Liverpool regains top spot with hard-fought win over Chelsea

Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League on Sunday evening with a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Anfield. Goals from Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones sealed the win for Arne Slot's side, keeping them a point ahead of Manchester City. Liverpool now faces a demanding week, with away matches against RB Leipzig in the Champions League and Arsenal in the Premier League.

Liverpool maintains pressure at the top

With the win, Liverpool moved to 21 points after eight games, just one point above Manchester City and four ahead of Arsenal and Aston Villa. Slot’s team has now won seven of their eight league matches, with their only slip-up being a surprising 0-1 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest last month. The match against Chelsea marked Liverpool's first real test against a top-half opponent, as their previous seven league opponents all ranked in the lower half of the table. Earlier in the weekend, Liverpool saw Arsenal lose 2-0 to Bournemouth, while Manchester City narrowly escaped dropping points with a last-minute 1-2 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers. John Stones' 95th-minute header for City kept the pressure on Liverpool in the race for the title.

Controversy and a first-half penalty drama

Chelsea started the match brightly, holding 64% possession in the opening 15 minutes, but they struggled to create clear chances against a resilient Liverpool defense. As the game progressed, Liverpool began to assert themselves more. In the 27th minute, Mohamed Salah appealed for a penalty after a challenge from Levi Colwill, but referee John Brooks waved play on, much to the frustration of the Anfield crowd. Arne Slot’s emotional reaction on the sidelines earned him a yellow card.

Just two minutes later, Liverpool did win a penalty when Colwill fouled Curtis Jones in the box. Cody Gakpo initially stepped up as if to take the spot kick, but it was Mohamed Salah who took the shot, scoring his 43rd penalty in 53 attempts to put Liverpool ahead 1-0. Liverpool thought they had won another penalty just before halftime when Brooks pointed to the spot again. However, a VAR review overturned the decision, as replays showed that Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez got a touch on the ball before colliding with Jones. The decision kept the score at 1-0 going into the break.

Jones secures the win after Jackson’s equalizer

Chelsea drew level shortly after the restart through Nicolas Jackson, following a well-executed play involving Malo Gusto and Moises Caicedo. The goal was initially flagged for offside, but VAR confirmed that Ibrahima Konaté had kept Jackson onside, making it 1-1. Liverpool responded swiftly to the setback, regaining the lead just two minutes later. Curtis Jones finished off a pass from Salah with a close-range strike, putting Liverpool ahead 2-1. The 23-year-old midfielder from Liverpool showed composure, guiding the ball home with his left foot.

Intense final stages as Liverpool holds on

The final half-hour of the match saw multiple substitutions, aggressive challenges, and a total of eight yellow cards, five of which went to Liverpool. Despite the high intensity, Chelsea was unable to break down Liverpool’s defense. Their best chance came in stoppage time when substitute Christopher Nkunku narrowly missed a cross from Pedro Neto, squandering the opportunity for an equalizer.

Tough week ahead for Liverpool

With this victory, Liverpool solidified their position at the top of the table, but they have little time to celebrate. On Wednesday, they travel to Germany for a Champions League clash with RB Leipzig, followed by a high-stakes Premier League match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium next Sunday.