LONDON: Liverpool crashed to a third successive defeat as Estevao Willian’s last-gasp strike condemned the spluttering Premier League champions to a 2-1 defeat against Chelsea on Saturday.
Arne Slot’s side were rocked by Estevao’s close-range finish in the final seconds at Stamford Bridge after Cody Gakpo’s second half equalizer had canceled out Moises Caicedo’s brilliant opener for the Blues.
After making a perfect start to the season with seven wins in all competitions, including five in the Premier League, Liverpool have suffered an unexpected blip with shock defeats at Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea.
Having lost to Palace in the closing moments last weekend, this was another agonizing blow for Liverpool, who had made a habit of scoring late winners themselves in the early weeks of the season.
Those late goals had papered over the cracks as Liverpool struggle to gel following Slot’s close-season spending spree.
Once again the second-placed Reds were below the standards that carried them to the title last season despite splashing out more than £400 million ($539 million) on new signings.
They have surrendered first place to Arsenal, who climbed one point above them after beating West Ham on Saturday.
Chelsea’s late show lifted them to sixth place as under-fire boss Enzo Maresca avoided a third successive league defeat.
Maresca’s men snatched the lead with a bolt from the blue in the 14th minute.
When Liverpool carelessly conceded possession, Caicedo pounced on the loose ball and advanced unchecked as Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate backed off, allowing the 23-year-old midfielder to lash a sublime strike into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Caicedo’s third goal this season was the kind of breathtaking moment that underlined why Liverpool were so keen to sign him from Brighton before Chelsea outbid them for the Ecuadorian in 2023.
- Liverpool rocked -
The Reds lacked their usual fluency and Alejandro Garnacho almost added to Slot’s angst with a curler that clipped the outside of the post as Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili stood rooted to the spot.
Garnacho was denied a penalty just before half-time after Dominik Szoboszlai shoved the Argentine to the turf, with the incensed Maresca earning a booking after becoming embroiled in a row with Liverpool goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero.
Alexander Isak was anonymous for long periods and when he did get a sight of goal, Liverpool’s British record signing headed wastefully over.
Slot replaced Conor Bradley with Florian Wirtz at half-time in a bid to spark Liverpool and the move nearly paid instant dividends.
Wirtz’s clever turn and pass inside the Chelsea area teed up Mohamed Salah, but the Egypt star blazed wide.
It took Liverpool until the 51st minute to muster a shot on target as Ryan Gravenberch’s long-range drive was held by Robert Sanchez.
Salah squandered another sight of goal with a wayward finish that summed up his recent dip in form.
When Chelsea lost Benoit Badiashile to an injury, Reece James was forced to move to center-back in a switch that Liverpool quickly exposed.
Given too much time by Marc Cucurella, Szoboszlai whipped a cross into the six-yard box.
James was slow to react and Isak flicked the ball toward Gakpo, who stabbed home from close-range for his first goal in eight games.
Adding to Maresca’s problems, Josh Acheampong limped off to join Chelsea’s long list of defensive injuries.
But Chelsea finished strongly and Mamardashvili made good saves to deny Jamie Gittens and Estevao before Enzo Fernandez’s glancing header smacked off the post.
The Blues’ late barrage was rewarded deep into stoppage-time as Cucurella whipped a cross into the six-yard box and Estevao stretched to slot home from an acute angle.
Maresca embarked on a jubilant sprint down the touchline to celebrate with his players, earning a red card in the process.
With Stamford Bridge rocking in triumph, Slot stood ashen-faced on the touchline as Liverpool’s latest loss hit home.
