Liverpool were made to work for their hard-fought 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday afternoon. Arne Slot’s side put in an impressive performance to ensure they earned all three points and stayed at the top of the Premier League table, ahead of early title rivals Manchester City and Arsenal.
Liverpool took the lead against the Blues on Sunday via a Mohamed Salah penalty. The Egyptian legend slotted home from 12 yards following a foul from England international defender Levi Colwill.
Chelsea, however, got themselves back into the game through Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson. The Blues number 15 latched onto a pinpoint through ball from Moises Caicedo to equalise for the West London outfit. It was originally given offside, but after a VAR check, the striker was deemed onside.
The goal did not hinder Liverpool much at all, and just three minutes after Jackson’s strike, they managed to take the lead again. This time, it was Curtis Jones who found the back of the net, converting a well-placed cross from Salah.
Despite late pressure from Enzo Maresca’s team, Liverpool managed to hold on for all three points at Anfield. There were some eye-catching performances, although Jones was a standout player.
Jones’ stats vs. Chelsea
Liverpool academy graduate Jones has become an important player in Slot’s short tenure at the club so far. The 23-year-old has played seven times in all competitions this term, but Sunday’s performance was perhaps his very best all season.
The midfielder starred against the Blues, capping off a wonderful showing with his goal. He met Salah’s deep cross to the back post before Robert Sanchez in the Chelsea goal could react, taking a touch and lifting the ball over him to win the game.
Outside of that, the former England under-21 was superb off the ball, working hard and often coming out on top in duels. He also won the penalty which led to Salah’s opener.
His impressive showing was reflected in his stats from Sofascore, with the midfielder creating two chances and winning six from his eight attempted ground duels.
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Jones stats vs. Chelsea |
|
|---|---|
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Stat |
Number |
|
Touches |
56 |
|
Pass accuracy |
90% |
|
Passes completed |
37/41 |
|
Ground duels won |
6/8 |
|
Tackles won |
3/4 |
|
Chances created |
2 |
|
Penalties won |
1 |
|
Stats from Sofascore |
|
Jones’ performance earned him a deserved 9/10 rating from Mark Delgado, journalist for This Is Anfield. He explained the Reds number 17 ‘played an important role’ in helping to nullify the impact of Chelsea star Cole Palmer.
As good as Jones was against the West Londoners on Sunday, there were several players who were just as effective, including striker Darwin Nunez.
Nunez’s stats vs. Chelsea
The 2024/25 season has not really seen Nunez get much of an opportunity in that famous Red shirt. He has played eight games in all competitions but has just 367 minutes under his belt, equal to four full 90-minute games.
Sunday afternoon, however, provided him with the perfect chance to show why he deserves more game time. Diogo Jota unfortunately picked up an injury and was subbed off after 30 minutes, giving Nunez the platform he needed to shine.
It is fair to say the Uruguayan attacker took it with both hands. He received an 8/10 rating from Delgado, who was full of praise for the striker. He explained the Reds number nine ‘looked very locked in’ at Anfield, praising him for a ‘hard-working display’ against Chelsea.
His stats from the game certainly reflected his all-round performance. The 25-year-old won seven from 12 ground duels and two from five aerial duels he contested. On top of that, he won three from four tackles and four fouls.
It was not a classic striker’s performance from Nunez, although he has proven he can find the back of the net, despite some inconsistency at times. With a busy schedule coming up for Liverpool, this performance will no doubt be a massive confidence booster.
He is a player who can make a huge impact on the game, even if he is not scoring. Former Manchester United right-back and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville explained in 2023 that the Uruguayan would “frighten” him as a defender.
“If he can come good, I would rather play against Gakpo and Jota – and they’re both very good players – than Darwin Nunez. He would frighten me to death running off my shoulder, the speed of him and the way in which he always moves.
“If he can’t finish, you don’t have that punch to knock your opponents out. If he adds the punch like he has today, he becomes a really interesting player for Liverpool. Ultimately, he’s [Jurgen Klopp] going to have to try and get him in at some point.”
Next up, the Reds face RB Leipzig away from home in the Champions League tonight. Slot could well decide to start Nunez whether or not Jota is injured, as he looks to find his best form under the Dutchman and continue on from Sunday’s impressive performance.