Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis 

#3 Liverpool overpower Chelsea in midfield

Jordan Henderson

For the second game running, Klopp preferred the midfield trio of Fabinho, Henderson and Naby Keita. Though the triumvirate didn’t set the world ablaze in the first half, the partnership certainly prospered after the break.

Fabinho was his calm, unassuming self throughout and recycled possession adroitly. Though N’Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek had their moments, the Brazilian largely kept them at bay. Keita, meanwhile, was a constant thorn on the left side of midfield and linked constantly with Andrew Robertson and Mane.

However, the most impressive midfielder on display was Henderson. The Liverpool skipper covered every blade of grass at Anfield. The Englishman formed a solid shield in front of the back four and barely allowed the likes of Jorginho to dictate the tempo. Yet, it was the quality he displayed in the offensive third which shone brighter than the other facets of his performance.

For a while, Henderson’s lack of creativity and incision has been panned. However, Liverpool’s previous two games have seen the Englishman scythe through the opposition with perfectly weighted passes. And though Henderson will still have his critics, there aren’t many as pivotal as him in Liverpool’s title challenge.