Liverpool’s insipid draw with Chelsea epitomises the incoherent nature of their season | OneFootball

There was a moment in the first half when the Liverpool supporters revived a chant from the Anfield songbook a couple of decades ago. Chelsea , they chorused, “ain’t got no history”. Yet when Chelsea avoided making it, it was an achievement for Calum McFarlane but an indictment of Arne Slot.

When Ryan Gravenberch gave Liverpool the lead, Chelsea were on course to equal a club record of seven straight league defeats, set in 1952. They avoided that ignominy. A first point in more than two months came courtesy of Enzo Fernandez, but also due to Liverpool’s failings.

Clubs who have had some epic battles shared a draw that was instead error-strewn and, at times, insipid. These are rivals who contested twin Champions League semi-finals. Now Chelsea almost certainly will not return to the European elite and Liverpool missed the chance to all but book their place in the Champions League. In a season of missed opportunities, this was another.

Perhaps it was a microcosm of their campaign: a flying start, a struggle and an outcome that may prove to be just about satisfactory. Yet too much of the manner of it felt familiar. Liverpool lost their way even before losing a lead. For the 18th time in the Premier League, they conceded from a set piece, albeit in a different fashion.

In the second half, Liverpool were frantic and incoherent. In the first, there was a lack of urgency and intensity. Liverpool were too slow, soporific in the sunshine. Anfield was angsty, anxious, annoyed. Frustration is becoming apparent.

Slot had said that even finishing the campaign with three good results and good performances would not be enough to silence the criticism. Liverpool got neither here anyway. There were loud boos when Rio Ngumoha was substituted; more in dissent at Slot’s decision to remove the teenager, who had begun brightly, than at the introduction of Alexander Isak, who was duly anonymous. “There were a lot that didn’t agree with the change, which is completely understandable,” said Slot, revealing Ngumoha had been suffering from cramp. And yet he knows the climate at the club now, that jeers would follow. “I knew the moment his number went up that would be the reaction,” he said. It continued, and further boos greeted the final whistle.

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Liverpool fans booed Arne Slot after he substituted youngster Rio Ngumoha (PA)

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Ryan Gravenberch’s curling effort sent Liverpool into the lead (Getty)

“This club should not be happy with a 1-1 against Chelsea,” said Slot. It was not. The mitigating factors came in the sense of another makeshift team. When Liverpool spent £450m in the summer, the plan was not to field a front three including a full-back, in Jeremie Frimpong, and a 17-year-old, in Ngumoha. In between them, Cody Gakpo completed the first 40 minutes without touching the ball. The ill Florian Wirtz was absent; Isak’s comeback was only as a replacement.

Liverpool looked short of scorers. Not for the first time, they got a spectacular strike from a midfielder, albeit a different one, with Gravenberch curling in from 20 yards. A Chelsea team packed with defensive personnel did too little to stop him. Filip Jorgensen, deputising for the concussed Robert Sanchez in goal, seemed to get his positioning wrong.

Chelsea extended their run without a clean sheet to 14 league games, their worst since 1991. For the ninth time this season, they conceded in the opening 10 minutes. Given the crisis enveloping the visitors, they seemed there for the taking. Liverpool did not take advantage. An unmarked Virgil van Dijk shot wide. But Liverpool surrendered the initiative as Chelsea discovered some resolve.

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Enzo Fernandez scored from a direct free kick to give Chelsea the equaliser (Reuters)

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Cole Palmer had a goal disallowed for Chelsea and Curtis Jones had one ruled out for Liverpool (Getty)

“I am probably being a bit biased; we could have won the game,” said McFarlane. It helped that he got his tactics right. Lacking wingers, the interim manager used Marc Cucurella on the left of midfield. “Cucurella is not a winger, though he told me he has played there before, but his movement off the ball is of a real high standard,” said McFarlane. It proved a real asset. The Spaniard provided drive, verve and a goal threat. He drew the first save from a fit-again Giorgi Mamardashvili with a low drive. The goalkeeper prevented Fernandez from putting Chelsea ahead. But not from equalising.

Just Chelsea’s second goal in seven league games came when Fernandez’s low free kick evaded everyone, a motionless Mamardashvili included, to go in. Wesley Fofana nevertheless claimed it. “Everyone has told me that I touched the ball,” he said. Regardless of the scorer, Slot was unhappy. “Such a sloppy goal,” he said.

Each side found the net for a second time: Cole Palmer, after Cucurella was marginally offside, and Curtis Jones, when Gakpo had strayed beyond the Chelsea defence. Neither goal counted. Liverpool were twice inches from a winner. Dominik Szoboszlai powered a long-range shot against the foot of the near post. Van Dijk headed the Hungarian’s corner onto the bar. This, however, was not a day when Szoboszlai could rescue them from mediocrity.

Chelsea found a modicum of redemption, even if it invited questions as to why they have been so poor in other games. This was a reminder that they can turn up on the bigger occasions. Wretched against Nottingham Forest on Monday, they were far better here. There was almost an apologetic air as their players went to the fans at the final whistle. “This club needs to win games of football and we haven’t done that,” said McFarlane. Liverpool have not done it often enough, either.