Updated 21:28, 09 May 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/span><\/div>\n
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\nCody Gakpo scored just 5\/10 (Photo by Carl Recine\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n
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Liverpool still have work to do to secure Champions League qualification after they were held to a tedious Premier League draw at home to Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime. In another exceptionally low quality encounter, Ryan Gravenberch’s brilliant early opener was not in keeping with a game that saw Enzo Fernandez curl an intended cross from a free-kick in off the post shortly before half-time to equalise.<\/p>\n
The result means Arne Slot’s side still need three points from their final two games to be mathematically sure of a place in the top five.<\/p>\n
The ECHO was in attendance at Anfield and here we run the rule over the performances of the Liverpool players.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Arne Slot explains Rio Ngumoha substitution as Liverpool boss responds to Anfield boos<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\nOPINION<\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Paul Gorst<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\nGiorgi Mamardashvili 7<\/strong><\/p>\nGood stops from Cucurella and Fernandez first half as Liverpool opted not to defend for a while. Less to do second half but kicking needs improvement.<\/p>\n
Curtis Jones 6<\/strong><\/p>\nNot given much chance to get forward first half as Liverpool strangely sat back after going ahead, but better second half when popping up in variety of positions.<\/p>\n
Ibrahima Konate 5<\/strong><\/p>\nPlayed some of his team-mates into difficult positions first half with some mindless passing and too much of defending was on the edge. Injured and subbed.<\/p>\n
Virgil van Dijk 6<\/strong><\/p>\nA couple of important interventions before half-time as the rest of the Liverpool team flapped about. Kept at it second half and had header against crossbar.<\/p>\n
Milos Kerkez 6<\/strong><\/p>\nConnection with Ngumoha started well before becoming preoccupied with defending to mixed reward. Up and down after interval.<\/p>\n
Ryan Gravenberch 6<\/strong><\/p>\nTook his goal superbly and a couple of good touches in midfield but too regularly bypassed by Chelsea engine room until getting to grips in better second half.<\/p>\n
Alexis Mac Allister 5<\/strong><\/p>\nNo real huge errors but so slow in thinking and execution and couldn’t close down opposing midfield during torrid spell up to half-time before settling again. Booked.<\/p>\n
Jeremie Frimpong 5<\/strong><\/p>\nOverlooked by team-mates for much of first half and got into some decent positions after that but deliveries lacked quality.<\/p>\n
Dominik Szoboszlai 6<\/strong><\/p>\nPlenty of endeavour but began to lose his way a bit in the number 10 role before pressing better second half and had one shot well saved and saw another hit the post.<\/p>\n
Ngumoha River 7<\/strong><\/p>\nCaused Gusto problems with pace and assisted opener but needed a bit more help from his senior colleagues. Quieter after half-time. Subbed.<\/p>\n
Cody Steel<\/strong><\/p>\nDifficult to remember any meaningful contribution before break although would have benefited from actually being given any service. More involved later on. Subbed.<\/p>\n
SUBS<\/strong><\/p>\nAlexander Isak (for Ngumoha 67) 6<\/strong><\/p>\nLooked a little more lively but no real openings.<\/p>\n
Joe Gomez (for Konate 77) 6<\/strong><\/p>\nSlotted in at centre-back. Booked.<\/p>\n
Federico Chiesa (for Gakpo 77) 6<\/strong><\/p>\nAdded a bit of energy to the left flank.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ian Doyle with the Liverpool player ratings and scores from the Premier League clash against…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6603,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6602","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6602"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6602\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}