Liverpool certainly showed the signs of a hangover as they only rallied late in their 3-1 loss to Chelsea – but it matters little with the title already wrapped up.
Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool
Premier League (35) | Stamford BridgeMay 4, 2025
Goals
Fernandez 3′Quansah OG 55′Van Dijk 84′ (assist: Mac Allister)Palmer pen 90+6′
Team news
After confirming on Friday that he would be rotating his side to bring in squad players who “deserve to play,” Arne Slot made more changes than expected – six in total.
Jarell Quansah, Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota came in along with a new midfield of Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones, with Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz coming out.
Gravenberch was left on Merseyside, with Conor Bradley back in the squad after injury.
First half
With nothing to play for and a much-changed team, Liverpool were forgiven for feeling the hangover of their title celebrations, going behind within three minutes as Enzo Fernandez swept home.
As players ran into each other and Alisson was only spared a possible red card due to the offside flag, it was clear this was not a performance in the same vein as their 5-1 win over Tottenham a week previous.
There were signs of improvement around the half-hour mark, perhaps as a side with only five players retained began to find their feet together.
Noni Madueke, one of the Chelsea players not applauding in the pre-match guard of honour, had the ball in the back of the net after rounding Alisson shortly before the break, but his goal was ruled out of offside.
It truly was a half with little else to report: Liverpool are, we’ll repeat, already champions.
Half-time: Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
Second half
With no changes at the break it was a chance for the chemistry to build within a mixed lineup, but they soon went 2-0 down through a Quansah own goal.
It was no fault of Quansah’s – the youngster being among Liverpool’s best performers – but after Cole Palmer embarrassed Tsimikas and delivered a ball which was eventually turned in as Virgil van Dijk‘s clearance bounced off his centre-back partner.
Slot saw fit to make changes straight after but it was a surprise that he turned to Darwin Nunez, the Uruguayan expected to leave the club this summer, as he and Conor Bradley replaced Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
There was time for a trademark sitter from Nunez before order was restored in midfield with the introduction of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai for Endo and Elliott.
A very quiet Mohamed Salah saw a header trickle just wide, while Federico Chiesa was afforded a rare appearance late on and – though unrelated – Liverpool got a goal back as Van Dijk headed in Mac Allister’s corner.
Chelsea restored their two-goal lead late on through Cole Palmer’s penalty. Oh well, two more games until our celebrations at Anfield.
TIA Man of the Match: Wataru Endo
Referee: Simon Hooper
Chelsea: Sanchez; Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella, Lavia (Gusto 78′), Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson (Sancho 72′)
Subs not used: Jorgensen, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Acheampong, James, Dewsbury-Hall, George
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Bradley 58′), Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas (Chiesa 82′); Endo (Mac Allister 69′), Elliott (Szoboszlai 69′), Jones; Salah, Gakpo, Jota (Nunez 58′)
Subs not used: Kelleher, Konate, Robertson, Diaz
Next match: Arsenal (H) – Premier League – Sunday, May 11, 4.30pm (BST)
