventh spot with 43 points from 27 games. Remarkably, their five successive home league defeats have come after they had lost none of the previous 68 games at Anfield.
Tuchel is now unbeaten in 10 games in the Stamford Bridge hot seat and Thursday’s victory was another tactical masterclass by the German who last week crafted an eye-catching 1-0 win at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. His side’s relentless pressing was too much for Liverpool in the first half, while they cleverly mixed up the angle of their attack to keep Klopp’s side firmly on the back foot. Werner should have put Chelsea ahead in the 12th minute but failed to connect with a volley and the German striker then latched on to a long pass forward and nicked it past the out-rushing Alissson before rolling the ball home.
Liverpool were spared by an agonisingly tight VAR offside decision on that occasion but did not learn their lesson.
Just before halftime N’golo Kante’s long pass found Mount on the left. The young midfielder cut in past Trent Alexander-arnold and arrowed a rightfooted shot inside the far post.
Liverpool did show more of their trademark intensity after the break but Chelsea were unruffled. Liverpool’s only attempt on target came late on as Georginio Wijnaldum shot straight at Edouard Mendy while Ozan Kabak also had a half chance.