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<\/gu-island><\/span><\/p>\n\n\nAndy Hunter was at Anfield.<\/strong> Here\u2019s his match report. Thanks for reading this MBM.<\/p>\nShare\n\nSlot: ‘It makes sense that people are disappointed’<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n Arne Slot speaks to TNT.<\/strong> \u201cWe started off really well \u2026 scored a goal \u2026 got a big chance from a set-piece where we were close to scoring the 2-0 \u2026 then in quite a large phase of the game we struggled to control their 6s \u2026 unfortunately, like last week, we conceded a set piece and that makes it really hard in a top game to win a game of football if you have a negative balance in set pieces \u2026 it was such a sloppy goal \u2026 second half \u2026 I saw a completely different intensity in terms of pressing \u2026 hit the post, hit the bar \u2026 but not enough to win.\u201d<\/p>\n\u2026 then on his unpopular decision to take off Rio Ngumoha …<\/strong> \u201cThere were a lot that didn\u2019t agree with the change which I completely understand \u2026 but it does make sense \u2026 we had problems with his muscles \u2026 when I asked him he said \u2018hmm, no, not sure if I can continue\u2019 \u2026 I knew this would be the reaction because he is such a popular figure \u2026 often in football, people don\u2019t know everything \u2026 I\u2019m the manager and I need to make decisions \u2026 sometimes people are happy with them and sometimes they (are not) \u2026 today clearly they weren\u2019t \u2026 knowing why makes it more sense for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\u2026 and finally the loud booing at the end.<\/strong> \u201cThat probably has to do with us not winning \u2026 from the last five games we won three, lost last week and today a draw \u2026 yeah that\u2019s not what we want \u2026 we want more \u2026 we want to win all five \u2026 but last week we had a negative balance in our set piece \u2026 today again \u2026 and we were very close through Virgil to scoring one ourselves \u2026 so it completely makes sense that people are disappointed if we don\u2019t win because we want to win \u2026 it should be like this if Liverpool doesn\u2019t win, no-one can ever be happy about it.\u201d<\/p>\nShareUpdated at 16.17 CEST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n\n\nGravenberch: ‘We don’t deserve (boos)’<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n Ryan Gravenberch speaks to TNT about the post-whistle booing.<\/strong> \u201cWe need (the fans) behind us \u2026 OK, we don\u2019t win \u2026 but we don\u2019t really deserve this \u2026 fans have to be behind us for 90 minutes \u2026 in the second half, when they were behind us we pressed, so we need it \u2026 hopefully the next few games they won\u2019t do the same.\u201d<\/p>\nShare\n\nMcFarlane: ‘We deserved to win’<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n Calum McFarlane speaks to TNT Sports:<\/strong> \u201cWe wanted to give everything we could to this game \u2026 we\u2019ve done that now \u2026 we\u2019ll have a day off then prepare for another game against more top-flight opposition (the FA Cup final) \u2026 I felt we could have won the game \u2026 in my opinion we deserved to win the game \u2026 we\u2019ve recovered from the Forest game \u2026 we\u2019ve shown who we are as a group, who we are as people \u2026 we just need to do that on a more consistent basis \u2026 (the FA Cup final) is going to be a tough game \u2026 but this team have shown that when they\u2019re at their best, they can match anyone in Europe.\u201d<\/p>\nShareUpdated at 16.17 CEST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n\n\nThat point consolidates Liverpool\u2019s ownership of fourth spot.<\/strong> But only a little bit. Aston Villa can swipe it from them with a win at Burnley tomorrow \u2026 then Unai Emery\u2019s men host Liverpool next Friday, in what promises to be a tense showdown, even if Villa will have one eye on the Europa League final five days later. Chelsea remain in ninth, but Everton, Fulham and Sunderland will all have something to say about that later this weekend. Calum McFarlane\u2019s men turn their attention to next Saturday\u2019s FA Cup final.<\/p>\n\nShare\n\nThere\u2019s some steam coming out the top of our post-match postbag.<\/strong> \u201cSo, Chiesa finally on the field. Kudos to the Anfield crowd for their applause and good judgement, the latter unlike the head coach\u2019s. Amid Liverpool\u2019s manifold problems up front, Slot has not once started Chiesa. At best he\u2019s brought on with minutes to go. Today yet again we have the season-long misfire Gakpo as the \u2018striker\u2019. Compatriot favouritism? Slot blind spot? Surely one of the many mandarins in the LFC corporate hierarchy should have had a word with the head coach by now. No shortage of those: head of football, sporting director, technical director, and holders of other inflationary titles these failed players-turned-grandees occupy at Anfield and other clubs across the land\u201d \u2013 Darryl Accone<\/p>\nShare\n\nTNT ask Wesley Fofana whether or not he\u2019s the scorer of Chelsea\u2019s goal.<\/strong> \u201cI think! \u2026 I don\u2019t know if I touched the ball \u2026 it\u2019s either me or Enzo \u2026 it was a good goal \u2026 important \u2026 yeah, I\u2019m happy \u2026 to be honest, no (I didn\u2019t feel the touch) \u2026 but everyone says on the video I touched the ball so I touched the ball! \u2026 we worked on that during the week.\u201d<\/p>\nThe player of the match Marc Cucurella adds:<\/strong> \u201cThe effort today was really good \u2026 it is not our best moment \u2026 but today we showed we fight together \u2026 a bit of confidence because next week we have a massive game (the FA Cup final).\u201d<\/p>\nShare\n\nTo be fair to Liverpool, they were the better side in the second half.<\/strong> They hit the woodwork twice, and had a goal disallowed. But Chelsea had a goal wiped off themselves, and their own period of dominance, during the second portion of the first half, was the most cohesive spell by either side. Although if you were to boil it all down, neither team particularly impressed. Liverpool were the home side, though, and are still, for what it\u2019s worth, the reigning champions. Their decline has been precipitous \u2026 and so the booing, first of the withdrawal of the exciting Rio Ngumoha, then of the result and concomitant stodgy performance, was loud and unambiguous. Is this approaching untenable for Arne Slot? Days like this aren\u2019t helping, put it that way.<\/p>\nShare\n\nFULL TIME: Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n Chelsea\u2019s six-game losing streak comes to an end. They certainly deserved something from the game; they could easily have won it. Liverpool meanwhile are one point closer to Champions League qualification, but they didn\u2019t cover themselves in glory today, and are met with loud booing on the final whistle.<\/p>\nShare\n\n90 min +6:<\/strong> Mamardashvili has the opportunity to bowl Chiesa into acres of space on the left \u2026 but overthrows. Groans. That just about sums up Liverpool\u2019s performance.<\/p>\nShare\n\n90 min +5:<\/strong> On TNT Sports, Ally McCoist names Marc Cucurella as his player of the match. There should be no argument. The Chelsea wing-back has been superb.<\/p>\nShare\n\n90 min +4:<\/strong> Isak takes matters into his own hands with a power dribble down the right. He cuts back but Caicedo is on point to clear. Then Mac Allister is booked for a whack on Pedro\u2019s heel.<\/p>\nShare\n\n90 min +3:<\/strong> Frimpong makes ground down the right and passes infield to \u2026 nobody. Liverpool\u2019s attack is so<\/em> disjointed.<\/p>\nShare\n\n90 min +2:<\/strong> Cucurella advances down the left and rolls across for Palmer. If the pass is played perfectly, Palmer is in. But it\u2019s not. Liverpool lucky that the ball goes behind Palmer, who is forced to check his run. The danger over.<\/p>\nShare\n\n90 min:<\/strong> It looks like Pedro hooks his leg around Frimpong, instigating the contact. So that\u2019s not going to be given. And it\u2019s not. Caicedo is booked for speaking his mind. There will be seven additional minutes.<\/p>\nShare\n\n89 min:<\/strong> Pedro dribbles into the Liverpool box down the left and goes over in a tangle with Frimpong. VAR is going to take a look at this.<\/p>\nShare\n\n88 min:<\/strong> Gomez is booked for delaying the restart.<\/p>\nShare\n\n87 min:<\/strong> Chelsea, who will be happy with a point that would snap their six-match losing run, play some patient passing moves and bring down the temperature.<\/p>\nShare\n\n85 min:<\/strong> Szoboszlai loops the corner long from the left. Isak hooks it back into the centre from the right. Jorgensen claims.<\/p>\nShare\n\n84 min:<\/strong> Szoboszlai hoicks the free kick long. The ball rears up and hits Gusto on the arm, but Liverpool aren\u2019t getting a penalty for that. They do get a corner soon after, though, thanks to Chiesa\u2019s industry.<\/p>\nShare\n\n83 min:<\/strong> Cucurella is booked for a cynical drag on Frimpong. A free kick out on the right touchline.<\/p>\nShare\n\n82 min:<\/strong> Chiesa shapes to shoot but stubs his toe in the turf. Liverpool\u2019s season in microcosm.<\/p>\nShare\n\n80 min:<\/strong> \u2026 but neither referee nor VAR shows any interest in awarding one.<\/p>\nShare\n\n79 min:<\/strong> \u2026 and Van Dijk crashes a header off the top of the crossbar and out! He wants a penalty, with Caicedo hugging him tightly \u2026<\/p>\nVirgil van Dijk thunders a header against the woodwork.<\/span> Photograph: Peter Powell\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nShareUpdated at 15.15 CEST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n\n\n78 min:<\/strong> Isak steals the ball and drives down the right wing, but can\u2019t jink his way past Cucurella. He does, with the help of Frimpong, win a corner. Szoboszlai to take.<\/p>\nShare\n\n77 min:<\/strong> Liverpool make a double change, replacing Konate and Gakpo with Gomez and Chiesa. Both incoming players warmly greeted, another message to the manager perhaps.<\/p>\nShare\n\n76 min:<\/strong> Pedro swans past Mac Allister down the inside-left channel and into the box. He aims a curler towards the top right. Just wide, just over. Mac Allister and the equally culpable Konate breathe again.<\/p>\nShare\n\n74 min:<\/strong> Szoboszlai flings the resulting free kick into the box from the right. Colwill is forced to head over under pressure \u2026 but then he deals with the resulting corner by heading it clear.<\/p>\nShare\n\n73 min:<\/strong> \u2026 and now Fernandez follows his guvnor into the book for hanging a leg across Jones.<\/p>\nShare\n\n72 min:<\/strong> Chelsea\u2019s interim boss Calum McFarlane is shown a yellow card for making too much of a fuss over a free kick awarded against Cucurella.<\/p>\nNow now, Calum.<\/span> Photograph: Carl Recine\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nShareUpdated at 15.06 CEST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n\n\n