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By Phil McNultyChief football writer at Anfield
Last updated on 5 minutes ago.From the section Premier League
Chelsea frustrated Liverpool in a fast and furious Anfield encounter to claim a hard-earned point despite being reduced to 10 men after Reece James' first-half sending-off.
In the battle between two Premier League superpowers who are fully expected to contest the title this season, Liverpool pressed frantically throughout, but the Champions League holders were superbly organised and will ultimately be satisfied with the draw.
Liverpool started at a super-charged pace but Chelsea were composed and took the lead when Kai Havertz sent an angled glancing header beyond the reach of keeper Alisson from James' corner in front of the Kop in the 29th minute.
Mason Mount wasted a glorious opportunity to double Chelsea's advantage before the game exploded in controversy in the closing moments of the first half.
Liverpool were awarded a penalty following a goalmouth scramble in which Joel Matip hit the bar and James swept Sadio Mane's shot off the line with his hand, referee Anthony Taylor awarding the spot-kick after consulting VAR, adding insult to Chelsea's injury by showing the defender the red card.
Mohamed Salah drilled home the penalty to set up a second-half Liverpool siege but Chelsea were more than up to the challenge.
The Blues, who lost N'Golo Kante to injury, brought on Thiago Silva and Mateo Kovacic and held the hosts at bay with a superbly drilled defensive display, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy playing his part by saving well from Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho, with Diogo Jota also coming close with a headed chance.
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Liverpool
Squad number1Player nameAlisson
Squad number66Player nameAlexander-Arnold
Squad number32Player nameMatip
Squad number4Player namevan Dijk
Squad number26Player nameRobertson
Squad number67Player nameElliott
Squad number14Player nameHenderson
Squad number3Player nameFabinho
Squad number11Player nameMohamed Salah
Squad number9Player nameRoberto Firmino
Squad number10Player nameMané
Squad number6Player nameThiago Alcántara
Squad number20Player nameDiogo Jota
Squad number21Player nameTsimikas
Chelsea
Squad number16Player nameMendy
Squad number28Player nameAzpilicueta
Squad number4Player nameChristensen
Squad number2Player nameRüdiger
Squad number24Player nameJames
Squad number7Player nameKanté
Squad number5Player nameJorginho
Squad number3Player nameAlonso
Squad number29Player nameHavertz
Squad number19Player nameMount
Squad number9Player nameLukaku
Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva
Squad number8Player nameKovacic
Squad number14Player nameChalobah
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-Arnold
- 32Matip
- 4van Dijk
- 26RobertsonSubstituted forTsimikasat 86'minutes
- 67Elliott
- 14HendersonSubstituted forThiago Alcántaraat 74'minutes
- 3Fabinho
- 11Salah
- 9FirminoSubstituted forJotaat 43'minutes
- 10Mané
Substitutes
- 5Konaté
- 6Thiago Alcántara
- 8Keïta
- 12Gomez
- 15Oxlade-Chamberlain
- 18Minamino
- 20Jota
- 21Tsimikas
- 62Kelleher
Chelsea
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 16MendyBooked at 45mins
- 28Azpilicueta
- 4Christensen
- 2RüdigerBooked at 45mins
- 24JamesBooked at 45mins
- 7KantéSubstituted forKovacicat 45'minutes
- 5JorginhoSubstituted forChalobahat 87'minutes
- 3Alonso
- 29HavertzSubstituted forThiago Silvaat 45'minutes
- 19Mount
- 9Lukaku
Substitutes
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 6Thiago Silva
- 8Kovacic
- 11Werner
- 12Loftus-Cheek
- 14Chalobah
- 20Hudson-Odoi
- 21Chilwell
- 22Ziyech
Live Text
Match ends, Liverpool 1, Chelsea 1.
Second Half ends, Liverpool 1, Chelsea 1.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Andreas Christensen.
Foul by Diogo Jota (Liverpool).
Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Édouard Mendy.
Attempt saved. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a cross.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Trevoh Chalobah.
Attempt blocked. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Konstantinos Tsimikas with a cross.
Substitution, Chelsea. Trevoh Chalobah replaces Jorginho.
Substitution, Liverpool. Konstantinos Tsimikas replaces Andrew Robertson.
Attempt saved. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
Attempt saved. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Romelu Lukaku.
Attempt blocked. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Thiago with a headed pass.
Foul by Sadio Mané (Liverpool).
Jorginho (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Fabinho (Liverpool).
Jorginho (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Liverpool. Thiago replaces Jordan Henderson.
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