It was an all-Belgian show at Anfield on Wednesday night as Eden Hazard and Christian Benteke scored for Chelsea and Liverpool respectively.
Chelsea maintained their unbeaten record at Anfield, but the Blues will come off a bit disappointed with the draw as they had dictated the play for most parts.
Meanwhile for the Reds, this match proved to be a nice acid test for upcoming Europa League final against Sevilla next week. They have shown they can fight it out even when things are not going their way.
Player Ratings
Liverpool FC
Simon Mignolet (5.5/10): On the face of it, his performance looks quite good, as he made six saves in the entire game. However, he was unconvincing in goal, often parrying shots straight at the Chelsea attackers.
Alberto Moreno (6.5/10): Was very effective while bombing down the left flank and sending in dangerous crosses.
Kolo Toure (6/10): Struggled initially, but soon got used to the pace of the game. Managed to keep Bertrand Traore in check.
Dejan Lovren (5.5/10): All his form seemed to have deserted him in this match. He did not make a single successful tackle during the entire game.
Nathaniel Clyne (5/10): Was constantly troubled by the pace and trickery of Eden Hazard during the match. He even got dispossessed once in attack.
Emre Can (6.5/10): Had a lot to contend with, especially as his teammates were misplacing passes all around him. However, he had the composure to improvise and diffuse most of the danger situations.
James Milner (6/10): Was a hard worker in midfield, tracking down the runs of the free-moving Chelsea midfielders. However, was not so effective in attack.
Philippe Coutinho (6/10): Did provide Liverpool the attacking spark they needed, but his game fell once Liverpool went 1-0 down in the first half. He often kept quiet, with the Chelsea defenders dispossessing him five times in the game.
Roberto Firmino (6/10): Was not as effective in attack against a strong Chelsea midfield on the night. However, he had an action packed game, helping the Reds close down the Chelsea attacks. Made six successful tackles in the game.
Adam Lallana (6/10): Did well to press the Chelsea defenders when they had the ball. However, Lallana himself was not as effective on the ball, barring one brilliant through ball to Daniel Sturridge.
Daniel Sturridge (5.5/10): Had a less than average game on the pitch. The injury prone striker seemed to be saving his best for the Europa League final next week. Failed to score from a one-on-one chance created for him by Lallana.
Substitutes: Joe Allen (6/10); Christian Benteke (7/10); Sheyi Ojo (6/10)
Chelsea FC
Asmir Begovic (7/10): Conducted himself with a lot of confidence in the Chelsea penalty area, making seven saves in the entire game.
Baba Rahman (7/10): Put a solid display on the night. Although his passing was not as accurate, he made up for it with an assist and an off-the-line clearance.
John Obi Mikel (6.5/10): Had to adjust to a new role (centre-back) on the night, but looked calm and composed throughout.
Gary Cahill (7/10): Had a very good game on the night, thwarting Liverpool’s attacks throughout the match. Was strong in the air, winning as many as four aerial duels.
Cesar Azpilicueta (7/10): Combined well in both defence and attack to put in a great performance on the night. He made four successful tackles and even won three aerial duels, in his bid to keep Coutinho quiet.
Nemanja Matic (5.5/10): Looked unsure in the midfield yet again. He had his moments, but was dispossessed too often.
Cesc Fabregas (6/10): Had another average performance. The season cannot end early enough for him.
Pedro Rodriguez (6.5/10): Looked troublesome throughout the match, combining well with Hazard, Willian and Traore.
Eden Hazard (9/10): Was the standout player of the game. Completed an incredible nine successful dribbles during the match. He was also lively while closing down, giving ample support to Rahman.
Willian (6/10): Was not as effective in attack as Hazard or Pedro, but made up for it with his defensive work rate.
Bertrand Traore (6/10): Linked up well with midfield, but failed to capitalise on his chances. However, he showed that he is a man to watch out for in the future.
Substitutes: Tanny Abraham (6.5/10); Ruben Loftus-Cheek (6/10); Kenedy (6/10).
Reds preserving themselves for next week
Liverpool are certainly much better than the performance they dished out on Wednesday night. However, the Reds can be forgiven for not playing the match at full intensity against Chelsea. The league position is more or less inconsequential for them now. The best they can do is qualify for the Europa League.
However, if they can manage to win the Europa League final, they will have Champions League football at Anfield next season. This obviously changes their priorities. To add to that, Jurgen Klopp would like to lift some form of silverware this season, after having lost out in the League Cup final against Manchester City earlier this year.
