In a matchup of teams so close to each other in the table, a draw was always a possibility and that's just what happened as Liverpool and Chelsea battled to a scoreless draw on a chilly afternoon at Anfield.
First Half
Chelsea appeared to get off to a flying start, scoring inside the first 3 minutes. But Kai Havertz's strike was disallowed by VAR due to offsides. Cody Gakpo shot over the bar in the 6th to leave the match scoreless.
Neither side generated many chances over the next stretch of the match until Gakpo stole the ball in the 20th minute, but the resulting shot was high. Chelsea forced Alisson into action in the 24th minute, but the Reds' keeper made the save. He made another stop in the 33rd minute on Havertz's header
After that save, Liverpool enjoyed a much better spell of play They earned their first corner and Thiago forced a save in the 39th minute. Mohamed Salah also put a shot high during first-half stoppage time to leave the match scoreless headed to the dressing room.
Second Half
Liverpool started the second half on the front foot. Naby Keïta nearly scored in the 49th minute and Gakpo's header was high. Alisson punched away a Chelsea corner near the hour mark, followed by a Liverpool corner.
Darwin Núñez subbed on in the 63rd minute looking to provide an offensive spark. Mykhailo Mudryk also came on for Chelsea and used his pace to force James Milner into a professional foul, earning the veteran a yellow card.
Núñez delivered a nice pass to Gakpo in the box, but the Dutchman's low shot was saved. After a long stretch of possession by the Blues, Núñez nearly scored on the counter-attack in the 76th minute, but the chance was saved.
Both sides had a handful of decent chances over the final quarter-hour, but no one could find the back of the net so the teams had to settle for a scoreless draw.
Calling It Even
As the scoreline would suggest, the stats in the match were pretty even. Liverpool held a slight edge on shots (15-11) and shots on goal (3-2), while Chelsea held possession at a 52 per cent clip
A Rare Occurrence
Liverpool have not been held scoreless at Anfield in nearly two years since March of 2021. It's also the first time Liverpool and Chelsea have played to a scoreless draw at Anfield since 1971.
Keeping it Clean
While supporters will be disappointed that the Reds could not find the back of the net, they can take heart with the defence. It is the first time the Reds have kept a clean sheet in EPL play since October 19th vs West Ham United, a span of 8 League ties.
LFC Global Verdict
Somewhat unsurprisingly, this match ended in a draw. What is surprising is that the match did not produce a goal. All is not lost, however. The result saw Liverpool rise in the table by one spot and you will take that at this point in the season as the Reds look to inch their way up the standings. They have approximately half the season left to move to the Top 4 to secure a spot in the Champions League. Every step toward that goal is important, even if it is a small one
Man Of The Match & What's Next
Cody Gakpo was the biggest scoring threat of the day until being subbed off late. You can see why Liverpool signed him as he is dripping with potential. He was unlucky not to find the back of the net, but it is clear his time will come.
What's Next
Liverpool will continue their quest for another FA Cup title when they travel to Brighton for an afternoon tie on Sunday, January 29th. Kickoff is set for 13:30 GMT.
Goals
Liverpool
-None
Chelsea
-None.
Substitutions
Liverpool
- Darwin Núñez for Naby Keïta 63'
- Trent Alexander-Arnold for James Milner 72'
- Fabinho for Stefan Bajcetic 82'
- Curtis Jones for Harvey Elliott 82'
- Jordan Henderson for Cody Gakpo 82'
Chelsea
- Mykhailo Mudryk for Lewis Hall 55'
- Cesar Azpilicueta for Trevoh Chalovbah 81'
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Kia Harvatz 81'
- Carney Chukwuemeka for Mason Mount ‘82
