Football Review | Chelsea 2 - 1 Liverpool

Estevao’s late strike gives Chelsea dramatic win

Brazilian teenager scores in stoppage time to seal victory as Liverpool suffer third successive defeat

Author | Lewis W

Stadium | Stamford Bridge

View from the stands

Estevao Willian struck deep into stoppage time to hand Chelsea victory and condemn Liverpool to a third successive defeat in a dramatic finish at Stamford Bridge.

The teenager’s winner, greeted by wild celebrations that ended with coach Enzo Maresca being sent off, was fully deserved but it added to a bitter run of results for the out-of-sorts Premier League champions.

How the drana unfolded on a dramatic Saturday evening 

Moises Caicedo had opened the scoring after 14 minutes with a rising 20-yard strike past stand-in goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who was deputising for the injured Alisson.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot left £116m summer signing Florian Wirtz on the bench after back-to-back defeats to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray, before turning to him at half-time in search of inspiration.

Chelsea remained on top, but Liverpool drew level after 62 minutes when Cody Gakpo reacted sharply to turn in from close range after Alexander Isak touched on Dominik Szoboszlai’s cross.

Mamardashvili twice denied Chelsea late on, saving from substitutes Estevao and Jamie Gittens, while Enzo Fernández squandered a golden chance in added time, heading against the outside of the post.

It looked to be the final act until Liverpool were undone once more in the dying moments, as they had been at Selhurst Park. Estevao nipped ahead of Andrew Robertson to divert Marc Cucurella’s cross past Mamardashvili and secure Chelsea’s win.

The result leaves Arsenal top of the Premier League by a point after their earlier victory over West Ham.