Second-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell made his second consecutive start for the Silver and Black but played only two offensive series before leaving the game with a right thumb injury. O’Connell was 6-of-10 for 52 yards on those two possessions, which both ended in punts.
Gardner Minshew II replaced O’Connell and played the rest of the half. The Rams took a 14-3 lead but a Daniel Carlson field goal as time expired cut the Raiders’ deficit to one possession entering the break.
With veteran wide receiver Jakobi Meyers out for the second straight game, the Raiders’ pass game leaned heavily on rookie tight end Brock Bowers. Bowers’ 25-yard catch-and-run on the Raiders’ third drive of the game was the longest play of the half by either team. It set up kicker Daniel Carlson for a successful 38-yard field goal.
Bowers finished the half with six receptions for 64 yards and now has the NFL record for most receptions (43) by a tight end in their first seven career games.
Penalties and miscues hindered the Falcons at the start of the season, and they returned against the Seahawks. Atlanta committed nine penalties setting them back 72 yards. The timing of those penalties was impactful, stalling drives for the Falcons’ offense and keeping the Seahawks’ drives alive.
For comparison, the Falcons had only four penalties in their win against the Panthers last week. Penalties were a factor for Atlanta from the very start. Three flags were thrown for false starts against three different players on the Falcons’ opening possession, including back-to-back penalties on third down.
The Falcons got the penalty yardage from the first flag back on a 10-yard reception to Kyle Pitts that turned a 1st-and-15 into a second and manageable. But then the back-to-back penalties forced a punt after a failed third-down conversion. Atlanta’s offense didn’t find a consistent rhythm throughout the game, and penalties played a big part in that.
Falcons got a sack, but gave up explosive plays
Coming into the matchup the Falcons’ defense had been among the best in the league at containing explosive plays through the air. Seattle’s No. 1 passing offense posed a threat and took advantage, hitting multiple big plays downfield. The Seahawks finished the game with 236 total passing yards, which did fall shy of their 276.7 season average, but they largely ran the ball in the fourth quarter with a lead in hand.
Smith spread the ball around to six different receivers, four had receptions of at least 15 yards. After not registering a sack in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers, the Falcons generated consistent pressure on Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith and managed to get him on the ground. James Smith-Williams, who started for injured outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter, recorded a sack for a 6-yard loss in the second quarter. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett also pressured Smith multiple times, but he did not have a sack in the game.
All told, some of the Seahawks’ biggest plays in the game came when Smith was under pressure but managed to slip away from Falcons’ defenders. As the defense prepares for another important matchup next week, its ability to get to the quarterback will once again be a topic of conversation.
Injuries to the offensive line
Left guard Matthew Bergeron and center Ryan Neuzil left the game after sustaining injuries. Neuzil was accompanied by trainers as he walked off the field under his own power in the second quarter, and third-string center Matt Hennessy, who started 22 games for the Falcons from 2020-22 entered the game. The substitution didn’t slow down Atlanta’s rushing attack, though, as Bijan Robinson scored the Falcons’ first touchdown of the game later on the same drive.
Neuzil returned later in the second quarter after he was evaluated for a possible head injury. Starter Drew Dalman went down with an ankle injury in Week 3 and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. Neuzil has been starting for the Falcons since. Bergeron left the game on the Falcons’ first drive of the second half and was evaluated for a possible head injury. He was cleared for a possible concussion, but he did not return to the game due to a neck injury. Reserve left guard Kyle Hinton played the remainder of the action for Atlanta’s offense.
Bijan Robinson matches rookie rushing touchdown total
In his rookie season, Bijan Robinson scored four rushing touchdowns. It took only seven games for Robinson to match that total in his second year. He scored the touchdown on a 5-yard run in the second quarter; it was his third in the previous two games. Robinson finished the game with 143 total yards — 103 rushing and 40 receiving — and the touchdown against the Seahawks. The running back broke away for multiple plays of 20 yards or more against Seattle’s defense, including gains of 26 yards as a runner and receiver.
In just the first half, Robinson recorded 80 of his total 103 rushing yards. Robinson also averaged an impressive 4.9 yards per carry. Tyler Allgeier added 36 yards to the Falcons’ 155 total rushing yards.
The Texans got on the board first after Neville Hewitt intercepted Jordan Love and returned the ball to the Green Bay 11-yard line. Ka’imi Fairbairn punched through a field goal to give Houston a lead they held onto through the end of the opening quarter
Love recovered quickly after that initial pick. Following a five-play Green Bay drive that ended in a punt, the Texans moved 36 yards on eight plays and punted the ball back. Tucker Kraft got on the end of a 14-yard pass from Love to finish a 14-play drive that put the Packers up 7-3.
Stroud and the Texans were again halted on their next drive, but Tommy Townsend’s punt hit a Green Bay player and was recovered at the Packers’ 11-yard line by Houston. Two plays later, Joe Mixon rumbled into the endzone to give the visitors a 10-7 lead.
It wouldn’t last long, though. Three minutes later Dontayvion Wicks latched onto a 30-yard pass from Love to put the Packers up 14-10.
In 10 plays, Stroud drove the Texans 23 yards and into field goal range for Fairbairn, who nailed a 52-yarder to make the score 14-13 in favor of the Packers.
Love once again sought to fit the ball into a tight window on the next drive, but with Derek Stingley Jr. in tight coverage, he overthrew his receiver and Calen Bullock flew in to nab his third pick of the year.
This time Stroud and Mixon made sure the Texans finished in the endzone, with the running back powering four yards to put another six points on the board. Houston went for two but failed to convert, and the teams entered halftime with the visitors on top 19-14.
The Texans continued to have trouble moving the ball in the second half, and after a five-play drive moved backwards, Jordan Love and the Packers took 5:22 off the clock with a 10-play drive that ended with a pass to the right to Josh Jacobs, who found his way into the endzone.
With the Packers leading 21-19, both offenses struggled to create. Over the next six drives, the two teams combined to gain 49 yards total.
Then Stroud engineered a 41-yard drive that Fairbairn finished off with a 35-yard field goal, but 1:44 remained on the clock for Jordan Love.
Green Bay moved 39 yards and set Brandon McManus up for a 45-yard field goal to win the game win no time remaining.
The Texans return to Houston to face the Colts next Sunday before heading north again for a Thursday Night showdown with the New York Jets on Halloween.
The Champions League — where dreams come true, fantasies become reality and legends are born. Or something like that.
Unless you’re Dinamo Zagreb, Red Bull Salzburg, Celtic, Red Star Belgrade, Slovan Bratislava or Young Boys, in which case the Champions League is where fears prevail, nightmares become reality and careers get ruined.
OK, maybe not that bad, but fans of the above clubs can be forgiven for feeling apprehensive when UEFA’s anthem plays during Matchday Three tonight (Tuesday) and tomorrow.
These are teams who are used to dominating their domestic leagues, winning 60 per cent or 70 per cent of their league matches year after year (even as high as 84 per cent last season for Red Star) to claim title after title.
Taking the past seven domestic seasons, Dinamo, Salzburg, Celtic, Red Star, Slovan and Young Boys have won 38 league titles between them, out of a possible 42. Dinamo have taken every one of those Croatian championships with Red Star doing the same in Serbia, and the rest have won six of the available seven.
They are superior in their homelands almost to the point of boredom. And yet, from their combined opening two rounds of Champions League matches this season, the six teams have scored 12 goals between them and conceded a whopping 49. That’s a combined goal difference of -37 from 12 matches.
Transferring domestic bliss to European success is not easy, especially when your budget is a fraction of the spending power available at Manchester City, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
According to transfer website Transfermarkt, Slovan have spent a total of £2.6million ($3.4m) on new signings in the past three seasons and their squad has a total estimated value of £24m. The same source lists City as having spent £365m in the past three years (which, to be honest, feels quite frugal for them) and their squad value is estimated at being a smidgen over £1billion. So, City have spent roughly 139 times as much as Slovan since 2022, and their squad is worth 43 times as much.
When the teams faced each other three weeks ago on Matchday Two, Slovan’s odds for winning on home turf were 40/1. They may have a monopoly on the Slovakian title, but with a budget akin to a club in League One, Engish football’s third tier, they were predictably no match for City.
“We dreamt of, one day, the best team in the world, or one of the best, coming (here),” Slovan manager Vladimir Weiss told reporters before the match. The reality, however, was less romantic: City had 28 shots, scored four goals, hit the woodwork three times and registered an expected goals (xG) figure of 3.8. Slovan had 24 per cent possession and didn’t register a shot on target.
“Honestly, this was just as we expected,” Tomas, a Slovan fan who attended the game, tells The Athletic. “Slovan has not played in the Champions League for 32 years (having failed to get past its qualifying rounds on 11 occasions), so it is a big success to even be there.
“When we beat (Denmark’s champions) Midtjylland to qualify (having got through three previous ties in a campaign that began four days before last season had ended with the Euro 2024 final on July 14), it was one of the best results in the last few years and was like a European final for us.
“Then we were drawn against Manchester City, Bayern Munich, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid (among their eight league-phase games). These are matches we have not had for many, many years, so even though we will probably lose, it is still a big prize. The Celtic defeat (Slovan lost 5-1 in Glasgow on Matchday One) was not good, but even a club like Celtic has much more money than us.
“We have Dinamo (Zagreb) at home (on November 5), a match we can look to draw or win, but mostly I want the eight games to be a lesson for the players and the owners, and for us to make money from TV and full stadiums to spend on improving the team.”
There is a distinct “happy to be there” vibe from Slovan, but that does not apply to every Champions League ‘minnow’.
Salzburg, who will compete in the revamped Club World Cup in the United States next summer courtesy of their consistent Champions League group-phase qualification in recent years, are adjusting to life under a new manager in Jurgen Klopp’s long-time Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders, and were probably thought of as a bit of a dark horse going into the league phase.
Instead, they were comfortably beaten 3-0 at Sparta Prague and then surprisingly trounced 4-0 at home to French newcomers Brest. They lie fourth in the early-season Austrian Bundesliga, six points off leaders Sturm Graz, but have two games in hand.
Pep Lijnders acknowledges Salzburg fans after defeat in Prague (Michal Cizek/AFP via Getty Images)
“I don’t want to make excuses, I take full responsibility,” Lijnders said in a press conference after the Brest defeat. “This group has enough quality that it should not happen like this. That worries me a little bit.
“We expected a completely different start in the Champions League, especially with the qualification (beating FC Twente, 5-4 on aggregate, and Dynamo Kyiv, 3-1). I’m sick of people calling us a young team. There are no excuses, we have enough quality to win football matches in the Champions League.”
Young Boys, whose Swiss Super League is of a similar standard to Austria’s Bundesliga, will also have expected better than to be propping up the 32-team Champions League table after two defeats (3-0 at home to Aston Villa, 5-0 at Barcelona).
Like Salzburg, the Bern club are enduring domestic woes, and sacked manager Patrick Rahmen, who had only been appointed in the summer, a week after the Barcelona thrashing. They are 10th in a 12-team domestic league. A visit from Inter Milan, Serie A champions and three-time European Cup/Champions League winners, awaits on Wednesday.
Dinamo also dispensed with their manager after suffering one of the heaviest defeats in Champions League history, losing 9-2 at Bayern last month. Sergej Jakirovic had led Dinamo to a Croatian league and cup double in 2023-24 but the Bayern thrashing was deemed unacceptable and he left two days later by mutual consent.
The harsh reality of Dinamo Zagreb’s European struggle is laid bare on Bayern Munich’s scoreboard(Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)
A 2-2 home draw against Monaco on Matchday Two, under new boss Nenad Bjelica, suggested the right decision had been made. Next up? A visit to Lijnders and Salzburg on Wednesday.
And then you have Celtic. Unlike many of those sides mentioned above, the Scottish club are Champions League regulars and have taken some incredible scalps over the years, beating Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United and AC Milan (and back in 1967 they won the competition). But every one of those victories has come at Celtic Park where, backed by one of the most vociferous atmospheres in European football, they can be a match for anyone.
Away from home, it’s a different story. This season’s competition has been Celtic in Europe in a microcosm, thrashing Slovan 5-1 at home and then being humiliated 7-1 by Borussia Dortmund in Germany, where they conceded five before half-time — the first time a British club had done so in a major European competition since 1997-98. It was their 31st defeat from 37 Champions League group/league-stage away games — and in those 37, they have conceded an almighty 100 goals.
Yet manager Brendan Rodgers was unrepentant in not changing the team’s approach for that Dortmund game, despite facing criticism familiar from his first spell at Celtic, when his side lost 7-0 to Barcelona at Camp Nou and 7-1 at Paris Saint-Germain, or 6-0 away to Atletico Madrid in his second spell last season.
“We play in a way that allows us to dominate domestically,” Rodgers said. “We know it’s going to be difficult at times for us to do that, but we still have to show our ability with the ball. Are we going to sit in and camp, and wait? No, we won’t do that.”
Celtic supporters who have paid thousands of pounds to travel across the continent to see their team win just two of 37 Champions League away matches (beating Spartak Moscow in 2012-13 and Belgium’s Anderlecht in 2017-18) may see things differently. While nobody could accuse Celtic fans of not making the most of their trips abroad, if anyone has attended all 37 games, they will have travelled more than 70,000 miles, which is almost three times around the world, to see two victories.
“I’ve not done that many, but I’ve never seen us win abroad,” Celtic season-ticket holder Alasdair tells The Athletic. “There is always a great atmosphere on the road and no one takes it for granted that we’re privileged to visit some great cities and stadiums, but it’s pretty demoralising.
Celtic fans enjoy their European trips – until the football starts (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
“There’s maybe an unrealistic expectation at the club that we should be doing better, but given our resources compared to the Premier League and the big Spanish, German and Italian clubs, we’re on a different planet. We’ll find the new format only skews the imbalance further.”
We are working with an incredibly small sample size after two rounds but the early results in the expanded 36-team ‘league phase’ do suggest the scales are tipping further. We have seen scorelines of 9-2, 7-1, 5-0 and 5-1, plus four 4-0s. After 36 matches, this is proving to be one of the most goal-heavy editions of the Champions League, with 3.19 per game being close to the highest on record (3.24 in 2019-20).
So far, it has been the most one-sided Champions League season yet, with an average margin of victory of 2.57 goals, comfortably above the next highest of 2.37 from the 1993-94 season.
By expanding the competition, the quality will be diluted, while this bigger first stage could lend itself to teams playing more expansively, given the probable need for only 10 or so points from your eight matches to reach at least the play-off knockout round, where places in the last-16 will be up for grabs.
As the rich get richer and the financial imbalance across Europe increases, expect more of the same. And expect fans of relative Champions League minnows to dread rather than relish their continental adventures.
The Las Vegas Raiders are already making a move to address the absence of quarterback Aidan O’Connell.
The Raiders have signed former third-round pick Desmond Ridder off the Arizona Cardinals practice squad. Ridder was the No. 74 overall selection by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Cincinnati.
Ridder started 17 games in two seasons for the Falcons, completing 64 percent of his passes for 3,544 yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Falcons traded him to the Cardinals in March for wide receiver Rondale Moore.
Ridder is expected to serve as the backup or even compete with Gardner Minshew II for the starting role. O’Connell will be placed on Injured Reserve.
What kind of skill set does Ridder bring to the Silver and Black?
If he sees any action, Ridder is a fairly accurate quarterback who has confidence in the pocket and is not afraid to push the ball down the field. He can also use his legs, as he rushed for 257 yards and five touchdowns in two seasons with Atlanta.
Ridder is familiar with running a system like that of Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. He can operate within a run-heavy offense and is solid at making play-action throws. If he gets into a rhythm on a drive, he can lead the offense down the field and finish in the end zone.
The Raiders could have an offensive element they did not previously have with Ridder. The Falcons had success in the red zone running read options, where Ridder kept the ball and had a wide-open lane to the end zone.
Ridder, like both Raider quarterbacks this season, has a turnover problem. He had 12 interceptions and 12 fumbles in just 13 games last season, resulting in his benching at several points in the season.
Coach Antonio Pierce could get a good look at Ridder this week to see how well he operates the offense in a short amount of time. He could put Ridder in the game against their biggest rival if he likes what he sees.
It is likely Minshew will start the entire game, but it could offer Las Vegas some comfort knowing they have a backup with starting experience.
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An end-to-end first half failed to create any real chances of note before Curtis Jones produced a brilliant block on Cole Palmer, and then raced into the Chelsea box to win a penalty.
Salah converted from the spot and Liverpool were in the ascendancy from there, with Cody Gakpo having a goal ruled out before half-time.
The second half started in a similarly frantic fashion, though Chelsea landed the first blow, equakising quickly after Nicolas Jackson latched onto a brilliant through ball from Moises Caicedo.
But parity was short-lived, as Curtis Jones got to the end of a Salah cross to poke past Sanchez for 2-1 in the 51st minute.
The rest of the half was far less eventful, with neither side managing to fashion a chance of note before seven minutes were added on.
The home side looked to close out the game as the Blues tried to mount some final attacks, and the Reds’ defence stood firm to confirm the three points.
Follow all the Premier League action with our live blog below:
Liverpool vs Chelsea LIVE
Liverpool host Chelsea in the Premier League
51’ GOAL! Jones pokes in to give Liverpool the lead again (LIV 2-1 CHE)
48’ GOAL! Jackson equalises after a great ball from Caicedo (LIV 1-1 CHE)
33′ DISALLOWED GOAL! Gakpo taps in but Salah had strayed offside (LIV 1-0 CHE)
28’ GOAL! Salah converts from the penalty spot (LIV 1-0 CHE)
27’ PENALTY! Colwill brings down Jones (LIV 0-0 CHE)
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Jota, Gakpo
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; James, Tosin, Colwill, Gusto; Lavia, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Liverpool FC 2 – 1 Chelsea FC
Curtis Jones embodies former Liverpool great as questions raised over Chelsea’s title chances
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:33 , Chris Wilson
When Arne Slot had suggested Chelsea were potential champions, it posed the question of whether they could keep up with Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool. It soon transpired they could not keep up with the Joneses.
Or not Curtis Jones, anyway. Winners are not always scored by the best player on the pitch but, in a match that could shape two clubs’ seasons, this one was. Jones’ display of extraordinary dynamism restored Liverpool to the top of the table. It meant that Chelsea, already beaten by Manchester City, have failed their two biggest tests of the season so far. Liverpool, now seven points clear of them, have passed their toughest.
They did so courtesy of a couple of very different indictments of Chelsea’s transfer business. Many a charge can be levelled at Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital but it was a previous Chelsea regime who let Mohamed Salah leave. With a goal and an assist, he gave them added reasons to regret a past mistake. If Jones is precisely the kind of player the modern-day Chelsea would sell, Liverpool do not need to dispense with homegrown talents for pure profit. Jones joined them at nine. At 23, he had one of his finest afternoons in a red shirt.
Jones embodies former Liverpool great as questions raised over Chelsea’s title chance
Chelsea are making progress at last — but a crucial task still faces Enzo Maresca
09:03 , Richard Jolly
The previous time Chelsea lost to Liverpool they were labelled the “blue billion-pound bottle jobs”. Eight months on, there was a more flattering appraisal, and from the victor. “If I would be a Chelsea manager, I would say if we can play like this at Anfield, we can compete for a top-four position,” said Arne Slot. This wasn’t a repeat of the Carabao Cup final, the extra-time failure against Jurgen Klopp’s kids, or their last trip to Anfield, the 4-1 walloping in January.
There was more respectability in a reverse. “We don’t like to lose, but if we have to, we choose this way,” said Enzo Maresca, who pronounced himself “proud but also upset”. The Italian may have been exaggerating when he said: “We controlled most of the game”. Slot’s verdict on his 2-1 win may have been fairer. “In an ideal world, we would have outplayed them completely but it was an equal game,” he said.
Chelsea are making progress at last — but a crucial task still faces Enzo Maresca
Curtis Jones praised for shutting down Cole Palmer in Liverpool’s win over Chelsea
09:02 , Chris Wilson
Arne Slot was delighted with the contribution from new dad Curtis Jones at both ends of the pitch after he scored the winner in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea that sent Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League.
Jones tucked in Liverpool’s second goal six minutes into the second half, moments after Nicolas Jackson’s equaliser, having already made a crucial block to deny Cole Palmer and then won the penalty from which Mohamed Salah opened the scoring.
Jones thought he had won a second penalty before half-time when he collided with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. Referee John Brooks pointed to the spot but the decision was overturned after a VAR intervention.
Even though that was not to be, it was an outstanding all-round display from the 23-year-old.
Liverpool’s next match takes place in the Champions League, as they travel to Germany to face RB Leipzig on Wednesday. They then travel to London for a huge game at the top of the table, as they face Arsenal at 4.30pm on Sunday, 27 October.
Chelsea travel to Greece to face Panathinaikos in midweek, before they host Newcastle on Sunday at 2pm.
Post-match reaction
Sunday 20 October 2024 20:00 , Chris Wilson
Despite criticising Sanchez, Carragher is full of praise for Chelsea overall.
“I thought Chelsea were excellent,” he says.
“When managers come up against each other they try to do something different to throw the oppositions setup.
“They caused Liverpool problems. In terms of control of the game Chelsea were better, but what let them down was the goalkeeper.
“The thing Chelsea didn’t do enough of in the second half was create chances.
“Liverpool were hanging on at times and they were hanging on to get to the final whistle,” he adds.
Post-match reaction
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:50 , Chris Wilson
From Chelsea’s point of view, the pundits are unsure on the role of Sanchez when they conceded the second goal.
“It’s so poor from Chelsea’s point [of view]. Reece James ambles in there,” says Carragher.
“The goalkeeper is so poor. It was a poor touch from Curtis Jones really, and it’s poor from the goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez.
“Sanchez has got to go and win that ball.
“Jones should be terrified that a goalkeeper is coming towards him. You have got to get there and hope it hits you in the face and you keep it out.
“Chelsea need a new goalkeeper if they want to get back to where they want to be,” he adds.
Pundits react on Sky
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:44 , Chris Wilson
There’s plenty more coming from Carragher, Richards and Sturridge on TV.
The first notable comments surround Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, who Sturridge is keen to defend.
“Nicolas Jackson is pivotal to the system,” he says.
“He’s good at going into the false nine position. It was a fantastic finish, calm in front of goal.
“I am analysing him on open play. I’m not analysing him on statistics, I don’t think he’s devastating in front of goal, but I think he has what it takes to get there.
“When you’re playing in the spotlight at any top club you are judged because of likes of Drogba, Anelka and Crespo – you’re judging him compared to those world-class strikers.
“I think we have been a bit too critical,” he adds.
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:37 , Chris Wilson
Reece James also briefly spoke to Sky after the match.
“Coming here is always tough,” he said.
“I think we controlled most of the game. They had chances but we had a few chances as well but didn’t take them.
“We are definitely moving in the right direction. The scoreline doesn’t reflect the game,” he added.
“If we step back and look at performances and what we are trying to do, we have come a long way. It is still early days, we haven’t been with the manager long.”
FT: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:21 , Chris Wilson
Enzo Maresca is next to speak to Sky. He says Chelsea “don’t like to lose or drop points, but I really liked the performance”.
“We deserved something more but the performance was good.
“We controlled most of the game. We had chances, we had possession. We don’t like to lose, but if we have to choose this is the way. The team was brave on and off the ball.
“I don’t think this game defines where we are. We prepared in the best way, it worked quite well. You have to take chances, but overall I am very happy with the players.”
On refereeing decisions, he adds: “I didn’t see anything in terms of decisions from the referee. The only thing I can see is in this stadium is is something the noise of the crowd.
“The only thing I can say is the referee is there to make decisions. Sometimes they are right, sometimes they are wrong. Sometimes it is because of the noise [of the crowd], but overall I think they did OK.”
FT: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:07 , Chris Wilson
Arne Slot is understandably delighted as he speaks to Sky.
“The most important thing, if you want to have a chance of winning a game like this, is that you work so hard, which we did,” he says.
“In the meantime, we created a few very good chances, and were a bit unlucky with some decisions,” he adds.
“I think it could’ve been a crucial decision to overturn the referee’s decision [on the penalty]. If you look at it on a screen, you still feel it is a penalty.”
He adds that he thinks the early last-man challenge from Tosin on Jota was also a red card.
“The fans helped us a lot, it probably comes from these decisions.
“In the end, a good win against a very strong Chelsea,” he says, before adding that Curtis Jones put in a “very good individual performance”.
“Curtis had a difficult job, he had to control Cole Palmer, which is not easy. He was very important for us on both parts of the pitch.
“Everybody who saw the game knows it wasn’t easy. For us it’s very good that we made a bit of a gap now.”
FULL-TIME! Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:02 , Chris Wilson
On Sky, Jamie Carragher has hailed Jones’ performance, calling it a “throwback”.
“Curtis Jones was brilliant, he was outstanding,” said Carragher.
“He’s still at that stage where he doesn’t know for certain if he is first choice, when you have got Gravenberch and Mac Allister.
“But what a performance that was, when you think of the quality on the pitch and the money that has been spent. For a local lad to be player of the match.
“I wonder if Arne Slot is going to go back in for Zubimendi in January, but when you see how he played today you think ‘no’.
“He has to now do it on a consistent basis.”
FULL-TIME! Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:56 , Chris Wilson
Matchwinner Curtis Jones is first to speak to Sky.
“We came away with a win, it’s the most important thing obviously,” he says.
“I had it in my mind, if I can keep Cole [Palmer] quiet then that’s a large part of the game.
On the penalties, he says: “I never dive, I felt the contact, so I went down”.
“If you want to play in this team, you’ve got to run, you’ve got to have energy, you’ve got to help out.
On his goal, he adds: “There’s been times when I’ve arrived in the box and it’s been a first-time one. I thought it was going to come and it did, and I was fortunate enough. I got the goal.”He finishes by calling his newborn daughter “a little dream”.
Premier League table
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:52 , Chris Wilson
That result means Liverpool return to the top of the league table. The Reds sit on 21 points, one above Manchester City and four above Arsenal.
Chelsea miss the chance to enter the top three, and they stay sixth, on 14 points.
FULL-TIME! Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:47 , Chris Wilson
So, an entertaining match comes to an end at Anfield and Liverpool return to the top of the Premier League table.
The Reds probably deserved the win in the end, though Chelsea produced a good performance to take them all the way. However, in attack, Chelsea couldn’t create enough and paid the price for a couple of defensive lapses.
Arne Slot’s side have answered yet another question thrown at them, and if they carry on like this, they may work themselves into the title conversation.
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:40 , Chris Wilson
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
FULL-TIME! Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:35 , Chris Wilson
FULL-TIME!
The referee brings the match to an end and Liverpool return to the top of the table!
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:34 , Chris Wilson
96 mins
Whisltes around Anfield as Chelsea come forward, but the attack breaks down after a foul from Nunez. That one was harsh.
Chelsea mount what must be a final attack…the ball is squared to Gusto but his shot is blocked!
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:33 , Chris Wilson
95 mins
Liverpool have a rare attack and Salah threads it to the overlapping Diaz, but he’s flagged for offside.
From the Chelsea counter, Gomez slides in brilliantly to cut the pass out, and Liverpool come forward again. The attack is led by Diaz, who weaves into the box before cutting outside and curling an effort past the far post.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:31 , Chris Wilson
94 mins
Chelsea are in possession but it’s a little too pedestrian to threaten the home side. They do fashion a half-chance though, as Neto clips a ball towards the back post. Nkunku is running in but he has to stretch too much as he gets a foot to it, and he can only direct it behind.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:29 , Chris Wilson
92 mins
Palmer skips past a challenge but is brought down by Mac Allister, and it’ll be a set-piece in dangerous territory for Chelsea.
Palmer delivers the cross but Veiga heads over from about six yards!
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:27 , Chris Wilson
90 mins
Liverpool do mount a rare attack and it ends with Caicedo committing a foul midway into the Chelsea half.
There’ll be an additional seven minutes at Anfield! Liverpool throw forward the men for the free-kick when the board goes up, but the set-piece comes to nothing.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:26 , Chris Wilson
89 mins
Liverpool are certainly looking to close out the game at the moment, as opposed to pouring numbers forward looking for a third. Chelsea aren’t threatening a lot, to be honest, but you’d think they’ll have at least one more chance.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:25 , Richard Jolly at Anfield
It does feel as though the next 5 minutes or so could go a long way towards shaping both clubs’ seasons – win and it is easier to call Liverpool title challengers, lose and it is more likely the best-case scenario for Chelsea is fourth place. An open affair means a comeback is feasible, but so is a bigger win. Either way, there feels one more goal left in this game.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:24 , Chris Wilson
87 mins
Liverpool try pressing high but Chelsea make their way out of it thanks to some good passing and a shimmy from Caicedo. The home side win a free-kick in the end though after a tired challenge.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:23 , Chris Wilson
85 mins
Gusto is down briefly after a heavy challenge from Mac Allister. He’s okay to carry on though.
Chelsea attack and it ends with Gomez putting it behind for a corner. Gusto clips the ball in towards the back post, and it’s headed away for a throw, before Neto is dispossessed as he tried to knock it past Gomez.
(Getty Images)
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:19 , Chris Wilson
83 mins
Will there be another big chance in this match? Common sense would say yes, but it really doesn’t feel like it at the moment. Both sides are playing in quite a pedestrian manner, and a lot of the earlier energy has left the game for now.
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:17 , Chris Wilson
80 mins
Sanchez tries to launch a Chelsea counter but Nkunku is scythed down by his compatriot Konate. He is booked for his troubles.
Alexis Mac Allister comes on Jones for in midfield, while Alexander-Arnold comes off for Joe Gomez.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:16 , Chris Wilson
79 mins
Diaz is brought down by Veiga near halfway and the Portuguese is booked.
Liverpool try and launch an attack but there’s no space between the lines, so they work it back to Konate, before Diaz eventually fizzes a low shot too close to Sanchez.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:14 , Chris Wilson
77 mins
Alexander-Arnold delivers the cross from the set-piece but it’s headed away too easily. Liverpool collect the ball again, with Salah sending it forward to the overlapping Szoboszlai, but his cutback it cut out by Fernandez.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:12 , Chris Wilson
75 mins
Badiashile bundles into Nunez and he concedes a naive free-kick near the byline.
Chelsea make another change as Noni Madueke makes way for Christopher Nkunku.
(Getty Images)
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:10 , Chris Wilson
73 mins
Both sides are struggling to keep the ball for sustained periods, and there have been few attacks of note since it went to 2-1. Chelsea will certainly feel like they’re still in it though.
Szoboszlai’s pass is cut out by Fernandez and it runs to Neto, who surges towards the box and unleashes a shot from distance that bobbles past the far post.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:07 , Chris Wilson
71 mins
Lovely play from Neto to get away from Alexander-Arnold and poke it to Palmer. He has Jackson to his right but he opts to shoot, and it’s blocked.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:06 , Chris Wilson
69 mins
Nunez gets a booking after a late challenge on Badiashile. Needless.
Veiga clips a ball forward and it’s an awkward one for Alexander-Arnold, as it’s not quite running to Kelleher, but the duo deal with it eventually.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:05 , Chris Wilson
68 mins
A little bit of commotion as Badiashile looks to have pushed over Nunez, but VAR waves it away.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:02 , Chris Wilson
65 mins
Luis Diaz comes on for Gakpo for the home side. His first involvement sees him try to latch on to Salah’s chipped through ball, but there’s too much on it.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:01 , Chris Wilson
65 mins
Palmer’s free-kick hits the wall and bounces out for a corner.
Fernandez takes, with Gusto eventually putting the ball into the box, but Chelsea are penalised as Nunez is sent tumbling over.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:00 , Chris Wilson
63 mins
Neto plays in a looping cross that falls to Madueke, though he can only direct his volley straight at Kelleher.
Chelsea win it back quickly, before Neto wins a free-kick on the edge of the box after drawing the foul from Gravenberch. A few yards in front of where Palmer scored against Brighton.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:57 , Chris Wilson
60 mins
Lovely play from Salah and Gravenberch as they exchange passes before the former fizzes a great diagonal pass to Gakpo. The Dutchman drives at the Chelsea defence before cutting inside and firing over.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:55 , Chris Wilson
58 mins
Chelsea are enjoying more of the ball at the moment, though Robertson nips in to win possession. Not a lot happening at the moment.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:53 , Richard Jolly at Anfield
It is a game that increasingly appears to revolve around Curtis Jones who, at various points, may have denied Chelsea a goal with a block, earned Liverpool a penalty, seemed to have got them a second and has now scored. He has been terrific. And, of course, he cost Liverpool nothing whereas Chelsea now have the £222m double act together, in Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:53 , Chris Wilson
56 mins
The game has settled a little after those two early goals. Chelsea launch an attack as Veiga feeds Neto, but his cross is collected by Kelleher.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:51 , Chris Wilson
53 mins
Chelsea respond to the setback by making a triple change. Lavia, James and Tosin come off for Enzo Fernandez, Renato Veiga and Benoit Badiashile.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:49 , Chris Wilson
52 mins
GOAL! The home side are ahead again almost straight away, and it comes from their best player on the day.
Salah collects on the right and he cuts inside before swinging in a lovely cross. Jones has made the deep run and he takes a brilliant touch to get it out of his feet before poking it past the onrushing Sanchez.
A great finish.
(Getty Images)
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:46 , Chris Wilson
49 mins
The goal is given! Far too easy from a Liverpool point of view, but well worked from Chelsea and a great through ball from Caicedo.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:45 , Chris Wilson
47 mins
DISALLOWED GOAL! This will be close!
Jackson latches onto a through ball and he’s clean through in-behind. He drives towards the box and slots it past Kelleher with ease.
The flag goes up but it looks like Jackson was quite clearly onside.
KICK-OFF! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:42 , Chris Wilson
Liverpool get the second half started.
Chelsea made a change at the break – Sancho comes off for Pedro Neto.
HALF-TIME! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:41 , Chris Wilson
The two teams are re-emerging from the Anfield tunnel, so we’re moments away from the second half starting.
HALF-TIME! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:37 , Chris Wilson
It was just one minute and 54 seconds between Jones’ brilliant block on Palmer and then him winning the penalty. Small margins.
Liverpool dominated somewhat after their goal, and were unlucky to have a second ruled out after Salah strayed offside.
Chelsea have shown flashes of what they can do, especially with Madueke on the right wing, but they need to get Palmer into the game more.
HALF-TIME! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:32 , Chris Wilson
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
HALF-TIME! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:26 , Chris Wilson
53 mins
HALF-TIME!
Szoboszlai is booked after pulling back Palmer and then kicking the ball away.
The free-kick is the last event of the half as James’ delivery is then headed away by the Hungarian. The referee then brings the first half to an end at Anfield.
An entertaining 45 minutes for the neutral, and Chelsea have performed okay despite trailing, but they’ll know that the game can escape you quickly at Anfield, as it so almost did.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:24 , Chris Wilson
51 mins
CLOSE! The ball is played forward to Madueke on the right wing and he’s got plenty of space. So does Palmer, and Madueke lays it off to his England teammate, but Palmer fires over.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:23 , Chris Wilson
49 mins
We’ve had the allotted added time, but there’ll be another couple of minutes.
Chelsea launch a counter, led by Madueke, but Nunez wins the ball back. Liverpool try to go on their own counter, but Caicedo does well to dispossess Szoboszlai.
PENALTY OVERTURNED! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:21 , Chris Wilson
48 mins
Surely this will be overturned. It was a good challenge from Sanchez in the end!
The Spaniard came out and made the first contact with the ball, with the follow-through bringing down Jones.
It’s overturned, as is the yellow card for Sanchez.
PENALTY! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:20 , Chris Wilson
47 mins
PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!
Another penalty for the home side, but not as clear as the first. Liverpool attack and Nunez threads a great through ball into the path of Jones. Before he can hit it, Sanchez comes out and drags him down, but Sanchez might have got a touch.
There’s a VAR review…
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:18 , Chris Wilson
45 mins
Play resumes with a Liverpool attack but Nunez is flagged for offside.
Gusto tries to launch an attack but he’s forced to play it backwards, before Robertson gets the better of Madueke as he slides in to give away a corner.
There’ll be five minutes of added time here.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:16 , Richard Jolly at Anfield
“A spell to show how Liverpool’s players and crowd can drive each other on. Anfield became louder and angrier, even the usually calm Arne Slot showing dissent, and the team became more urgent. The indirect effect may have come in the goal and, with Cody Gakpo having another disallowed, almost a second. Chelsea were blown away at Anfield last season. Now the test for Enzo Maresca’s new-look side is to show more resilience.”
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:15 , Chris Wilson
43 mins
Maresca uses the break in play to speak to his players. Jackson limps off the pitch for now, but he looks like he could run it off.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:14 , Chris Wilson
41 mins
Salah plays a lovely through ball with the outside of his foot into the path of Gakpo, but the Chelsea defence does well to track back and clear.
Jackson has just gone down in the middle of the pitch with nobody around him. He’s holding his right knee as he receives treatment.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:12 , Chris Wilson
39 mins
Sancho shows too much of the ball to Alexander-Arnold but he wins a corner. James’ ball in is cleared, and Chelsea have to work the attack again from a throw.
(Getty Images)
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:10 , Chris Wilson
37 mins
A promising Liverpool counter-attack ends with Szoboszlai latching onto a through ball in the box, but he can only direct his shot straight at Sacnhez.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:08 , Chris Wilson
35 mins
Not a lot has happened since that disallowed effort, with Chelsea not yet having an opportunity to get back into the game.
Liverpool are enjoying plenty of possession, but the majority is in their own half.
DISALLOWED GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:06 , Chris Wilson
33 mins
Liverpool think they have another but it’s offside.
Sanchez played it straight to Jones, who slipped a pass through to Salah, with the Egyptian playing the ball across for Gakpo to tap in. However, Salah had strayed offside in the build-up.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:04 , Chris Wilson
32 mins
A ball forward almost falls to Nunez, but Sanchez did well to sweep it away for a throw. Liverpool win a corner right after, but the opportunity comes to nothing after Alexander-Arniold’s cross goes straight to Sanchez.
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:03 , Chris Wilson
30 mins
Liverpool have been forced into making a change here, as Jota comes off for Darwin Nunez.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:01 , Chris Wilson
28 mins
GOAL! The home side are ahead.
Chelsea try and delay the taking of the penalty and Jackson is booked.
Salah steps up to take it – and he rifles past Sanchez, sending the Spaniard the wrong way.
(Getty Images)
PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL! Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:00 , Chris Wilson
27 mins
PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL! Stonewall.
Liverpool attack and Salah tries to force a shot through, but it bounces into the path of Jones. He’s wrestling with Colwill as he tries to get his feet sorted, and the Chelsea man brings him down for a clear penalty.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:58 , Chris Wilson
25 mins
CLOSE!
Madueke skips past Robertson again and cuts back a dangerous ball that falls to Palmer, but his shot is blocked.
Moments later, Salah leads a counter-attack and is brought down in the box, but the referee waves it away.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:57 , Chris Wilson
24 mins
Liverpool have some sustained possession around halfway, but there are no runners for the midfielders at the moment.
Salah tries to start an attack by playing it forward to Jota, but the Portuguese loses the ball under the challenge.
Moments later, James is dispossessed near his own box and the home side think they have a chance, but the foul is given for the challenge on the Englishman.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:54 , Chris Wilson
22 mins
The home side’s attacking play has been a little disjointed, and Maresca will likely be the happier of the two managers so far. Chelsea have had the better of the ball, but they haven’t managed to link their attacking play together yet.
James swings in a cross and Kelleher hesitates to come for it, so Alexander-Arnold nods it behind for a corner.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:53 , Chris Wilson
20 mins
CLOSE!
Liverpool play the long ball forward and James cushions it back to Sanchez. He takes too long on the ball and fires his clearance straight at Gakpo, but luckily for the Spaniard it bounces off Gakpo and straight into his gloves.
Moments later, there’s a brief VAR check for a penalty as Sancho goes down under the challenge from Alexander-Arnold, but nothing is given.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:50 , Chris Wilson
18 mins
Sancho wins a throw deep into the Liverpool half after Alexander-Arnold pokes the ball away. Chelsea try and launch a quick long throw into Jackson in the box, but Kelleher comes out to collect.
The away side come forward again, but it’s all a bit too pedestrian as the Liverpool defence falls back into shape.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:48 , Chris Wilson
15 mins
Caicedo feeds a ball in to Jackson, but he’s a little too isolated at the moment against Konate and van Dijk.
Chelsea come forward again and Sancho releases Gusto on the overlap, but his cross is blocked by Konate and it goes for a goal kick.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:46 , Chris Wilson
13 mins
No chances yet for either side. Chelsea are happy to work the ball across the pitch, before Madueke beats Robertson down the right. His cross is too powerful though.
(Getty Images)
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:45 , Chris Wilson
12 mins
Sanchez plays a brilliant ball 80-odd yards up the pitch right into the path of Sancho. The winger lays it off to Gusto, but he blasts a shot well wide.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:43 , Chris Wilson
10 mins
Liverpool are pressing high and it’s won them the ball a couple of times, the latest being after Sanchez is forced to kick long and Madueke can’t control it.
In contrast, Chelsea aren’t pressing anywhere near as high. The home side enjoy a bit of possession in their own half and near their box, but there’s not a lot happening right now.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:40 , Chris Wilson
7 mins
Home fans are screaming for a red card as the long ball is played over the top and Jota tries to run free, only to be dragged down by Tosin.
It’s a similar situation to Saliba’s red card yesterday, but the referee only gives Tosin a yellow. Colwill was close by to latch on, so that’s probably saved him.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:38 , Chris Wilson
6 mins
James and Lavia combine well on the edge of the Chelsea box, the former winning the ball in the tackle before the Belgian skips past another challenge.
The away side attack but Sancho is stopped easily by Gravenberch.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:37 , Chris Wilson
5 mins
Jones does well to skip past both Caicedo and Palmer in midfield, and Liverpool have an attacking opportunity that ends with Salah firing at Colwill’s hand. Shouts for a free-kick, but nothing given.
Caicedo is down after landing off-balance after that challenge on Jones, but he’s trying to run it off for now.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:35 , Chris Wilson
3 mins
Great play from Lavia to sell the dummy and skip away from the challenge to get Chelsea out of a tight position. The away side attack but James’ early cross is headed clear by Konate.
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:34 , Chris Wilson
2 mins
A few exchanges of possession as both sides look to settle early on.
Tosin gives away possession near his own box but Liverpool recycle possession back to van Dijk.
KICK-OFF! Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:32 , Chris Wilson
KICK-OFF!
The away get us underway on Merseyside.
Liverpool vs Chelsea LIVE
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:28 , Chris Wilson
Richard Jolly at Anfield:
“Arne Slot may have learnt the lesson of Liverpool’s defeat to Nottingham Forest by benching their three South Americans today for the first game after an international break – though Alexis Mac Allister, who felt ill on the plane back from representing Argentina, was not ready to start anyway. For Chelsea, Reece James’ first start of the season means there will be a focus on the injury-hit captain in a suspension-hit defence.”
Liverpool vs Chelsea LIVE
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:25 , Chris Wilson
The teams are in the tunnel at Anfield, so we’re only moments from kick-off.
(Getty Images)
Match facts
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:23 , Chris Wilson
Chelsea have won just one of their last nine Premier League away games against Liverpool (drawing five and losing three.
Along with Liverpool, Chelsea are one of two sides with a 100% away win rate in the Premier League this season.
Only Manchester City (17) have scored more goals than Chelsea (16) in the division this term, and only Tottenham boast a higher xG (15.0) than the Blues (14.7).
Enzo Maresca is looking to become only the fifth manager to win each of his first four away Premier League games, with one of the previous four to do so being his counterpart in this match, Liverpool’s Arne Slot.
Chelsea pair Cole Palmer (11) and Noni Madueke (4) have created 15 chances for each other in the Premier League this season, the most of any duo.
Match facts
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:18 , Chris Wilson
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last six Premier League meetings with Chelsea, though five of these have ended level. Having lost three consecutive league games against Chelsea between 2013 and 2014, the Reds have now lost just two of their last 19, winging seven and drawing 10.
Liverpool have conceded the fewest goals (two), kept the most clean sheets (five), and have the lowest expected goals against figure (5.2) of any side in the Premier League this season.
Mohamed Salah has four goals in 13 Premier League games against his former side, averaging a goal every 257 minutes against the Blues. He only has a worse minutes-per-goal rate against Burnley.
Is Liverpool v Chelsea on TV?
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:15 , Chris Wilson
A reminder of how you can watch the late-afternoon match today – we’re around 15 minutes from kick-off.
Liverpool vs Chelsea is due to kick off at 4:30pm BST on Sunday 20 October at Anfield.
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage on these channels beginning at 4pm. Subscribers can stream the action on Sky Go or Now TV.
What the managers have said
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:10 , Chris Wilson
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said that today’s match “is a special game for all of the clubs”.
“Liverpool is a nice environment, fantastic. We are excited to play this kind of game. All the games we have played until now have not been easy. We are going to do our best.
“I don’t think Sunday’s game defines where we are. In this moment, we have to be focused on things we need to improve.
“We have Liverpool and then two or three more games. Nottingham wasn’t an easy game, or Brighton, West Ham away or Bournemouth away.
“[The] Premier League is the best league in the world and the toughest league in the world,” he added.
When asked on how he feels about his club’s start to the season, the Italian said: “[I’m] very happy because what I expected in terms of players, level and style, I can see clearly that is there.
“It doesn’t matter in this moment who is going to play, you can see clearly how we want to play.”
What the managers have said
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:05 , Chris Wilson
Speaking in a press conference ahead of today’s game, Arne Slot said that he is “looking forward to a very interesting game”.
“Chelsea does really well. If you look at the league table then they are the ones that might be our toughest opponent.
“But it’s not always about the league table. Sometimes it’s about the form of the day, it’s about their game plan.
“We had some difficulty with Wolves as well, who are bottom of the league, I think. But it is a challenge, that’s for sure,” he added.
When speaking about Liverpool’s tough run of upcoming fixtures, he said: “I think we have to judge us as a team after this spell of games – not three of them but six, seven or eight of them.
“Then we know better how we act and how we perform if we play tough Champions League games and tough league games.
“That is normal in everybody’s season and we know how difficult it is.”
Conor Bradley has fond memories of Liverpool’s ‘special’ games with Chelsea
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:00 , Chris Wilson
Liverpool’s clash with Chelsea on Sunday will bring back special memories for Conor Bradley.
Fresh from captaining Northern Ireland in Tuesday’s 5-0 rout of Bulgaria in Belfast, the 21-year-old has returned to the club’s Kirkby training ground with a spring in his step before their next Premier League match.
Taking the armband for his country was just the latest step in Bradley’s outstanding 2024, and two meetings with Chelsea feature prominently in that story.
The first came on January 31 in a 4-1 win over the Londoners at Anfield, as Bradley got his first Liverpool goal and added two assists in a man-of-the-match display.
Arne Slot confident uncertainty over future of key Liverpool trio will not prove a distraction
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:55 , Chris Wilson
Arne Slot insisted he will be involved in contract talks with Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah by saying it would be “weird” if he was not consulted and shrugging off suggestions the right-back would be distracted as Real Madrid’s interest in him has become more public.
Liverpool’s captain, vice-captain and top scorer are all out of contract at the end of the season but Slot is adamant it is not an issue for him and he would only be worried if he reached the last day of the campaign with their futures still up in the air.
The Dutchman is Liverpool’s first head coach – predecessor Jurgen Klopp’s job title was manager and he had more control, albeit without getting his way when he wanted to keep Roberto Firmino and James Milner in 2023 – meaning sporting director Richard Hughes will assume overall responsibility for talks with the three key players. Slot confirmed, though, that he will play a part in discussions.
Arne Slot confident uncertainty over future of key trio will not prove a distraction
Chelsea cannot rely on Cole Palmer to solve all problems – Enzo Maresca
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:50 , Chris Wilson
Enzo Maresca warned his Chelsea players they cannot rely on Cole Palmer to “solve all our problems” as they prepare for a gruelling run of Premier League fixtures, beginning with Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool.
Following the game at Anfield, in which the head coach will be without suspended pair Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana in defence, the Blues play Newcastle at home before travelling to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.
Arsenal then visit Stamford Bridge to round off a three-week spell in which the potential in evidence during Maresca’s first seven games will receive a thorough inspection, with the team’s top-four credentials put to the test.
These two sides have met a total of 190 times, with meetings dating back to Christmas Day in 1907.
As ist stands, Liverpool have won 90, with Chelsea winning 61. 49 have ended as draws.
As alluded to earlier, the two teams have had a range of high-profile meetings, from Champions League semi-finals to last season’s Carabao cup final, which Liverpool won 1-0.
In the league last season, the two sides drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge in their league opener, while Liverpool won the return fixture 4-1 in January.
What Liverpool’s brutal seven-game run will reveal about their season under Arne Slot
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:40 , Chris Wilson
The best beginning to a reign made by any Liverpool manager is only a start. Arne Slot has found ways of deflecting the compliments his immediate impact at Anfield has generated. He has referenced the reality that some of his predecessors’ medal collections are sufficiently impressive that they do not need to be judged by their first 10 games or an early-season status as league leaders. He has cited the relatively kind fixture list: Liverpool have played the teams currently occupying 17th, 11th, 14th, 10th, 13th, 20th and 18th places. Their Carabao Cup win was against the club in 12th. Their Champions League victories were against the sides sitting sixth and 13th respectively in Serie A.
And now it gets harder. Liverpool’s next month amounts to a barometer of their prospects, a test of whether they are title challengers, potential Champions League winners, able to retain the Carabao Cup that proved Jurgen Klopp’s last trophy. It is Chelsea, RB Leipzig, Arsenal, Brighton, Brighton again, Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa, a seven-game stretch that could derail Liverpool’s ambitions or serve as a springboard to a challenge on multiple fronts.
For Slot, it amounts to a voyage of discovery. Have his first 10 games given him a clear idea of what Liverpool can achieve or is he still trying to find out himself?
What Liverpool’s brutal seven-game run will reveal about their season
Liverpool v Chelsea – the tale of a recent English ‘rivalry’
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:35 , Chris Wilson
Around 220 miles separate Anfield and Stamford Bridge, but despite the distance between theses two clubs, they have played out one of English football’s most intriguing rivalries since the early 2000s.
By the time Roman Abramovich took over the Blues in 2003, the historic gap between the two clubs had closed, with Liverpool remaining a force despite their inability to challenge for titles. But the Blues soon took them over, with the hiring of Jose Mourinho kickstarting a golden era.
And (despite a 3-2 Chelsea win in that year’s League Cup final) the rivalry between the two clubs can perhaps be traced to a match that was key in one of Liverpool’s most famous successes – their 2005 Champions League win.
Luis Garcia’s ghost goal at Anfield in the second leg of the semi-final won the tie for the Reds, and marked the first in a run of high-octane, high quality matches between the two sides, including another Liverpool win (this one on penalties) in the Champions League semi-finals in 2006/07, a 4-3 aggregate win for Chelsea in the 2007/08 semi-finals and a 7-5 aggregate win (including a 4-4 at Stamford Bridge) for Chelsea in the 2008/09 quarter-finals.
Since 2003, the two clubs have also met in two FA Cup finals and three League Cup finals.
(Getty Images)
Will Liverpool beat the Blues?
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:30 , Mike Jones
Liverpool are seeking a third successive win over Chelsea in all competitions for the first time since November 2011, when they recorded a sequence of four.
Victory this weekend would also see Liverpool record a 50th Anfield success over Chelsea in league football, while their next goal will be their 250th in all league encounters against the Londoners.
Liverpool vs Chelsea team changes
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:25 , Mike Jones
Arne Slot makes three changes to the Liverpool team that defeated Crystal Palace 1-0 in their final match before the international break.
Alisson is injured so Caoimhin Kelleher will be in goal while Andy Robertson takes up his place at left-back ahead of Kostas Tsimikas. Further up the pitch, Alexis Mac Allister is replaced with Dominik Szoboszlai.
For Chelsea, the big news is that captain and right-back Reece James returns! The defender has recovered from a long-term injury to take his place in the starting line-up.
Elsewhere, Enzo Fernandez, Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella drop out with Tosin Adarabioyo and Romeo Lavia brought back in.
Liverpool vs Chelsea line-ups
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:15 , Mike Jones
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Jota, Gakpo
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; James, Tosin, Colwill, Gusto; Lavia, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Team news
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:10 , Chris Wilson
A reminder of the early team news – we’re around five minutes away from knowing the line-ups.
Liverpool will be without Alisson, while Harvey Elliott continues to recover from a fractured foot. Federico Chiesa could be available after recovering from an unspecified injury which ruled him out of Italy’s internationals.
Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana are suspended, though Reece James is back in training after a period out with a hamstring injury.
Reece James injury latest after Enzo Maresca provides update on Chelsea star’s return
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:00 , Chris Wilson
Reece James is fit to return for Chelsea against Liverpool after his latest injury with Enzo Maresca revealing a new plan to ensure the right-back remains fit.
James has not featured for the Blues this season after sustaining another hamstring issue.
But after training with the group over the international break, Maresca can call on the 24-year-old for the trip to Anfield.
Chelsea handed boost as Enzo Maresca provides Reece James injury update
Liverpool vs Chelsea team news: Alisson injury blow for Reds as Reece James nears Blues return
Sunday 20 October 2024 14:55 , Chris Wilson
Chelsea travel to face Liverpool as Premier League football returns following the international break, but the Reds have been handed an injury blow ahead of the weekend.
Alisson is set to remain on the sidelines for the clash against Chelsea after sustaining a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace.
Caoimhin Kelleher will deputise in goal, with Arne Slot confirming the Brazil remains out for a “couple of weeks” due to the problem.
Reece James has trained over the international break and will be in the squad on Sunday, while Maresca must contend without suspended duo Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella.
Liverpool vs Chelsea team news: Alisson injury blow for Reds as James nears return
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent’s website
Robert Lewandowski and substitute Pablo Torre each scored twice to help leaders Barcelona thrash visitors Sevilla 5-1 in LaLiga on Sunday in a confidence boost for Hansi Flick’s side ahead of key clashes against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Barca were dominant throughout the encounter at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium and effectively killed off the game with three goals in 15 first-half minutes starting with a Lewandowski penalty after Raphinha was fouled from behind in the 24th minute.
Pedri fired a bullet strike from the edge of the box into the top corner to double their lead four minutes later and Lewandowski slotted home a first-time effort from close range to net the third for the Catalan side in the 39th minute.
It was another superb performance from Barca’s attacking trio of Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski and captain Raphinha who have scored 21 of Barca’s 33 LaLiga goals this season.
Polish striker Lewandowski has reached 12 league goals in 10 games, double the amount of Kylian Mbappe and Ayoze Perez who are the joint second highest scorers in LaLiga.
In the second half, Torre climbed off the bench to score the fourth with a shot from inside the box in the 82nd minute and, right after Stanis Idumbo netted a consolation for Sevilla in the 87th, he wrapped up the scoring with a free kick into the far corner.
Barcelona are on top of the LaLiga standings on 27 points, three ahead Real Madrid in second and seven clear of Atletico Madrid in third. Sevilla are 13th on 12 points.
“Winning like this is very important for the games to come,” Pedri told Movistar Plus.
“Today we had to leave with more than just the three points, we needed that good feeling we got. The coach told us that there was going to be spaces at the edge of the box and we took advantage of that.”
Following a disappointing first LaLiga defeat at Osasuna, Barca have earned back-to-back league wins.
Their victory over Sevilla was their ninth in 10 LaLiga games this season, as they prepare for a difficult week when they will host Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday before travelling to face rivals Real Madrid in LaLiga on Saturday.
They were missing several key players on Sunday who were sidelined by injuries, including Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Ferran Torres and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Yet they had a big reason to celebrate as talisman midfielder Gavi came off the bench in the second half to play his first minutes after 348 days out with a torn knee ligament.
Brazil superstar Neymar returned to action on Monday following more than a year out, with the Al Hilal forward appearing as a second-half substitute in his side’s gripping 5-4 win against Asian champions Al Ain in the UAE.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker, 32, had not played since rupturing his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while on international duty in October last year.
Neymar, who underwent surgery and a sustained period of rehabilitation, is his country’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 79 goals in 128 appearances.
Named on the Hilal bench for the first time since his injury, he was introduced on 76 minutes of the Asian Champions Elite encounter at a heaving Hazzan Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.
By then, the record four-time Asian champions, who lead the current Saudi Pro League, were 5-3 up, thanks to goals from Renan Lodi and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and a Salem Al Dawsari hat-trick.
Neymar cannot be registered for the Saudi top-flight until January.
“I need to prepare Neymar with games; that’s the only possible means to bring him to his level, which was the idea today,” Hilal coach Jorge Jesus said. “There are some risks for the team because we need to use the games to prepare him, but it’s the only way to have one of our important players back at the highest level,” the Portuguese boss added.
On Monday, Hilal took the lead on 26 minutes, when former Newcastle United and Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic played in Lodi down the left, and the ex-Atletico Madrid full-back drilled a low shot past Khalid Essa in the Al Ain goal.
However, Hernan Crespo’s side drew level six minutes before half-time, Morocco international Soufiane Rahimi sliding home a cross.
Rahimi was the star of Al Ain’s Asian Champions League success last season, finishing top scorer and named player of the tournament.
In first-half stoppage-time, Hilal seemed to take the contest away from their UAE rivals. First, Joao Cancelo, a summer signing from Manchester City, crossed for Milinkovic-Savic to head home unmarked from six years. Moments later, reigning Asian Player of the Year Al Dawsari raced cleared of the Al Ain defense, skipped around the onrushing Essa and curled home superbly on the angle.
Al Ain reduced the deficit just after the hour, through substitute Mateo Sanabria, only for Al Dawsari to flick home his second of the night from a Milinkovic-Savic center.
Minutes later, Rahimi notched his double as a see-saw clash took another swing. Al Dawsari then restored Hilal’s two-goal advantage with a sublime strike from range.
Not long into 12 minutes of the allotted injury-time, and with Hilal reduced to 10 men after defender Ali Al Bulaihi was sent off for an intentional handball, Rahimi won and converted a penalty to secure his hat-trick and give Al Ain hope, but the Saudi champions hung on to claim the win.
Neymar had little time to truly impact the game, although he did flash wide an effort in the dying moments of normal time.
Hilal sit top of the Western region group, with three victories from three while Al Ain have picked up a solitary point.
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WWE Raw advertised its ongoing No. 1 Contender tag team tournament with The New Day vs. AOP and Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee vs. American Made. Raw also advertised Seth Rollins and Bronson Reed face-to-face and a main event of Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker.
Overshadowing Raw’s lineup was the seemingly amicable split between popular ring announcer Samantha Irvin and WWE. “WWE Universe, my time has come to an end as your WWE Raw ring announcer,” said Irvin in a tweet Monday. “I love you all tremendously and this does not mark the end of my art, I have a lifetime more to share.”
Irvin’s WWE departure led to immediate (and inevitable) speculation that she could be AEW bound. AEW is reportedly adding a new “A-Show” in Shockwave, and they recently receiving a significant increase in revenue via its television rights renewal with WBD.
Last week’s broadcast of WWE Raw garnered 1.538 million viewers.
WWE Raw Results On October 21, 2024
The New Day def. AOP
Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez vs. Damage CTRL ends in DQ
LWO def. American Made
Bron Breakker def. Jey Uso | WWE Intercontinental Championship
WWE Raw Ratings
October 14, 2024 | 1.538 million
October 7, 2024 | 1.545 million
September 30, 2024 | 1.516 million
September 23, 2024 | 1.340 million
September 16, 2024 | 1.509 million
WWE Raw Ticket Sales
WWE Raw Venue: Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, Pa.)
WE Raw Tickets Distributed: 13,073
WWE Raw Tickets Available: 416
Seth Rollins And Bronson Reed Brawl
Raw started cold with Seth Rollins calling out Bronson Reed. Rollins has been wearing black lately and acting very heelish. Reed got the better of Seth Rollins and looked like a bigger star in their brawl, where Bronson yeeted a WWE official at Rollins like an inbound pass. Rollins actually escaped the brawl briefly.
Fans continued to sing Rollins’ song, but I smell a double-turn between Rollins and Reed.
Reed and Rollins’ brawl continued backstage in a separate segment right after Jackie Redmond asked Adam Pearce how he planned to keep everything under control.
Should The New Day lose this match, especially with The Miz creeping up at ringside. Xavier Woods’ seemingly inevitable heel turn should be saved for a big moment. Hopefully this moment builds to a big singles match at Survivor Series.
Miz was wearing all-black and sunglasses as he conversed with The Final Testament. Hopefully Miz’s character evolution goes beyond him just wearing black suits.
R-Truth’s interruption led to The New Day winning via rollup. As the Final Testament attacked Truth, Woods stopped Kofi Kingston from saving his former co-tag team champion. This brought out the Wyatt Sicks to a big pop.
Of note, Paul Ellering shoved The Miz out of the way to sacrifice himself as Ellering took a Mandible Claw.
The New Day vs. AOP Grade: B+
Raquel Rodriguez And Liv Morgan Vs. Damage CTRL Ends In DQ
This match was borne out of Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez interrupting a Damage CTRL promo. Liv performed her laugh several times. Her laugh is slowly becoming a meme.
lash Legend and Jakara Jackson were ringside, and it feels like they’re The Culture’s answer to Liv and Raquel. This was especially apparent when Lash squared up with Rodriguez while Ms. Jackson faced off with Morgan.
Ripley hit the ring and fought off both Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. This brought out Dom, and Ripley trapped him in a Prism Trap. There was a lot of heat for Ripley and Dom’s physicality.
Backstage, Reed and Rollins brawled for a third time as a furious Adam Pearce made their match official for Crown Jewel.
Judgment Day vs. Damage CTRL Grade: B
LWO Def. American Made
LWO’s lucha style melded perfectly with the groud, pound and razzle-dazzle of the Creeds. At one point, the Creeds hit back-to-back suplexes but Brutus’ was more impressive because his was from the second rope.
Fans really got into the match during Rey Mysterio’s amazing hot gag, which ended in a 619 and a splash from Dragon Lee for the win.
American Made has all the talent and charisma to be a top stable in WWE, but unfortunately they’ve spent most of their alliance losing.
LWO vs. American Made Grade: A-
Bron Breakker Def. Jey Uso
Backstage, while Bron Breakker was waiting ,WWE continued to tease Damian Priest vs. GUNTHER. Dominik Mysterio will face a former world champion next week to try to earn a shot at GUNTHER’s world title. There’s a good chance that man will be Priest.
Jey Uso made his entrance through the entrance way as WWE does not have time for an entrance through the crowd during the two-hour era.
Breakker put on a highlight reel performance early, including a standing moonsault.
Fans seemed a bit fatigued despite this being the main event of a two-hour Raw.
Earlier in the night, WWE aired footage from Jey’s appearance on SmackDown. Since Jey Uso didn’t pick a side this past Friday on SmackDown, I think there would be more drama if the Bloodline helps Jey retain his title.
Right on cue, The Bloodline hit the ring. Solo Sikoa had Jey Uso’s t-shirt and tickets to Raw. Sikoa told Jey he was trying to help Jey win. Tonga Loa tried encouraging Jey, only for Jey to superkick both Tonga and Tama.
Solo took a Spear from Bron for Jey, in a sacrifice, then fans came unglued for a faceoff between Breakker and Fatu. Fatu superkicked Jey as he went for a spear and that opened the door for Breakker to regain the WWE IC Title.
