Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea, Premier League: Post-match reaction, ratings

Chelsea made a stellar start to the game and had the ball in the back of the net after just a couple minutes from a corner scramble, but VAR was able to find a minuscule offside, spotting Kai Havertz’s left foot ahead of the ball as Thiago Silva was about to shoot. Havertz gained absolutely zero advantage and the infraction could only possibly be spotted under microscopic examination, but by the letter of the law it was offside and VAR doesn’t deal with the spirit of the law unfortunately.

We dealt with that disappointment fairly well and while the game was far from high quality, we generated a few decent opportunities. Mason Mount passed up a clear opportunity to shoot while others, like Kai Havertz and Benoît Badiashile missed presentable chances on some really poor set piece defending by Liverpool.

At the other end, Liverpool posed little danger, but that all changed rather quickly in the second half, when the home side came out with much greater intention and intensity. Chelsea survived that period thanks in part to Thiago Silva making a block on the line.

Mudryk made his debut 10 minutes into the half, and took him less than 10 minutes to create our best chance of the half, with some delightful touches in the area in tight spaces. His shot hit side-netting just wide of the near post unfortunately. A slightly less delightful touch then saw him waste a nearly perfect classic Ziyech cross, before the game devolved into a nervous final 15-20 minutes.

Still neither side were able to find the requisite quality for a breakthrough and so the spoils were shared, perhaps appropriately.

Carefree.

• Chelsea in a back-four, but with Cucurella more advanced on the left and Chalobah staying home on the right.
• Hopefully Chalobah’s knock is nothing serious
• Congrats on No.500, DAVE!
• Five straight draws against Liverpool in all competitions.
• Chelsea remain 10th.
• Next up: two-week break, then Fulham at home
• KTBFFH

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