Mohamed Salah storms off pitch in Liverpool’s draw with Chelsea

By Jason Burt, Chief Football Correspondent, at Stamford Bridge

In the ‘Moises Caicedo derby’ Chelsea and Liverpool played out their traditional draw but it felt like a morale, rather than a moral, victory for the home side.

If this is what Pochball 2.0 looks like – with Mauricio Pochettino returning to the Premier League as Chelsea head coach – then bring it on.

Chelsea were entertaining, vibrant and vulnerable but they will also feel as if they should have won. As will Liverpool. Both sides had long periods of dominance and had the chances but, as in their previous six meetings, it ended in a draw.

In the executive boxes sat the owners – Chelsea’s Todd Boehly and Liverpool’s John W Henry – prompting the conclusion surely that the pursuit of the Brighton midfielder, Caicedo, would have been up for discussion.

Chelsea seem set to win that race with a £115million bid although Liverpool’s need for a holding midfielder feels more urgent.

The sides traded first-half goals, with Luis Diaz opening the scoring for Liverpool before that was cancelled out by Axel Disasi on his debut. Both also had goals disallowed for offside after Var checks.

Liverpool’s was scored by Mohamed Salah who also provided a brilliant assist but he left the pitch early and was not happy at all at being substituted by Jurgen Klopp.

As it happened, below

07:33 PM BST

Keane on Salah

“Don’t sit there on the bench waving your arms about. It is ok to be upset but not for too long. Don’t drag it out. Sit down and shut up. We have seen a lot better players than Salah get subbed off, it is part of the game.”

And on that note, we will leave this – but not before Daniel Sturridge has done a little song on Sky Sports, to the pantomime disapproval of Roy.

07:28 PM BST

Klopp talks to Sky

“We don’t know where we all stand. It was quite convincing start, it’s not like we met in a carpark after five weeks and tried to play a football game. We played a lot of good stuff. We scored two wonderful goals, one disallowed.

“We opened the door for Chelsea. We lost the ball in moments where it is really hard to prepare for it. That was not cool and we were not in control of the game any more. And that brought Chelsea up and the crowd up.

“Super intense for both teams. Hard fought. We came through it and as far as I know, nobody is injured.

“But we lost balls, didn’t play simple enough. Momentum is not really there yet so it is important to help yourself in these moments.

“This team deserves so much faith and trust, they will go for it 100% and I will be beside them.

“It’s no secret that we are looking for something like that [a proven six] but the market is crazy at the moment.”

“I didn’t think about Mo’s opening day record in that moment, we needed stability and fresh legs. His reaction is absolutely fine. If I sub a striker off at 1-1 and he’s jumping into my arms then I am going to be very surprised.”

07:10 PM BST

Pochettino talks to Sky

“Difficult at the beginning. Liverpool were full of energy and pressed really well. I think we were a bit lucky because if we had conceded a second goal then the game might be over.

“But the second half we dominated, we created. We are pleased to keep a team like Liverpool to one shot on goal.

“Very pleased, nearly six weeks working together, so good to see this sort of performance against Liverpool. Gives us belief to keep working.

“The idea was to play with a back four. In the offensive phase it looks like Chilwell is part of a five, we want to work with him like a winger and go inside because Alexander-Arnold comes inside. But we fixed that. The idea was to play 1-4-2-3-1.”

“Nothing I can say about Moisés Caicedo but we will let you know when there is news.”

07:01 PM BST

Chilwell and Disasi

Chilwell: “they were the better team in the first half hour. We weren’t up to it. But the confidence started to come.”

Disasi: “very happy, very proud of the team. We deserved the team.”

Chilwell: “he was putting in all the set pieces in training yesterday so I told him he would score today. So we manifested it!”

Chilwell: “last season we had a lot of frustrating draws. We were brilliant in the second 60 minutes of the game today and the effort was brilliant. I was playing left wing off the ball, higher than I am used to.”

06:48 PM BST

Trent Alexander-Arnold on Sky

“Difficult game. A fairly new system for us. Take a point at Stamford Bridge.

“We had prepared for them to go 433 and they set up with a back three. We played really well for 25 minutes but we couldn’t keep it up. At some point away from home you stop chasing the game and go for the point.

“Central area gives me more opportunity to control the game and use my passing range. I have always been told to press high so it is easier to transition but if they do get down the left it is a long way back!

“I’d be up for starting in midfield.”

Sturridge has just said “keep it funky with your boy” to Trent, who is laughing. Roy Keane is not laughing.

Sturridge now asks a good question, tbf: “do you feel more vulnerable defensively in midfield?”

Trent: “There are times when it is easier for Ibu to go into a right back position and me as centre. Our philosophy is counter press so if we lose it, and the ball is around me – or anyone – we swarm as a team, you don’t play your position, we try and get the ball back.”

“Fine by us if people say we are not Title challengers. We have got proven winners. We are bringing in winners, a guy who has just won the World Cup. We should be challenging every season for the Title and we are not shy of saying that.

“Changes freshen up the club and the dynamic. Perhaps teams were getting used to the way we play.”

06:41 PM BST

Roy Keane on Sky

“I think Pochettino will be encouraged, I thought Klopp will be disappointed. They both looked like poor sides in the second half.”

06:40 PM BST

Some stats

Chelsea had 11 shots to Liverpool’s 13, but four of the Blue efforts were on target to just one of the Reds. Chelsea 65% possession.

06:37 PM BST

Reactions

06:31 PM BST

Full time: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Good start for Chelsea I’d say. Liverpool were impressive and dangerous in the first quarter but Chelsea had the better of it for the remaining three-quarters. Both sides had a goal correctly chalked off by Var. Chelsea have excellence down the flanks, and Jackson looks like a useful customer up front. They seemed a bit unsure about the back three to start with but got their act together. It’s all a work in progress.

Liverpool are more familiar. Thrilling going forward with their movement and running. Lightweight in central midfield and prone to confusion in central defence. It looks frustrating.

06:28 PM BST

90+3 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Liverpool have a corner but Chelsea break at high pace via Mudryk, who gets a bit over excited and cannot either finish or cross. It ends up falling to Maatsen, but he is also short on composure.

Frantic stuff in the third minute of the five injury time minutes.

06:27 PM BST

90 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Ugochukwu replaces Chilwell.

Liverpool have been better since those two subs (Sorry, Mo Salah) and Nunez goes close now with a run and shot.

06:23 PM BST

87 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Terrible error from Sanchez in Chelsea nets but fortunately for him Mac Allister spurs an gilt-edged chance to set up Nunez.

Mac Allister is fouled, gestures to the ref that his aggressor should be booked…. and gets a yellow card for doing so. Literally identical to the Jackson thing a few minutes ago. These guys do NOT catch on quick.

06:19 PM BST

84 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Mykhailo Mudryk and Ian Maatsen come on for Carney Chukwuemeka and Raheem Sterling.

Don’t get many Premier League Ians, do you?

06:17 PM BST

81 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Chelsea’s strengths, to my mind, are the wing-backs but James has gone off and Chilwell doesn’t seem to be moving all that well.

06:13 PM BST

77 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Ben Doak and Harvey Elliott replace Mo Salah and Luis Diaz.

Konate fouls Jackson, who mimes ‘yellow card’. Ref books Jackson. Not Konate. That is a new policy this season.

06:11 PM BST

76 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Salah is subbed off and he has a little tantrum. He rips off the bandages on his hands and throws them on the ground. The crowd jeer and boo.

Klopp studiously ignores him.

Liverpool have done nothing in the attacking sense since half time so Klopp within his rights to change something.

06:10 PM BST

74 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

James, who has been a huge threat, is coming off in favour of Gusto. Reece must be injured/being taken off as a precaution.

06:07 PM BST

Jackson

06:06 PM BST

71 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Trent gets robbed by Chilwell and Jackson has the chance to win it. He tears down the inside left channel, nothing but the goal on his mind, but Liverpool do just enough to put him off.

06:02 PM BST

67 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Trent Alexander-Arnold is booked for timewasting.

05:58 PM BST

63 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Time for some changes.  Klopp needs to switch this up because Chelsea are dominating, especially down the flanks.

Jones and Nunez come on for Jota and Gakpo.

05:58 PM BST

62 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Chilwell is fouled. James tries to shoot from a very tight angle. No.

05:57 PM BST

Here’s that pen shout

05:56 PM BST

61 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Cracking entertainment this, but it’s Chelsea who are having much the better of it at the moment.

05:55 PM BST

60 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Matt Upson on the BBC says: “They aren’t going to look at that as a handball, Jackson’s arm is tucked into his chest.”

05:50 PM BST

54 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Great play from Sterling, cutting inside, finding Fernandez and onward to Chilwell arriving at pace from the left. First touch just lets him down and Alisson is able to narrow the angle. Fails to sore. A better touch from Chilwell there and that would have been a glorious opportunity.

05:47 PM BST

52 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Liverpool have a corner. It’s whacked Jackson squarely on the hand and that looks like a case for Detective Var.

No penalty given.

Liverpool have another corner, that one’s cleared.

05:42 PM BST

47 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Gallagher has loads going for him as a player but I don’t know if he’s a holding midfielder. He’s lost the ball, and Diaz is in… tries to dink the ball through, not sure whether that’s a cross or a shot or whatever. But it leads to a corner for Liverpool regardless.

05:40 PM BST

46 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Wonder how Poch’s first team talk went?

05:40 PM BST

Players are back

out for the second half.

05:39 PM BST

Sky trailing

their Greatest Show on Earth trailer during half time, which ends with Roy Keane dressed in clown make up, much to the amusement of Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge.

05:25 PM BST

Half time: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Nothing else exciting to tell you about in the injury time there, but that’s been a really enjoyable and entertaining half. Both sides seem to have lots of good points, and glaring weaknesses.

Two smartly taken goals. Both sides had a goal denied by Var for offside, two very tight but ultimately correct decisions.

05:22 PM BST

45+3 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

A hard but fair tackle by Colwill on jota leaves the Liverpool guy injured. He has to go off for the mandated 30 seconds.

05:20 PM BST

45+2 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

There are going to be six minutes added, and we are a couple of minutes into that when Chilwell tries an ambitious volley.

05:19 PM BST

45 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Fernandez plays the ball for Sterling, but Robertson intercepts. Some people claim that he’s passed that back but I don’t think so.

05:18 PM BST

43 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

James and Sterling link again and crossed. Jackson gets in front of Konate but shoots over from close range.

05:11 PM BST

38 mins: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

Barely have we kicked off than Chelsea have the ball in the net again! Liverpool again not stepping up in unison, ball is slid through, Chilwell gets onto it and shows good composure to round the keeper and pop it in. However, that looks close to being offside and Var has now overturned the decision and it’s no goal.

05:09 PM BST

GOAL! Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1 (Disasi 37)

Chelsea have a corner, it’s not cleared properly. Chilwell chips the ball back in, the Liverpool backline are not on the same page as one another and Disasi pops up to tuck the ball away.

05:07 PM BST

35 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1

Raheem Sterling produces Chelsea’s most dangerous moment as he gets to the byline and cuts it back. Trent Alexander-Arnold has to hoof the ball over his own bar.

05:03 PM BST

31 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1

Fernandez and Jota get involved with some argy-bargy that ends with both players going in the book.

Here’s Jason Burt on the offside:

“Jurgen Klopp smiling ruefully and holding his fingers together to show how tight the margin must have been as Mohamed Salah’s goal is ruled out for offside after a Var check. Looked tight but also looked like the right call.”

05:01 PM BST

29 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1

Liverpool have the ball in the net again, it’s a smartly taken goal by Mo Salah who, again, has been given way too much space and time to sweep the ball home.

The goal is given BUT it is fractionally offside. Var keeping Chelsea in the game.

04:57 PM BST

25 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1

Mo Salah has an exceptional record in season openers, and when he picks the ball up here in space on the edge of the box it looks very likely that he will add to it. But Chelsea do well to get just enough men back in time to create a crowd, which he cannot quite thread his shot through.

04:53 PM BST

23 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1

Liverpool have had 34% of the ball but four of the six shots.

Chelsea have a freekick but it doesn’t come to much.

04:52 PM BST

21 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1

A race between Chilwell and Konate ends with the Chelsea man hurling himself to the floor in the Liverpool area, to little effect.

04:51 PM BST

20 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1

Peach of a goal, that. The vision of Mac Allister, the verve of Salah and the run and anticipation of the scorer.

Jason Burt: “Lovely involvement from Liverpool’s new signings Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis MacAllister to the first goal. But it owed everything to Mohamed Salah’s deft first touch and incisive pass. Moments earlier Mauricio Pochettino had been warned by the fourth official David Coote from running in front of Liverpool’s technical area as Chelsea attacked. He was then slumped in the dug-out watching a replay of the goal.”

04:50 PM BST

GOAL! Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1 (Diaz 18)

Salah rarely makes a mistake and he’s made up for that one right away! Mac Allister with a glorious sweeping pass out to Salah, who has got too much in his locker for young Colwill at left centre back. Salah gets his cross in and Diaz pounces to tuck it away. Reece James lost the man at the far post there…

04:48 PM BST

17 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0

A rare item here as Salah is sent through but his control lets him down.

Jason Burt: Before kick-off a big new flag was passed around The Matthew Harding Stand by the Chelsea fans in honour of the new captain. It reads “Reece James: He’s one of our own.”

04:47 PM BST

15 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0

Sterling’s movement is superb so far and he is taking up some dangerous positions.

04:44 PM BST

12 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0

Liverpool immediately break, and Gakpo is through! Shoot! No – he instead opts to try to set up Salah. Not the ideal ball but Mo S manages to control it and curl one with his right foot that hits the crossbar.

04:43 PM BST

11 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0

Sterling again with a good bit of play, slips in Fernandez, and there’s an important intervention from Konate.

Mac Allister the man at fault there, he was jogging back and Fernandez got away from him all too easily.

04:41 PM BST

10 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0

Liverpool defend that solidly, Jota back to help out.

04:40 PM BST

9 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0

Chelsea with a nice bit of play here, Sterling and James combining well. The latter gets up the flank and crosses. Corner.

04:36 PM BST

5 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0

Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have pronounced themselves confused by Chelsea’s defensive formation – and GN adds that the players seem confused too.

Liverpool having much the better of this so far.

04:35 PM BST

3 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0

Chukwuemeka is correctly booked for a dangerous, high foot that catches Kounate in the chest.

04:33 PM BST

2 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0

But it’s Liverpool who have the first attacking moment of note, with Salah bright down the right. Mac Allister plays it in and Jota tries to flick a header at the goal. But the angle is all wrong and he nods that very wide.

04:31 PM BST

1 mins: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0

It’s Chelsea who have the ball early on.

Jason Burt writes: “For his first Premier League game as Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino has gone suited and booted with a black suit, shirt and tie… usually the attire he kept for big Champions League games when he was at Tottenham Hotspur. Has just been given a huge greeting from the Chelsea fans as he emerged from the tunnel. Big hug also with Jurgen Klopp.”

04:31 PM BST

Players take the knee

Ref blows…. and we are off!

04:30 PM BST

Minute’s applause

in memory of John Hollins. 592 appearances for Chelsea, later their manager. He died in June.

04:29 PM BST

Big hug from Poch and Klopp

The Argentinian gives him a couple of playful slaps on the face.

04:28 PM BST

The players are out on the pitch

Sunny in South West London. Some intriguing new faces, particularly for Chelsea. And this new-look Liverpool midfield, too.

04:26 PM BST

Peter Drury

is the Sky Sports commentator for this.

04:22 PM BST

Mac Debut

04:21 PM BST

Mr and Mrs Henry

04:19 PM BST

Klopp with his wish list

“I want to see bravery. And I want us to be difficult to play against.”

04:19 PM BST

Pochettino speaks

“Really excited. Very focused on the first game. Liverpool are a very good team but we trust in ourselves.”

04:17 PM BST

Quite a get-up from Daniel Sturridge

04:14 PM BST

Teams again

04:10 PM BST

Jason on the dug out lay out

“One, slightly odd, change at Stamford Bridge this season is moving where the home dug-out is. At the insistence of new head coach Mauricio Pochettino it has switched from the left to the right of the tunnel. Apparently Pochettino believes there is more space on that side but it also means he will be on the same side as he was on his visits to the stadium as the head coach at Southampton and then Tottenham Hotspur. It also means he is directly in front of the press box!”

04:10 PM BST

Mo Salah warming up

04:01 PM BST

more from Jason

“On Friday, Mauricio Pochettino suggested that Kepa Arrizabalaga was his first-choice goalkeeper. On Sunday Arrizabalaga is not even in the squad with new signing Robert Sanchez starting and 20-year-old Lucas Bergstrom on the bench. Arrizabalaga is finalising his move to Real Madrid after Thibaut Courtois’ injury. Such is life as Chelsea’s head coach.”

04:01 PM BST

Jason Burt reports from Stamford Bridge

“John W Henry is here at Stamford Bridge and has just walked around the pitch, greeting Liverpool fans on his way to the executive boxes on the other side of the ground. Wonder how the conversation will go between him and Todd Boehly given the fight to sign Moises Caicedo?”

03:45 PM BST

Teams analysis

So Kepa is off sorting his Real Madrid loan out which means Rob Sanchez starts for Chelsea. It’s a competitive debut for Levi Colwill, the young centre back from Southampton. There’s also a start for Nicolas Jackson, the new signing from Villarreal.

For the Reds, a first chance for Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.

03:37 PM BST

Blue

03:31 PM BST

Team news

Chelsea: Sanchez, Disasi, Thiago Silva, Colwill, James, Gallagher, Fernandez, Chukwuemeka, Chilwell, Sterling, Jackson. Subs: Cucurella, Mudryk, Madueke, Ugochukwu, Santos, Gusto, Maatsen, Burstow, Bergstrom.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gakpo, Salah, Jota, Diaz. Subs: Gomez, Nunez, Jones, Elliott, Tsimikas, Matip, Kelleher, Doak, McConnell.

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)

03:31 PM BST

Good pic

03:30 PM BST

Talking of high-end managers

Roberto Mancini has just resigned from Italy, a move that was apparently a surprise. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him back in the PL then over the next couple of months once we get into sacking season.

03:23 PM BST

Virgil speaks

Nice piece here from Mike McGrath about the Liverpool captain Virgil vs Dijk.

Virgil van Dijk: Liverpool’s failure hurt – I’m ready to find my voice as captain

03:18 PM BST

Big signing ahoy?

Chelsea set to sign Moises Caicedo in record £115m deal to hijack Liverpool bid

03:16 PM BST

Sam Wallace on the Lukaku stuation

Elite football has decided it can do without Romelu Lukaku

03:14 PM BST

Chelsea vs Liverpool betting

Having a bet on today’s match? First take a look at these free bets and betting offers.

03:12 PM BST

New season reading

03:11 PM BST

Fantasy Football

Talking of manager, reckon you could do better than Poch and Der Klopper? Have a go with our Fantasy Football game.

02:56 PM BST

Chelsea’s home opener

Good afternoon and welcome to our live blog of the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool. The action comes to us from Stamford Bridge and we will be looking forward to the kick off at 4.30pm. It’s an overcast day in London, mild and somewhat humid, there were a few spots of rain earlier and then some bright sunshine. Both teams will be eager to get the campaign off to a good start and we will bring you the news of the XIs that Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino select in their bid to do that when ewe have the news about an hour before kick off.

It’s obviously a big day for both sets of fans but perhaps especially so for supporters of  Chelsea. They are hoping that the former Spurs man is the manager to lead them back to the top of English football, but he certainly has his work cut out to do so. They finished a dismal 12th last term and the poor performance did for Graham Potter, who was once regarded as pretty much the brightest coach in the business. Will Chelsea also take a big bite out of Poch’s reputation? We will see.

One man who might help the boss is Nicolas Jackson, a new signing up front.

The pressure on the 22-year-old striker, who joined from Villarreal for £31million in June, to adapt quickly to English football has been increased by injury to fellow new signing Christopher Nkunku, who is now unlikely to play for the club before December.

The pair impressed in attack for Pochettino’s new-look side during the tour of the United States, raising hopes that the team’s struggles in front of goal last season had been fixed.

But injury to Nkunku – together with the departures of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and David Fofana (on loan), unavailability of Armando Broja and a failure to resolve the future of Romelu Lukaku – has left Jackson as Pochettino’s only available striker for Sunday’s Premier League opener against Liverpool.

The manager though said he had seen enough from the player, who netted 13 times in 48 games for Villarreal last season, to be encouraged that he is ready to take on the mantle of a Premier League goal-scorer.

“He’s a young player but he has the quality to be here and score goals,” said Pochettino. “We’re enjoying the way we are working, he’s working really hard, the quality is there. You can see (from) some games (he has played), he has the quality.

“LaLiga is completely different the Premier League. It was good to play the Premier League Summer Series in America to test the Premier League, that was really good for us.

“I have no doubt he’s going to score goals and the adaptation is going to be good because it’s not only his quality, it’s also his character. He has great character, his personality is strong. I’m sure he’s going to be good here.

“He’s so strong, he isn’t scared of (anything), he’s so brave, and you can see the quality in his feet. (He has) quality also in his physicality – he’s fast and he’s strong.”

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