Liverpool escape defeat as VAR sparks chaos against Chelsea

Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea in a fiercely contested Premier League clash at Anfield on Friday night, with both sides producing moments of brilliance and controversy in an entertaining encounter.

Liverpool made a dream start when Ryan Gravenberch fired the hosts ahead in the sixth minute after being set up by youngster Rio Ngumoha. The Dutch midfielder unleashed a superb strike into the top right corner to hand Arne Slot’s men an early advantage.

The Reds dominated possession in the opening stages and nearly doubled their lead through Virgil van Dijk, whose effort sailed narrowly over the crossbar.

Chelsea, however, gradually settled into the contest and found their equaliser in the 35th minute. Midfielder Enzo Fernandez curled a stunning free-kick beyond goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, with the ball going in off the post to restore parity for the visitors.

Both sides created several opportunities after the restart as the tempo of the match increased. Chelsea briefly thought they had taken the lead in the 50th minute when Cole Palmer converted from close range after a rebound, but the effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.

Liverpool also suffered frustration when Curtis Jones had a goal disallowed for offside just before the hour mark.

Dominik Szoboszlai came agonisingly close to restoring Liverpool’s lead in the 71st minute, rattling the post with a thunderous strike from the edge of the area, while Van Dijk later saw a towering header crash against the crossbar.

Chelsea pushed hard in the closing stages and were awarded a lifeline when Joao Pedro went down inside the box late on, prompting referee Craig Pawson to consult VAR. However, after review, the official waved away penalty appeals, much to the frustration of the visitors.

The encounter ended on a tense note with several yellow cards issued, including cautions for Alexis Mac Allister, Joe Gomez, Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo.