Chelsea delivered a commanding performance at Stamford Bridge, overpowering Liverpool 3-1 in a fiery Premier League clash that reignited their hopes of securing a Champions League spot.
The Blues took the lead early in the 3rd minute when Pedro Neto picked out Enzo Fernandez in the box. The Argentine midfielder showed great composure, slotting the ball into the bottom-right corner to make it 1-0.
Chelsea thought they had doubled their advantage just before half-time when Noni Madueke found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Liverpool’s night worsened after the break when young defender Jarell Quansah inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 56th minute, handing Chelsea a 2-0 lead.
The Reds attempted to respond, with Mohamed Salah narrowly missing the target from a well-placed header in the 78th minute.
Cole Palmer nearly made it 3-0 minutes later, but his fierce shot crashed off the post.
Liverpool clawed one back in the 85th minute when Virgil van Dijk powered in a header from an Alexis Mac Allister corner, giving the visitors a glimmer of hope.
But Chelsea sealed the result deep into stoppage time. Quansah’s clumsy challenge earned the hosts a penalty, which Palmer coolly dispatched past Alisson in the 97th minute to complete the 3-1 triumph.
With the win, Chelsea boost their chances of European qualification, while Liverpool have nothing to lose as they have already won the premier league title.