Chelsea beat Liverpool with last gasp Estevao winner | OneFootball

The mood has been slightly negative at Stamford Bridge in recent weeks but improved tenfold today as Chelsea put in their best performance of the season and beat Liverpool with a last-minute winner.

The Blues were very impressive and worthy of Estevao’s goal in the 96th minute that made it 2-1. Enzo Maresca’s side had won two games out of their last six coming into this weekend and fans were growing frustrated.

It had not just been results that were disappointing, performances were too.

Last season Arne Slot credited Chelsea as one of the best teams his side faced, even though the Reds beat them 2-1 in the game he was referencing.

He will surely have been impressed by them again today.

The game started with a Moises Caicedo goal in the 14th minute. Giorgi Mamardashvili, who came in to replace the injured Alisson Becker, misplaced a pass to Virgil van Dijk in the 13th minute that went out of play near the Reds’ box.

The resulting throw in found its way to Caicedo, who beat Alexis Mac Allister to the ball and advanced on the Liverpool goal. The two Liverpool centre-backs backed off him and asked the Ecuadorian to shoot – which he duly did.

He lashed a shot into the top left corner of the goal that left Mamardashvili with no chance.

Chelsea controlled the rest of the first period. Liverpool looked bafflingly light up top, given they have just spent over £300 million on attacking talent this summer.

Two of the three players who made up that staggering amount didn’t even start. Slot couldn’t find space in his line-up for Hugo Ekitike or Florian Wirtz.

Ekitike had just served a suspension for taking his shirt off and getting sent off against Southampton and Cody Gakpo was preferred to the Frenchman.

Whilst the decision didn’t seem the correct one in the first half, Gakpo did score the equaliser in the 62nd minute. Dominik Szoboszlai whipped in a cross that was beautifully brought down by Isak in the middle of the box, perfectly into the path of the oncoming Cody Gakpo who rifled it home.

Both teams were aggrieved at decisions they were not given for possible penalties. Alejandro Garnacho, who was dangerous all game, was seemingly pulled down by Szoboszlai in the box, but the decision wasn’t given.

And Reece James was involved in a tussle with Isak and appeared to throw his hand into the Swede’s face, but again it was waved away.

Both claims were optimistic at best and one could call it justice that neither was given.

Once the game was level it was back and forth. Maresca brought on Jamie Gittens, Estevao and Marc Guiu whilst Slot brought Ekitike and Curtis Jones into the game.

There were chances for both sides but it was Chelsea who came closest when Enzo Fernandez hit the post with a header from an Estevao cross in 91st minute.

As the game trickled into the final five minutes of added time the home faithful were singing as loud as ever and willing their team on the get the winner.

It seemed they wouldn’t be able to manage it until Marc Cucurella played a delightful ball across the box that reached the far post, which Estevao was able to poke home after just creeping in front of Andy Robertson. There was complete bedlam amongst the home fans, and Maresca ran down the touchline in Jose Mourinho-esque fashion to jump on the celebrating Estevao.

The Italian was sent off for his celebrations, but you would assume he does not care. This felt like a result and performance that could get Chelsea’s season back on track.

For Liverpool, it’s now three defeats on the bounce and they must go back to the drawing board.