Liverpool slumps to record fifth loss at Anfield; Spurs, Everton win

The new coach bounce seems to working perfectly for Chelsea as the side beat Liverpool at home to break into the top four, while Jurgen Klopp's side slumped to 7th place.

Published : Mar 05, 2021 08:37 IST

Remarkably, Liverpool's five successive home league defeats have come after Jurgen Klopp's boys had lost none of the previous 68 games at Anfield.
Remarkably, Liverpool's five successive home league defeats have come after Jurgen Klopp's boys had lost none of the previous 68 games at Anfield.
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Remarkably, Liverpool's five successive home league defeats have come after Jurgen Klopp's boys had lost none of the previous 68 games at Anfield.

Chelsea moved into the Premier League's top four as Mason Mount's superb first-half goal earned the side a 1-0 win at champion Liverpool which suffered a club-record fifth straight home league defeat on Thursday.

Mount cut in to curl a low shot past Liverpool keeper Alisson in the 42nd minute, after Timo Werner had earlier had a goal disallowed, to give Chelsea a deserved halftime lead.

Thomas Tuchel's side then showed great defensive discipline to stand firm in the second period as Liverpool improved.

Liverpool, which substituted a disgruntled Mohamed Salah in the second half, struggled to carve out clear chances, though, and managed only one effort on target.

LIVCHE SCORECARD

Chelsea, unbeaten since Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard in January, has 47 points from 27 games, one more than Everton which had briefly gone fourth by beating West Bromwich Albion.

Liverpool's title defence is in tatters and Jurgen Klopp's side have slumped to seventh spot with 43 points from 27 games. Remarkably, their five successive home league defeats have come after they had lost none of the previous 68 games at Anfield.

"It's very tight around the top four and these big games we need to win," Mount said. "Tonight maybe we could have had a couple more goals. We had to be brave and win the ball back high and that's where the goal came from."

Tuchel is now unbeaten in 10 games in the Stamford Bridge hot seat and Thursday's victory was another tactical masterclass by the German who last week crafted an eye-catching 1-0 win at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

 

RELENTLESS PRESSING

His side's relentless pressing was too much for Liverpool in the first half, while they cleverly mixed up the angle of their attack to keep Klopp's side firmly on the back foot.

Werner should have put Chelsea ahead in the 12th minute but failed to connect with a volley and the German striker then latched on to a long pass forward and nicked it past the out-rushing Alissson before rolling the ball home.

Liverpool was spared by an agonisingly tight VAR offside decision on that occasion but did not learn its lesson.

Just before halftime N'Golo Kante's long pass found Mount on the left. The young midfielder cut in past Trent Alexander-Arnold and arrowed a right-footed shot inside the far post.

Liverpool did show more of its trademark intensity after the break but Chelsea were unruffled, although there was one anxious moment just after the restart when Roberto Firmino's cross struck the hand of Kante but the Blues survived a VAR check.

Chelsea looked far sharper Hakim Ziyech had an effort cleared off the line while Werner also had the chance to make the points safe but was denied by Alisson.

Liverpool's only attempt on target came late on as Georginio Wijnaldum shot straight at Edouard Mendy while defender Ozan Kabak also had a half chance. "It was a well-deserved win, a big performance and a big result," Tuchel said.

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LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammate Son Heung-Min after scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on March 04, 2021 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
 

Tottenham edges past Fulham thanks to Adarabioyo own goal

Tottenham Hotspur rode its luck in the quest for a top-four finish in the Premier League with a 1-0 victory at Fulham on Thursday thanks to an own-goal by Tosin Adarabioyo and the intervention of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

Victory dragged Tottenham back into the race for a Champions League spot with Jose Mourinho's eighth-placed side on 42 points from 26 matches, five points behind Chelsea in fourth, ahead of Sunday's clash with Crystal Palace.

Seconds after an unmarked Harry Kane failed to head his team in front, Tottenham took the lead from a quick counter-attack in the 19th minute when Son Heung-min's cross was met by Dele Alli before going over the line following a touch by Adarabioyo.

FULTOT SCORECARD

Fulham began the second half brightly and thought it had equalised through Josh Maja but his effort was controversially chalked off by VAR after Davinson Sanchez kicked the ball onto Mario Lemina's hand as Tottenham looked to clear.

Midfielder Alli looked sharp in his first league start since the opening day of the season and combined well with Son late in the first half, but the forward was unable to head in the England international's cross from a tight angle.

Fulham pushed on after going behind as Antonee Robinson weaved his way into Spurs' penalty area in the dying seconds of the first half and found Maja who set up Lemina, but the Gabon midfielder's shot flew over the crossbar.

Fulham stayed 18th in the table and deep in relegation trouble, three points behind Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion.

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WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND - MARCH 1: Richarlison of Everton during the Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Everton at The Hawthorns on March 4 2021 in West Bromwich, England. (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

Richarlison heads Everton to victory and brief top-four place

Everton striker Richarlison continued his scoring form with a fourth goal in as many Premier League games to earn his side a hard-fought 1-0 victory at West Bromwich Albion on Thursday.

WBAEVE SCORECARD

Everton briefly climbed into the top four to stay on course for a European club competition berth next season but was toppled later in the night by Chelsea which won at Anfield.

Its third successive win moved the Toffees to 46 points from 26 matches.

West Brom's narrow defeat and its first loss in almost a month left it still deep in relegation trouble. The side has 17 points from 27 games, nine points from safety, as it stayed second bottom of the table.

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