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Liverpool hosted Chelsea in the marquee clash of matchday 34 of the 2018/2019 Premier League season and came out 2-0 winners courtsey goals from Sadio Mane and Mo Salah.
With both teams needing maximum points for differing reasons - Liverpool to maintain their title charge and Chelsea to keep up their top four hopes, the first half was expectedly a cagey affair, with both sides engaging in a chess match that ensured the half-time scores remained goalless.
However, Liverpool came out all guns blazing in the second 45 and needed just two minutes and 22 seconds to race into a two-goal lead and showed the necessary wherewithal to protect their lead.
The victory ensured Liverpool maintained their two-point lead atop the standings albeit having played a game more than Manchester City, while Chelsea suffered another setback in their quest to finish in the top four. In this piece, we shall be taking a look at four reasons why Chelsea lost the match to Liverpool.
#4 Terrific home support
It's been 29 years since Liverpool won the league title in England and in that time, there have lots of near misses, slips and ghastly errors which have cost The Reds multiple titles.
Liverpool fans have watched on aghast, as their club which was undisputedly the greatest in England and one of the best on the planet have been knocked off their perch.
However, the Kop has earned respect over the years as one of the most passionate sets of fans anywhere and despite all of the disappointments from their beloved team over the years, they have neither lost the verve, passion nor wavered in their support for The Reds.
Performances up till this point this season have gotten fans believing once again that this is their year to end the long wait for league glory.
In the game against Chelsea, Liverpool fans came out in full force, filling Anfield to the rafters and cheering their team on to victory.
The enthusiasm could be heared before the blast of the whistle, as 53.000 Liverpool fans belted out a passionate and heartfelt rendition of their 'You'll never walk alone' club anthem.
This anthem has been used as a rallying cry in the past to spark some of the greatest moments in this great club's history and on the day against Chelsea, it served its purpose.
Football fans are universally accepted as being the '12th man' on a football field as they provide the requisite support needed to give their players an extra lift and against Chelsea, the Liverpool fans played their role and some extra.
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#3 Maurizio Sarri's tactical gaffe
Sarri was appointed in the summer to replace Antonio Conte and despite starting his tenure brightly, a downturn in results saw the club fans turn against him, with some of their grouses being his predictable formation, misuse of Kante, and lack of trust in Callum Hudson Odoi who was seen as the club's brightest jewel.
In the game against Liverpool, Sarri handed the 18-year-old a rare start, but this came at a cost, as it meant that Gonzalo Higuain had to be dropped to the bench, with Eden Hazard being deployed as a false nine in his stead.
The Belgian superstar is one of the best forwards in the game and can more than hold his own with the best of the best, but despite little flashes here and there through the middle, even a fan with just an iota of football knowledge knows that the 28-year-old is at his destructive best when deployed out wide.
Hazard's unique skillset makes him best equipped to a role on the wing, where his pace and trickery can be deployed to its maximum potential, and it came as no surprise that his and concordantly Chelsea's best spell of the game came when he was sent out wide following the introduction of Gonzalo Higuain.
Hazard almost immediately fashioned out two clear cut chances, hitting the post and drawing a fine save from Alisson, putting Liverpool on the backfoot, with most of Chelsea's attacks during this period coming after Hazard had turned Trent Alexander-Arnold inside out, leaving fans wondering what might had been if Hazard had been deployed out wide from the get go.
#2 Mo Salah was in inspired form
It is fairly common knowledge that Mo Salah had one of the most breathtaking debuts in history last season for Liverpool which saw him score 44 goals in all competitions, make it to the podium at the FIFA and UEFA Best awards in addition to winning of individual accolades including the Puskas award, CAF, PFA and PWA Player of the Year.
It was expected that he would build on from that this season, but despite performing creditably well, the Egyptian maestro has underperformed in recent times, going scoreless for eight consecutive matches, while being outshone by Sadio Mane over the last month.
His struggles drew criticism from many corners, especially as it was coming at the wrongest time, with Liverpool needing optimum performance from its key players during this tightest of run-ins
However, despite his poor run of form, Salah remains one of the best players in the world and he came good against Chelsea.
Having played a pivotal role in Liverpool's recent crunch victories over Tottenham and Southampton, the 26-year-old was at his destructive best against Chelsea.
The former Chelsea man was a constant menace in the flesh of his ex-teammates, as he was full of running and laying on passes for his teammates, one of which was an exquisite sitter which Sadio Mane somehow managed to miss.
In the second half, Salah had a hand in both goals, as it was his twists and turns which disoriented the Chelsea backline and gave Henderson the chance to provide a sublime assist for Sadio Mane.
Less than 180 seconds later, Salah made all three points safe when he blasted an absolute worldie into the top corner from 25 yards out.
With just four matches left this season, Liverpool are almost at the finish line, and to sprint all the way across this final lap, they would need the services of Mo Salah at his imperious best and on evidence of his display against Chelsea, he is ready to handle the mantle.
#1 Quite simply, they wanted it more
Liverpool are on the verge of rewriting history, it is a history 29 years in the making, with everyone of the current squad of Liverpool players knowing they have a chance to immortalize themselves in the annals of this illustrious club's memory for all time.
Knowing that their destiny is not in their hands, they can only do so much, while hoping that Manchester City slip up, but with just four matches remaining they are hell bent on doing all within their power to ensure that they are crowned Premier League champions come May.
In the match against Chelsea, they showed extra drive, extra commitment to the cause and this much was evident in their play from kickoff, as they were first to every second ball, while playing their guts out and leaving it all on the field to ensure victory was attained.
Chelsea was Liverpool's last 'big test' on paper and with a rather kind run-in, they can start to dream of a first league title in 29 years and this is only as much as they deserve seeing all they have committed to the cause.
