LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) -Liverpool passed their biggest test of the season so far as Curtis Jones struck the winner in a 2-1 home victory over Chelsea to keep them top of the Premier League on Sunday.
The 23-year-old’s first goal since January proved the difference in a tight battle as Liverpool won for the 10th time in 11 matches in all competitions under new boss Arne Slot.
Mohamed Salah’s 29th-minute penalty put the hosts in front against the run of play but Chelsea levelled after the break as Nicolas Jackson was played through to score.
Chelsea were not level for long though as midfielder Jones got on the end of Salah’s low cross to beat visiting keeper Robert Sanchez from close range.
It was never comfortable for Liverpool against a Chelsea side who came close to an equaliser several times in a strong finish and ended up with more attempts at goal.
But Slot’s side dug deep to pass their sternest test in the Premier League so far this season.
They have 21 points from eight games, one more than second-placed Manchester City who beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 earlier. Chelsea stayed in sixth place with 14 points.
“Many other games were hard but this might have been the hardest because of the amount of quality players they have and the structure they have,” Slot, whose side have conceded only three league goals, said.
“We had to fight really hard to get this one over the line.”
Liverpool’s transition to a new era under Juergen Klopp’s successor Slot has apparently been seamless but a visit from Enzo Maresca’s buoyant Chelsea side was the first in a devilish run of fixtures that continues at Arsenal next weekend.
They were under the cosh for long periods and Chelsea will feel aggrieved not to have taken a point back to London although Slot argued that Chelsea could have been down to 10 men in the opening minutes when a charging Diogo Jota was dragged down on the halfway line by Tosin Adarabioyo.
Maresca’s side showed their intent from the start with some ambitious football and Jones did superbly to charge down Cole Palmer’s shot when he looked favourite to score.
But Liverpool took the lead when Jones was tripped in the area by Levi Colwill and Salah smashed away the penalty.
Liverpool were awarded another penalty on the stroke of halftime after Sanchez clumsily took down Jones although a VAR check showed the keeper had made slight contact with the ball before clattering Jones and referee John Brooks changed his mind.
Palmer shot over for Chelsea in first-half stoppage time but the visitors were rewarded three minutes after the break when Moises Caicedo’s pass sent Jackson away and he slotted the ball past Caoimhin Kelleher only to be flagged offside. Again VAR intervened to Chelsea’s benefit with Ibrahima Konate’s outstretched leg shown to have played Jackson onside.
Chelsea were guilty of switching off though as three minutes later the outstanding Jones restored Liverpool’s lead.
Liverpool had to withstand seven minutes of Chelsea pressure in stoppage time in which Christopher Nkunku was agonisingly close to equalising as he stretched to reach Pedro Neto’s pass.
“We controlled most of the game. We had chances, we had possession,” Maresca said after his side’s first league defeat since the opening day of the season.
“We don’t like to lose, but if we have to choose this is the way. The team was brave on and off the ball.”
(Reporting by Martyn HermanEditing by Toby Davis)
