EPL

Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea: Jones strikes Anfield winner for Slot's Reds

By Sports Desk October 20, 2024

Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League table as Curtis Jones hit the winner in an entertaining 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Anfield.

Having been knocked off the summit by Manchester City's last-gasp victory at Wolves earlier on Sunday, Liverpool responded by passing arguably their sternest test under Arne Slot.

Mohamed Salah's 29th-minute penalty broke the deadlock after Levi Colwill fouled Jones, just moments after the defender had survived an appeal for felling the the Egyptian.

Jones thought he had won a second penalty on the stroke of half-time following a challenge from Robert Sanchez, but a VAR review led referee John Brooks to overturn his initial decision to penalise the goalkeeper. 

Another VAR intervention went Chelsea's way as they levelled three minutes into the second half. Nicolas Jackson was ruled offside when latching onto Moises Caicedo's throughball to slot home, but that decision was overturned as replays showed Ibrahima Konate played him on. 

However, it was the impressive duo of Salah and Jones that combined for the decisive goal soon afterwards, the latter scoring on the stretch in front of the Kop.

The victory re-establishes Liverpool's one-point lead over City, while they are four clear of their next opponents Arsenal. Chelsea stay sixth, three points off the top four. 

Data Debrief: Salah haunts Chelsea again

It is fair to say Salah has enjoyed coming up against Chelsea since returning to the Premier League in 2017, having been let go by the Blues one year earlier.

He has now scored five goals against Chelsea in the Premier League; the joint-most by a player to have previously appeared for them in the competition, along with Kevin De Bruyne (five).

It was his enticing cross that led to Jones' 51st-minute winner, too, and he has both scored and assisted in 34 different matches in the Premier League; the second-most of any player in the competition’s history, only behind Wayne Rooney (36). 

Only Pep Guardiola (who won his first 10), meanwhile, has reached 10 wins in all competitions as a Premier League manager in fewer matches than Slot, who has won 10 of his first 11 as Reds boss.

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    Andy Robertson believes Liverpool "put things right" after their defeat to Nottingham Forest by beating Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.

    Liverpool faced Forest after the last international break and suffered their only defeat under Arne Slot so far, as they were beaten 1-0 at Anfield.

    However, they avoided a similar stumble this time around as Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones scored the goals for the Reds on either side of Nicolas Jackson's equaliser, sending them back to the top of the league table.

    Chelsea had won each of their last three away games coming into this contest, and Robertson was particularly impressed by how Liverpool dug in to preserve the win.

    "It is always like that - two good teams going at it. We have had good games over the years against them. It is always difficult," he told BBC Match of the Day.

    "It took us a little time to get going, but once we did, I think we were quite comfortable in the first half. In the second, we defended really well and limited them.

    "After the last international break, we let ourselves down against Nottingham Forest, and we were determined to put that right and I think we did that.

    "There are different ways to win, and today was one we had to grind out. We have played better this season, but we got two crucial goals and defended well for the most part."

    Meanwhile, Jones was instrumental to the victory as he won the penalty that Salah scored and thought he had won a second after being upended by Robert Sanchez, but it was overturned by a VAR review, before netting what turned out to be the winner in the 51st minute.

    "The win is the most important thing. I was involved a lot, but I'm happy that we won," he told Sky Sports.

    "There have been times when I have arrived in the box, and it is a first-time finish. As soon as Mo had the ball, I made the run, but it bounced, so I had to have a touch, and then thankfully it went in."

    He also played a key role by keeping Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer quiet throughout the game, limiting him to no shots on target, and just one chance created.

    "We know how important [Palmer] is and how many goals he scores, so I had it in my mind to keep him quiet, and it is a huge part of their game gone," he added.

  • Chelsea 5-2 Tottenham: Rytting Kaneryd stars as Bompastor's side stay perfect in WSL Chelsea 5-2 Tottenham: Rytting Kaneryd stars as Bompastor's side stay perfect in WSL

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    Maika Hamano and Sandy Baltimore were also on target for Sonia Bompastor's side, who maintained their perfect start to the league season and moved to within a point of leaders Manchester City.

    Rytting Kaneryd was involved as the Blues broke through in the 10th minute, racing into the area before pulling the ball back for Hamano to tuck away.

    Spurs levelled in controversial fashion 11 minutes later when Hannah Hampton was adjudged to have palmed the ball over her own goal-line while attempting to retrieve Amanda Nilden's wayward cross.

    The hosts regained the lead when Nilden put through her own net just before half-time, while Rytting Kaneryd's magnificent volley put them two goals to the good in the 70th minute.

    Baltimore made it 4-1 four minutes later, slotting home a rebound after Guro Reiten's penalty came back off the post following a Clare Hunt handball.

    Spurs pulled one back through Eveliina Summanen's neat free-kick, but Rytting Kaneryd had the final say with a wonderful individual goal in stoppage time, putting the icing on the cake.

    Data Debrief: Bompastor continues perfect start

    Bompastor appears to have made a seamless transition into the Chelsea dugout since taking over the reins from Emma Hayes.

    The Frenchwoman has become only the third manager to win her first four WSL matches in charge, along with David Parker (with Birmingham City in 2011) and Jonas Eidevall (in 2021 with Arsenal).

    Tottenham, meanwhile, are without a win since the opening day of the season and have now conceded a league-high three penalties in five games.

  • Hull receive apology from referee after Sunderland defeat Hull receive apology from referee after Sunderland defeat

    Tim Walter says referee Robert Madley apologised to him following Hull City's defeat by Sunderland.

    The Black Cats returned to the Championship summit, with Wilson Isidor's third goal in four games enough to seal all three points at the MKM Stadium.

    The winning goal came in the 63rd minute, though Hull felt it should not have stood.

    From a Tigers corner, referee Madley appeared to obstruct the view of Marvin Mehlem, who was subsequently dispossessed before Dan Neil sent Isidor clear, with the Zenit loanee outmuscling Cody Drameh before lifting over Hull goalkeeper Ivor Pandur.

    Walter later confirmed he had received an apology from the official for the incident, but acknowledged his side were ultimately made to pay for not taking their chances.

    "The referee invited me in [to the official's room] to apologise, but it doesn't help me," he told BBC Radio Humberside. "But we had a lot of situations in the first half and a lot of counter situations, but our last decision wasn't the best.

    "We created many chances, but we weren't clinical enough and, maybe, lost our heads in the last five minutes. We had more courage in the second half, and we showed we can maybe be on the same page as them."

    As for Sunderland, who leapfrogged Burnley back to the top of the table, that is now seven wins from their opening 10 games.

    "It's difficult to win away, especially at Hull," said head coach Regis le Bris. "In the first half, we dominated the ball but failed to break into the final third.

    "The scenario in the second half was different. They kept the ball, and it was not easy to deal with the way they built up their attacks, and we did well.

    "We were prepared to use our counter-attacks as we had that strength, and Wilson made the difference."

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