Liverpool passed a significant test of their Premier League title credentials by defeating Chelsea 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday, reclaiming the top spot in the table.
Mohamed Salah converted a penalty, and Curtis Jones scored the winning goal, bringing the Reds to 10 wins in 11 matches since Arne Slot took charge.
Nicolas Jackson briefly equalized for Chelsea in the second half, but the defeat marked their first league loss since falling to Manchester City on the season’s opening weekend.
With this victory, Liverpool moved one point ahead of City and four points clear of Arsenal, whom they will face at the Emirates next weekend.
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Chelsea now sits seventh, seven points adrift of the top, but their performance offered plenty of reasons for optimism, pushing Liverpool to their limits.
Liverpool’s only defeat under Slot came against Nottingham Forest after the September international break.
In a tactical shift, Slot opted to bench his South American internationals—Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz, and Darwin Nunez—after their recent travels.
This decision proved beneficial, as Jones, making just his second league start of the season, won the penalty and scored the decisive goal.
Chelsea had a narrow escape early on when Tosin Adarabioyo brought down Diogo Jota, a foul that could have led to a red card given a similar incident with Arsenal’s William Saliba the previous day.
After weathering that scare, Chelsea found their rhythm, controlling possession but struggling against Liverpool’s quick counterattacks.
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Salah’s assist led to the penalty when he found Jones, who was fouled by Levi Colwill. Salah scored from the spot, netting his 10th goal against his former club.
Cody Gakpo thought he had doubled the lead shortly after, but Salah was offside during the buildup.
Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson nearly made an impact, hitting the post before halftime. Just before the break, a potential second penalty for Liverpool was overturned by VAR, which showed Robert Sanchez had touched the ball before colliding with Jones.
Three minutes into the second half, Jackson equalized, finishing calmly after being played onside by Ibrahima Konate. However, Liverpool responded quickly, with Jones perfectly timing his run to redirect Salah’s cross back into the net.
Chelsea pressed for an equalizer in the final 40 minutes but struggled to create clear chances until seven minutes of stoppage time.
Renato Vega headed over from a free-kick, and Christopher Nkunku failed to connect with a teasing cross from Pedro Neto, sealing Liverpool’s victory.
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