WILLIAN STEALS THE MO-MENT!
Lucky strike denies Salah but Hazard’s magic show is key as Chelsea share spoils
IT became the duel of the one who got away and the one who chose to stay. Liverpool and Chelsea contested the points at Anfield but it was hard to turn the eye away from the two outstanding performers — Mohamed Salah and Eden Hazard.
Hazard, the one who stayed, dominated the first half, bewitching Liverpool. Salah, sent on loan by Jose Mourinho when Chelsea signed him and then sold by the club in 2016, had his moment in the second half, adding to his burgeoning reputation.
He looked to have won Liverpool the game with his calm 65th-minute strike, which was the zenith of another superb display.
By then, Chelsea, fizzing with ideas early on, were showing the effects of their midweek trip to Azerbaijan and wilting. Only in the 85th minute did Willian, who had been on the pitch for just three minutes, rescue them.
Cutting inside, he lifted what looked to be a cross goalwards. It looped high and closer to goal than he intended. In doing so, it caught out Simon Mignolet, the arc of the ball beyond his reach as it dipped under the crossbar and into the net. There may have been an element of fortune but you could argue Chelsea had earned their luck.
Excellent in the first half, they played a full part in an absorbing encounter which entertained throughout. Both teams had delightful moments, both demonstrated the weaknesses which will probably leave them short of a league title this season.
But neither side should be discouraged by the point, even though Liverpool will feel an important victory was wrested away.
Antonio Conte fielded as solid a midfield as is possible with Danny Drinkwater, N’Golo Kante and Tiemoue Bakayoko a veritable brick wall for Liverpool to break down. It seemed they had come here first and foremost to be difficult to beat.
However, because of one man’s dominance, it didn’t turn out that way in the first half. Hazard has been unplayable of late and in the opening exchanges he consistently befuddled James Milner and Jordan Henderson. Deft touches left the Englishmen looking foolish, which they are not. Hazard is simply too good for most players when is this mood.
Because of the Belgian, Chelsea gained the upper hand. He was ably supported by the extraordinary anticipation and athleticism of Kante and the tireless running of Alvaro Morata. But there was no doubt who was centre stage. Hazard’s dribbling left Liverpool bewildered on several occasions in the opening 15 minutes.
With a simple roll of the shoulders and swift switch of his centre of gravity, he eased away from Henderson in the 10th minute before embarking on a dribble which took him past four players.
Soon afterwards, Drinkwater dropped a trademark lofted pass into Hazard’s path. He saw it coming over his shoulder and brought it down dead with his foot. Cutting inside, he fired a shot which had Mignolet diving to his right to save.
Another dart and dribble after 23 minutes saw him play in Drinkwater and on this occasion Mignolet had to rush from his line to smother the chance. Hazard then played the pass which provided a chance for Davide Zappacosta, which Mignolet parried away. And after 32 minutes, Marcos Alonso’s free-kick from 25 yards was just wide of Mignolet’s post.
Liverpool slowly got the measure of Chelsea and began to impose themselves but it wasn’t until halftime neared that they created a moment of genuine danger. Inevitably it was Salah, now in his own rich vein of form, who slithered away, turned inside and unleashed a shot just wide of Thibaut Courtois’ post.
Perhaps it was no coincidence that within two minutes of the restart Hazard had taken a heavy blow, from Salah. He was up and about, if limping, quickly enough to be darting into the box and hanging out a foot to allow it to become entangled with Milner’s. He stumbled but Michael Oliver waved played on and if it was a foul, it was just outside the box.
Liverpool responded when Daniel Sturridge turned and hit an innocuous shot across goal which Courtois uncharacteristically fumbled, pro- viding Liverpool with a corner and some hope. Henderson then had an ambitious strike from 25 yards which Courtois gathered comfortably.
Liverpool had regained the momentum. Sturridge’s cross struck Gary Cahill’s arm in the box but the Chelsea defender had barely moved his limb from his side and despite the roars from the Kop, referee Oliver was unmoved.
The threat was always lurking, though. A glimmer of space on the hour saw Hazard release Zappacosta, whose cross was tantalisingly just short of Morata. Two minutes later he found the Spaniard from a similar position but Morata couldn’t adjust his body shape quick enough and the ball rebounded off his thigh for a goalkick. However, by now Chelsea were beginning to show signs of weariness. The energy of the first half was draining away and Liverpool were growing into their stride.
As if awakened by Hazard, Philippe Coutinho grasped the ball after 65 minutes and headed goalwards. Chelsea, who until this moment had been so solid, with Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen excellent, took a step back in fear. Coutinho slipped the ball into the box and Bakayoko made the error, mis-controlling and allowing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to get the merest of touches to deliver it into the path of Salah.
Eight yards out, a point to prove and in outstanding form, the Egyptian was poised as he struck past Courtois. His celebration was modest but his team-mates and the Kop were not as restrained.