Chelsea and Liverpool split spoils at Stamford Bridge

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp speaking with NBC crew Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle, Robbie Mustoe, and Tim Howard at our pitch side desk after the game.

On the game: “Controlled the game, super goals, had a lot of really good passing moments. Protection was good,” Klopp said. “We opened the door for them. We lose one or two balls in moment we should not. That gave them some excitement, momentum, and that gave them some life. My main criticism is we should’ve controlled the game. For some reason we couldn’t but it’s Premier League football. It’s fine, it’s a point at Stamford Bridge.”

On Dominik Szoboszlai: “He’s really good. He has everything. I knew him but since I’ve worked with him he’s even better than I thought. He has the heart, the skills, the smarts. He can play different positions and today he came through as we needed him. You could see all our fancy players were, eh, and we needed one to stay on. The two new boys did pretty well.”

On Alexis Mac Allister: “I want him on the pitch. I understand the discussions of the transfer market but Macca in the 6 was not our problem today. Left and right of him, Dom and Cody both can play an 8. In modern football the times when a 10 doesn’t have to defend are long gone. We have to know that as a unit we can defend in all areas and then we will get the offensive benefit. We worked on a lot of things, some I saw today and others we will work before Bournemouth.”

On if he was bothered by Mohamed Salah anger subbing off: “Not at all.”

Mauricio Pochettino thinks Chelsea deserved a win.

“It’s different but I missed this. In the Premier League, it’s a fantastic way to start the season against a fantastic team. I enjoyed it a lot.”

“Overall I thought we deserved a little bit more than Liverpool. We feel pleased but at the same time disappointed.”

Some highlights from JPW’s player ratings at Stamford Bridge, in particular ones that vibe with what I wrote because ego.

Reece James: 7.5 - Such an attacking force and this wing-back role allows him to stay forward for longer. Subbed off in second half as it looked like he had a small knock.

Mohamed Salah: 7 - Lovely ball to Diaz for the early goal and dinked in a lovely goal himself, but VAR ruled it out for a slight offside. Subbed off in the second half and wasn’t delighted by it. Had the beating of Colwill in the first half.

Enzo Fernandez: 8 - Linked up really well with James and Sterling. His class on the ball is clear and he is the heartbeat of this Chelsea side.

Dominik Szoboszlai: 7 - Very impressive debut. Lovely balance on the ball, great energy in midfield and was very good in the first half. Promising.

Liverpool vice captain Trent Alexander-Arnold spoke with NBC crew Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle, Robbie Mustoe, and Tim Howard at our pitch side desk after the game.

“We’ll take it. If you would’ve said coming into the game we’d get a point at Stamford Bridge, you take it. You can’t be disappointed because it’s the first game and we didn’t get the three points. We have a lot of things to work on and the first game of the season at Chelsea is always going to be hard.”

“We flipped a switch late and it’s better to go home with a point than lose it.”

“It’s about being flexible in how we defend. To go and win the ball high up the pitch. That’s our identity. When they get the ball, go back into a back four and control it from there. It’s a different but the same as we’ve always been.”

Chelsea fullback Ben Chilwell spoke with NBC crew Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle, Robbie Mustoe, and Tim Howard at our pitch side desk after the game.

“We should’ve won the game. When their second goal went in and was disallowed that gave us a push and I thought we were the better team after that.

“Our fitness has been spoken about a lot, the fitness over preseason. We were very fit, the last five minutes making defensive runs just as much as we ran forward. We run for each other.”

“We were getting joy down the wings, obviously trying to get in behind. Me and Reece started to get on the ball and the midfield started to control. We grew into the game and we didn’t just dominate in our half but in their half. It was just the final ball and shot, including myself, that wasn’t there.”

“We’re getting there for sure. He just spoke to us there and he was very happy with us but knows how far we have to go. I’m very proud of how we played and he’s going to keep pushing us. He’s confident about where we’re going to get to.”

“We’re quite strong. It’s a big game, big start of the season. Everyone was really looking forward to finally get going and you could see that. A lot of things happened and in the end it could’ve gone both ways. So many good things, and things to improve. Luckily we have a week of training.”

“Yes, I feel the group is good, excited, and everyone wants to make right what happened last year. It’s going to be a very long season. Today it’s finally started.”

Both teams scored.

Both had a goal taken away by VAR for offside.

Heck, even the xG was dead-even in this one (1.28).

While the Reds took a few more shots, Chelsea looked more dangerous and kept hold of the ball for 65 percent of the contest in a performance that resembled some of the early successes Erik ten Hag had in rebuilding Manchester United last season.

No one’s going to sleep on the Blues this season, though finding another forward until Christopher Nkunku returns from injury will seem a priority and both Liverpool and Chelsea won’t feel like their desires for Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo were misplaced.

My men of the match? Enzo Fernandez as an easy No. 1 for both teams. Thiago Silva also shined for Chelsea. Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai for the Reds.

Mohamed Salah is making a show if his exit from the pitch as Jurgen Klopp takes off the Egyptian and Luis Diaz in the 77th minute.

Salah is tearing his wrist tape off and throwing it to the turf a bit at a time, each bit jeered by the Stamford Bridge faithful.

But just as Klopp’s earned the right to sub off Salah, many will feel the star can do what he wants on the way off the pitch (we guess).

Harvey Elliott and youngster Ben Doak enter the fray for the final stanza. Still 1-1.

Curtis Jones is on for Cody Gakpo and it’s also Darwin Nunez’s time, as the Uruguayan takes the field in place of Diogo Jota.

The Portuguese was on a yellow card. He had two shots and was credited with a created chance but was certainly the least influential of the front three.

That could sound a bit obvious given Salah cued up Diaz for the goal, yeah?

There’s a VAR review as Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner kick strikes the hand of a leaping Nicolas Jackson.

While Jackson’s hand is raised it is also right in front of chest and tucked into his body.

No penalty. Ensuing corner kick is cleared by the Blues, but it’s been all Liverpool early in this second half.

Half time thoughts from here at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool great early on. Chelsea improved. Both teams need defensive midfielders. Chaos. That was fun!

Nicolas Jackson’s 43rd minute effort nearly broke the deadlock, but you’d have to say it’s a deserved 1-1 at halftime after six minutes stoppage time.

Another note: Diogo Jota’s was taped up on the pitch following a hard challenge and walked gingerly just before halftime.

The stats back it up.

Liverpool have the edge in expected goals (0.90-0.81) and shot attempts are even at six. The Reds have also shown real bite, and Chelsea’s noticed and begun to match it.

Chelsea’s had more dangerous chances apart from VAR and 66 percent of the ball. Can they get more back post runners on the end of crosses?

It has gone wild here at Stamford Bridge! The home fans are loving it as Axel Disasi equalized, Ben Chilwell thought he had put the Blues 2-1 up but it was ruled out for offside, then Nicolas Jackson blazes over from close range.

Chelsea getting so much joy down their right flank. Raheem Sterling and Reece James causing havoc down that side. This is so much fun. 1-1. Both teams have had goals disallowed for tight offsides by VAR. Keep the popcorn coming.

The first goal scored of the Pochettino era is the man perhaps most at blame for the first goal conceded of it.

Axel Disasi slides onto Ben Chilwell’s header of a Liverpool clearances and gets the ball inside the far post for 1-1.

Chilwell appears to give Pochettino his first lead as Chelsea boss but he’s offside on the entry by a half-foot. Advantage short-lived.

Mohamed Salah’s race past the Chelsea back line to make it 2-0 has been called off by the Video Assistant Referee’s technological rulers.

Trent Alexander-Arnold had sent a delightful invitation past Levi Colwill for Salah, who scored a classy dink past the charging Robert Sanchez, but the Egyptian is just offside.

Soon after we see Enzo Fernandez and Diogo Jota both get yellow cards from Anthony Taylor for a ‘coming together.’

It went silent for a moment here at Stamford Bridge before the away end erupted. That was absolutely exquisite from Liverpool. What a goal after a lovely team move on the counter.

As soon as Dominik Szoboszlai played the ball back to Alexis Mac Allister, Mauricio Pochettino, stood just in front of us, screamed at his team. He knew what was coming.

Mac Allister pinged a perfect ball out to Salah who took an incredible first touch and then ran towards goal. His pass to Luis Diaz for the finish was even better. Sublime football. Ruthlessly efficient. That is Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool at their very best.

Oh, the Reds are looking like the Reds.

It’s no surprise that the next name you read after that opening line is Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian uses a superb first touch to collect a long Alexis Mac Allister pass, moving the ball down the right and cutting a gorgeous low pass across the field and through the Chelsea back line.

Luis Diaz has the better of Premier League debutant Axel Disasi and he slides it past Robert Sanchez.

1-0, Liverpool.

Chelsea on the front foot early but it’s Liverpool who gives the first real danger of the game.

Cody Gakpo leads a foray into the Chelsea 18 and lays off for Mohamed Salah, who can’t cleanly corral the ball on his back foot,

The Egyptian regroups and finds a yard of space in front of Thiago Silva to curl a shot... off the upper half of the cross bar.

It remains scoreless.

The Chelsea youngster, so impressive in preseason, is a little too excited on Opening Day and gets a hand to the head of Ibrahima Konate.

That’s a yellow, and it’ll keep the midfielder in a tough spot for the remainder of this high-profile contest.

Three of Chelsea’s back five including goalkeeper Robert Sanchez were not with the club at Week 38 of the last Premier League season.

Nicolas Jackson starts up top while Raheem Sterling’s there. Christopher Nkunku misses out in what looks to be a 3-5-2 with new captain Reece James at RWB.

Kepa Arrizabalaga is left out amid reports of a move to Real Madrid and more reports of Kasper Schmeichel arriving at Stamford Bridge. Young ‘keep Lucas Bergstrom backs up Sanchez.

Your reminder that Liverpool could well make last season look like a blip.

The depth isn’t there but this XI is fearsome. And Darwin Nunez is on the bench as a key game-changing sub option.

Jurgen Klopp was asked about his plan for the opening months of the season and how he wants his new-look side to play:

“Yeah, so there is some football stuff we have to do and maybe have to sort, definitely. But that’s normal. The preseason never ends after the first Premier League game. It always goes at least until the first international break. After that we should be then in a different position, that’s clear. We have to use these full weeks without international football [which is] what we will do. We could, especially in Germany, train a lot on the physical part and on the tactical stuff and that’s really helpful.

"[We] came out of the tour without big problems and so here we go again. It’s not done and dusted. We have four [or] five really important sessions until Chelsea, but then we have to make sure we put a proper fight in there. That’s exactly what we wanted from the first day of the pre-season, so let’s go.”

Klopp added the following after their 3-1 friendly win against Darmstadt:

“The situation is clear, the diagonal protection is not there. We cannot avoid each pass in behind our line, we just have to make sure that we are then in better positions. Besides that, we scored two goals after set-pieces, which is important. We could have scored one from a high-press situation, which is good as well and besides that we played a lot of good stuff without finishing the situations off. With the physical state I am really happy, we looked really fresh, looked really good - now, in the next five or six days, we have to find a formation for the Chelsea game, not for the whole season, and then we go from there.”

Liverpool only have two injury issues and both are in midfield with Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajectic recovering from hip issues.

Jurgen Klopp has so many attacking options to choose from with Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo all ready to roll for the new season.

Defensively it is expected that Trent Alexander-Arnold will start at right back but he is likely to move into that hybrid midfield role which worked so well at the end of last season.

With Christopher Nkunku out for several months due to a knee issue requiring surgery, Chelsea are now without their main striker for the start of the season.

Expect Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling to start in attack, while Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke will also provide an option out wide.

It will be intriguing to see who starts alongside Enzo Fernandez in central midfield and it will be probably be Conor Gallagher, even though Chelsea are pushing hard to sign as many as three new players in that position with a move for Tyler Adams close, plus Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia also being chased.

In defense Wesley Fofana has undergone ACL surgery in another huge blow for the young French defender, while new signing Axel Disasi is expected to start and play a key role alongside Thiago Silva after his summer arrival from Monaco.

Benoit Badiashille is still out with a thigh injury, while Armando Broja is close to a return from his ACL injury.