Ngolo Kante, who returned to the Chelsea squad, is beneath strain from Jordan Henderson of Liverpool through the Premier League match on April 4, 2023 in London
| Photo Credit: Getty Images
Chelsea have been held to yet one more 0-0 draw by Liverpool on Tuesday of their first match since sacking coach Graham Potter with either side displaying the identical issues which have left them miles off the tempo on this season’s Premier League.
The goalless stalemate was the fourth in a row between the 2 groups — together with final season’s FA and League Cup finals each of which Liverpool gained on penalties.
Big-spending Chelsea dominated a lot of the Stamford Bridge encounter towards a much-changed Liverpool aspect, who appeared visibly low on confidence following their chastening 4-1 defeat at Manchester City on Saturday.
Yet Chelsea spurned one alternative after one other, repeating the sort of toothless show that ended up costing Potter his job at Stamford Bridge after solely 31 video games in cost.
Joao Felix and Mateo Kovacic went shut within the opening minutes adopted by probabilities that went untaken by Kai Havertz in one other toothless show for the Blues, who’ve scored solely 29 occasions in 29 league video games.
Reece James, restored to his extra harmful function as a marauding proper wing-back by Chelsea’s interim head coach Bruno Saltor, and Havertz had the ball within the internet both aspect of halftime, however each efforts have been dominated out.
Liverpool sought to make Chelsea pay for his or her profligacy on the finish of the primary half with their first moments of hazard, together with a rasping shot by Fabinho that Blues defender Wesley Fofana deflected large with a glanced header. Felix and Kovacic wasted additional probabilities for Chelsea within the second half.
The draw left Liverpool in eighth place within the league desk, seven factors behind Tottenham Hotspur within the fourth Champions League qualifying spot having performed a recreation lower than Spurs. Chelsea stayed caught in eleventh place.
Chelsea followers have been a minimum of capable of see midfielder N’Golo Kante making his first begin for the Blues since struggling a hamstring harm in August. They will hope he can construct on his show when Chelsea meet Real Madrid within the Champions League quarter-finals subsequent week.
The look represented Kante’s third league residence recreation beneath three totally different coaches in the identical season, having begun the marketing campaign beneath Thomas Tuchel and performed in its place on Saturday towards Aston Villa in Potter’s swansong.
The French World Cup winner was given a standing ovation when he was substituted within the 69th minute.
Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp, presumably with a watch on Sunday’s go to to Anfield by league leaders Arsenal, left a number of of his ordinary starters on the bench together with Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“Both teams played last year in two finals, two of the best 0-0s I ever saw,” Klopp instructed the BBC. “Today it was two teams low on confidence but really fighting. We’re fine with a point, a lot of good stuff. We showed a lot of fight. We have to keep going.”
