Northern Ireland’s Conor Bradley runs the show as Liverpool beat disappointing Chelsea – Irish Times

Premier League: Liverpool 4 Chelsea 1

While Jurgen Klopp rebuilt Liverpool’s formidable unit, Chelsea continued to squander the bulk of their £1bn on personal collections under Todd Boley. Their contrasting fortunes and approaches have helped Liverpool’s raw talent, Tyrone’s Conor Bradley, help dismantle Mauricio Pochettino’s strangers on a night of statement from the Premier League leaders. clearly emphasized.

Bradley was inspired and the Cops chanted the 20-year-old’s name throughout as Klopp’s side toyed with their Carabao Cup final opponents a month before they faced them at Wembley. Liverpool are already counting down the days. Chelsea must be afraid of them.

Liverpool pressed relentlessly, with Djordje Petrovic’s goal on the line, and Chelsea were not allowed to have their way, and the heated game passed quickly. Manager Klopp got the atmosphere and performance he requested. His team were at full throttle from the first whistle, with the crowd making a raucous noise in their desperation over Friday’s announced sending off. One fed the other.

Klopp made the wise managerial choice to keep Conor Bradley at right-back despite the availability of a fit Trent Alexander-Arnold again. It was a huge vote of confidence in the 20-year-old, who has excelled in the recent absence of his vice-captain, and a decision that has paid huge dividends. Kop sang the name of the Northern Ireland team just before the end of the first half, setting up Jota for the opening goal and scoring his own second goal.

Bradley began his great night by creating the first chance of the game for Darwin Nunez, who had a mission to score from anywhere. The striker tried to hit Petrovic with the full-back’s exquisitely weighted ball, but Chelsea’s goalkeeper was wary of his intentions. Petrovic made a series of fine saves to keep the first half scoreline at a decent level. He hit the crossbar with Nunez’s other first-time shot, a blast from Alexis Mac Allister’s thread pass, and the Uruguay international’s left-footed shot hit the far post. He once again denied Liverpool when he dropped low and flicked a daisy cutter off Curtis Jones. But when the hosts eventually inevitably took the lead, the visiting keeper was badly let down by his central defender.

Ben Chilwell, who weakly lost the ball to Bradley, was also responsible for the breakthrough. The defender exchanged passes with Jones and moved forward, finding Jota in space on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area. The striker weaved between improbable challenges from Thiago Silva and Benoît Badiashire (to the disgust of John Terry, who was watching from the away side), and slotted a close-range finish past Petrovic. . It was Bradley’s fourth assist in four games, and the goal was cleared after a VAR review ruled that Jota may have played handball when Silva attempted to clear him. Liverpool will have no complaints about referee Paul Tierney’s performance.

Six minutes later, Klopp’s Bêtes Noires had Conor Gallagher pick up Raheem Sterling’s cross from the left and fall under a challenge from Virgil van Dijk, but Conor Gallagher’s penalty appeal was denied. Rejected. The Liverpool captain’s arm and knee made contact, but Gallagher went down too easily. Neither Tierney nor VAR were impressed. Gallagher and Chilwell may have played in slippers, given the ease of access to the ground. Both players were substituted at half-time, with manager Pochettino calling them off in response to alarming displays.

Liverpool extended their lead with the incredible right-back’s first goal for the club. Luis Diaz spun past Enzo Fernandes and Bradley ran down the right flank. The youngster showed great composure and fired a low finish past Petrovic and into the right-hand corner from the edge of the area. VAR reviewed a possible foul on Jota in the build-up on Chilwell, again stalling Anfield’s celebrations. Chilwell claimed he would have otherwise occupied space for Bradley before finally savoring the moment for the scorer.

It must have been 3 o’clock before the break. Tierney again ruled in Liverpool’s favor when Badiashile stepped on the foot of Jota, who dived into Van Dijk’s pass inside the area. The referee didn’t hesitate to point to the spot, but while Klopp looked away from the penalty and waited for the crowd’s reaction, Nunez hit the post with Petrovic’s dive in the opposite direction.

Manager Pochettino has made his feelings clear about Chelsea’s poor first-half performance. The Chelsea manager made three changes during this period and was immediately vindicated when one of them, Maro Gusto, burst through down the right flank and centered for the other, Myhailo Mudryk. It should have been proven. With 10 yards left and unmarked, Madrik skied high into the stands at Anfield Road. The slim prospects of a return for the visitors became even more remote.

In contrast, Bradley’s night went from strength to strength. He received Van Dijk’s cross-field ball and sprinted past Badi Ashile, giving him five assists in four games and has now shifted to left-back in Chilwell’s place. He took a full kick and delivered a perfect cross into the penalty area, where Dominik Szoboszlai flew over the Chelsea defense and headed home.

Christopher Nkunku injected some much-needed threat into Chelsea’s attack, curling Carney Chukwuemeka’s ball into the bottom corner to draw a goal back. A penalty request for Van Dijk’s heel kick was also rejected. Nunez hit the woodwork for the third time with a powerful header from Andy Robertson’s cross, before setting up Dias’ fourth goal with an inviting cross to the back post. – Guardian

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