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John Walton
AS IT HAPPENED

As It Happened: Chelsea v Liverpool, Premier League

Kick-off at Stamford Bridge is at 17:30.

Good evening! Welcome to our live coverage of Chelsea v Liverpool as Maurizio Sarri’s Blues seek to repeat their midweek success in the league cup while Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool look to go back to the top of the Premier League table.

Liverpool have won their first six consecutive league games, while hosts Chelsea sit just two points off them in the Premier League table. Kick-off at Stamford Bridge is at 17:30.

Chelsea v Liverpool - Premier League - Stamford Bridge Steven Paston Steven Paston

Team news

He had the most touches of any player on the pitch midweek, but Cesc Fabregas has to settle for a spot on the bench this evening.

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Jurgen Klopp has made two changes to the side which cruised past Southampton in the league last week. Joe Gomez and James Milner replace Joel Matip and Xherdan Shaqiri respectively.

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Chelsea v Liverpool - Premier League - Stamford Bridge Marcus Alonso poses with young fans on his way into the stadium John Walton John Walton

We’re underway at The Bridge!

Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool - Mo Salah has the first real effort on target as he opens up his body and shoots some 20 yards from goal, but it’s a tame one that Kepa gobbles up with ease.

Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool - Hazard lively down Chelsea’s left, linking up well with those inside him. Giroud tries to play him in on goal with a flicked return pass but, after a moment of panic, it’s just about dealt with by the Liverpool defence.

Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool – Lovely ball inside by Trent Alexander-Arnold finds Salah, who turns Jorginho with ease and moves in on goal but fires hopelessly high and wide. Dreadful attempt but a nice Liverpool move and decent work by Salah to fashion the chance.

Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool - Super interception by Virgil van Dijk and Roberto Firmino lays one off to Sadio Mané who, like Salah before him, slices his effort into the stands. Possession just about even so far, as are the passing stats.

Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool - Liverpool rock solid defensively so far.

Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool – Nice ball from Milner to Salah and the Egyptian puts Firmino into half a yard of space in the Chelsea box but he can’t quite get a shot off.

Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool – Great ball again from Alexander-Arnold sets Salah free down the right wing, but his attempt to thread a ball through for Firmino is too strong.

Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool - Alisson rushes out and makes a good save from Willian as Chelsea get their first real sight on goal. A great ball by David Luiz put Willian in one-on-one; Andy Robertson caught napping at the back and he played the Brazilian attacker onside.

GOAL CHELSEA!

GOOOOOOAALLLLL! Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool - A wonderful goal by — you guessed it — Eden Hazard. Lovely one-touch football by the hosts and after a perfectly weighted pass by Jorginho, Hazard fires into the bottom right-hand corner with his left foot.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool – Luiz is forced to head clear after a dangerous, floated cross from the left by Robertson.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool - A whipped free-kick cross by Milner comes off the head of César Azpilicueta but the referee awards a goal kick to Chelsea.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool - Wow — Antonio Rudiger saves Chelsea. Mo Salah rounded Kepa with some clever footwork and tried to guide the ball home from an angle on his right foot, but Rudiger clears off the line at full sprint!

Cracking game of ball, actually, this.

Chelsea v Liverpool - Premier League - Stamford Bridge Hazard gives Chelsea the lead after a sumptuous move Steven Paston Steven Paston

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool – Salah overhits a fairly standard pass that would have put Firmino through on Kepa. Last season’s star man has been heavily involved but wasteful with his final ball so far.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool – Sadio Mané’s overhead kick sails over the bar. James Milner, who was free to Mané’s left, is furious.

Half-time: Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool

We’re back in action at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool - Joe Gomez makes a vital interception for the visitors as Giroud tries to slip Hazard through.

Moments later, more good defending by Gomez to knock a Willian cross out for a corner. Comes to nothing in the end, but Chelsea have started the second half the livelier.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool - Pace has slowed significantly over the last five minutes. Blues happy to soak up a little bit of pressure and hit Liverpool on the break; Reds looking to pick the lock but, for the most part, just moving the ball around in their own half.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool – Tremendous save by Kepa! Firmino reverses the ball to Mané who cuts into the Chelsea box and rifles one towards the bottom left-hand corner, but the young ‘keeper gets down well to turn it around the post!

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool -Another great save, this time by Alisson! Chelsea take a quick free-kick and goalscorer Hazard races towards goal, but Liverpool’s stopper does extremely well to block the Belgian’s attempted finish.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool – Shaqiri on for Mo Salah, who was quite poor. Alvaro Morata has replaced Giroud for the hosts.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool - Kovacic forces a save out of Alisson with a snappy effort from the edge of the area, although this one is facile by comparison to the Brazilian’s save from Hazard.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool - Oh my days, what a chance for Xherdan Shaqiri! Andy Robertson escaped down the left after a slip by Azpilicueta, and played a beautiful low cross in behind the Chelsea defence. Shaqiri got on the end of it but couldn’t make enough contact with the ball, poking it well wide in the end.

Golden opportunity for the Swiss international!

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool - David Luiz clears it off the line! A perfectly weighted Milner cross picks out Firmino, who heads it down past Kepa but not his compatriot Luiz, who hooks it clear about six inches from the line!

Chelsea v Liverpool - Premier League - Stamford Bridge Is it going to be one of those days? Steven Paston Steven Paston

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool - Victor Moses came on for Willian a few minutes ago, and in Chelsea’s final change, Ross Barkley has replaced Mateo Kovacic.

For Liverpool, Naby Keita on for Jordan Henderson.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool – Dicey backpass forces Alisson to rush out of nets, and once more the Liverpool ‘keeper stands up to the task as he boots clear before Morata can get set.

Up the other end, Shaqiri’s free-kick shot is caught by Kepa. Not a woeful effort, but too central.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool – Keita skews one wide from outside the box — kind of slipped as he hit it. He really had no other option but to shoot: Liverpool have lacked movement since Salah’s withdrawal.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool - Sturridge on for James Milner in Klopp’s last roll of the dice.

GOAL LIVERPOOL!

GOOOOOOOALLLLLLL! WHAT A GOAL BY DANIEL STURRIDGE! Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool – Against his former club, Sturridge picks his spot and curls the ball into the top right corner from 25-odd yards. Absolutely sensational strike! And just like that, Liverpool are level!

Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool – Van Dijk is nearly punished for messing around in his own box as the ball bobbles to Victor Moses, but the former Liverpool player reacts far too slowly to get his shot away.

Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool – One last chance for Chelsea: Hazard crosses in a free from the left and Naby Keita nods it out for a corner. Did well to clear.

In comes the corner and, with the last touch of the game, Alonso heads high and wide for the hosts.

And there goes the full-time whistle!

Full-time: Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool

So there you have it: substitute Daniel Sturridge comes back to haunt Chelsea and keeps Liverpool unbeaten with a stunning strike in the second-last minute of normal time.

Both sides’ goals were of an exceptional quality — worth checking out on Match of the Day later, for sure.

That’s it from us — enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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