Liverpool humble Chelsea at Anfield in Premier League: Key stats
Liverpool beat rivals Chelsea 4-1 on matchday 22 of the ongoing Premier League 2023-24 season. Liverpool were at their dominant best and scored twice in the first half. Notably, Darwin Nunez missed a penalty. Diogo Jota, Conor Bradley, and Dominik Szoboszlai scored for Liverpool before Christopher Nkunku pulled one back for Chelsea. However, Luis Diaz scored his side's 4th goal to end the contest.
League leaders Liverpool march on
Liverpool have raced to 51 points from 22 matches and are the second team this season to score 50-plus goals after Manchester City, who thumped Burnley 3-1. City have 46 points from 21 matches (51 goals). Liverpool claimed their 15th win (D6 L1). Meanwhile, Chelsea are 10th, suffering their ninth defeat of the season. Chelsea have conceded 35 goals.
Key numbers for the Liverpool players
Bradley assisted Jota for the opener before turning scorer for the second. Bradley then assisted Szoboszlai. In two Premier League appearances, he has one goal and three assists. Playing his 159th Premier League match, former Wolves man Jota has 55 goals, including 8 this season (A2). Diaz assisted and scored versus Chelsea to own 12 Premier League goals and 7 assists.
Nunez hits the woodwork for the 7th time this season
Nunez saw his penalty crash off the post after looking for the top-right corner. However, he made amends with an assist for Diaz. As per Opta, Nunez has hit the woodwork 7 times in the Premier League this season, more than twice as many times as any other player. Making his 50th league appearance, he owns 10 assists (G16), including seven each this season.
Liverpool bully Chelsea
Liverpool managed 28 shots versus Chelsea which is the joint-most on record (since 2003-04) any side has had in a Premier League match against Chelsea. Meanwhile, their 13 shots on target is the most the Blues have faced in a league match in that time.
Liverpool clock these records
Before this 4-1 result, Liverpool and Chelsea had played seven successive draws in all competitions. Liverpool have lost just one of their last 12 Premier League games versus Chelsea (W5 D6). For the third successive league match, Liverpool have scored four goals (also Newcastle 4-2 and Bournemouth 4-0). Jurgen Klopp notched his 200th Premier League win as manager from 318 games.
How did the match pan out?
Bradley dispossed Ben Chilwell and fed Jota, who scored the first goal. Bradley then scored his side's second with Diaz making the assist. Liverpool earned a penalty next but Nunez missed. In the second half, Chelsea missed a glorious chance before Szoboszlai made it 3-0 from Bradley's cross. Nkunku got one back but it was Diaz who restored the Reds's three-goal advantage.
Chelsea don't get a penalty decision
When it was 3-1, Chelsea had a close penalty call and VAR had a look at it. However, a penalty wasn't given. Replays showed Virgil van Dijk catching Nkunku's right foot. Mauricio Pochettino was left fuming on the sidelines.
