Chelsea earned a draw at Anfield to continue a goalless run of matches against Liverpool and remain in 10th place in the Premier League. Kai Havertz saw his goal ruled out after three minutes due to an unexpected offside call, but neither side could find the net again as they struggled to thrill.
Mykhailo Mudryk made his debut for the Blues and showed some lively moments and even had an opportunity to hand Chelsea the lead after he danced through Liverpool's defence with both guile and pace, as he quelled Liverpool's second half momentum. Graham Potter's side were probably the more threatening over the course of 90 minutes, but neither side were able to convince that they should be higher in the league. The Blues boss was keen to take the positives however.
He said: “We’re happy with the performance of the team, happy with the energy, spirit and discipline we had. It’s never easy coming here because of Liverpool’s quality and Anfield. So we take the point, we accept it, and we move forward in a positive way.”
READ MORE: Four things learned as Graham Potter proved right about Mykhailo Mudryk in Liverpool vs Chelsea
football.london takes a look at the moments you may have missed from the Anfield clash.
Graham Potter and Jurgen Klopp meet
While Potter has endured a rough ride trying to impress Chelsea supporters, given the Blues' form since he took the Stamford Bridge hotseat, it seems he has remained intensely popular among his league rivals. The former Brighton boss has been a Premier League manager since 2019 and will be one of the more constant faces to have remained in work in the division during that time.
Already this season Potter had an in-depth conversation with Pep Guardiola in the corridors of the Etihad Stadium following their first meeting, and the Blues boss appears to have as close a relationship with Jurgen Klopp. The German coach was on the Anfield turf watching the opposition warm-up as he so often does before a game, until Potter came to greet him.
The former Brighton coach strode across the pitch straight to Klopp, who met him with a rather large hug. The two then got into conversation while their teams prepared for the clash that awaited.
What Mykhailo Mudryk did to James Milner
After a pep talk from Cesar Azpilicueta and some intense instructions from Potter on the sidelines, Mudryk made his way onto the pitch after 55 minutes. The second Ukrainian to feature for Chelsea after Andriy Shevchenko, headed on to challenge James Milner and co via a low-five with Lewis Hall and quickly set about his work.
Onlookers are sure not to have missed his early foot in to win the ball off Milner, and they are sure not to have missed his impressive jink and jive through the box with power and skill when he blazed the ball into the side-netting. Supporters surely wouldn't have missed when Milner was left with little option but to wipe the 22-year-old out following Jorginho's pass.
The former Man City and Newcastle midfielder had a headstart in the race to the ball but could not contend with Mudryk and had to accept a yellow card quickly. It was little wonder he was soon replaced by Klopp as Trent Alexander-Arnold was the next to take on the challenge.
However, what was equally impressive as Mudryk's ability to overwhelm Milner, was his reaction to being taken out. As Milner took the foul in his stride and headed in his opponent's direction immediately rather than turn for his yellow card, Mudryk was sent rolling across the ground with his momentum.
He did not linger however and was quickly up with an icy stare that barely recognised Milner or that something had happened. There was no complaint, just an acknowledgement that he was required to go again. That will almost as frightening for future defenders as the skills he possessses.
Jorginho's leadership
The Italian midfielder had the captain's armband with Azpilicueta on the bench at Anfield and quickly found himself alone in the tunnel among Liverpool's stars. He was first in Chelsea's queue but left waiting for his teammates to emerge from the changing rooms in a moment that didn't scream cohesion.
However, the former Napoli maestro showed his abilities that must have earned him the honour. As Lewis Hall struggled in the early stages of the game and was caught in possession deep in his own half, Jorginho was sure to provide some words of encouragement at the next stoppage in a bid to turnaround his performance.
Cesar Azpilicueta appreciation
The Spaniard may have only spent 10 minutes or so on the pitch but it was a stint that cannot go by without note. Azpilicueta replaced Trevoh Chalobah, who headed off with an issue, and picked up a yellow card for the sluggish rate and route he chose to leave the pitch, and put in a solid outing to ensure the Blues kept a clean sheet.
The Blues faithful, including a certain John Terry in the away section, ensured the club captain had plenty of appreciation as he made his 500th appearance as Chelsea player. The veteran star looked almost emotional as he showed supporters his own appreciation at full time upon reaching an impressive landmark.
He is the sixth player to reach the milestone and the first from overseas, while Frank Lampard and John Hollins are the only Chelsea players to have done it in a shorter period of time.
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