Brilliant Hazard gives Chelsea cup victory at Anfield
Liverpool 1 Chelsea 2
Eden Hazard’s stunning late goal gave Chelsea victory at Anfield and took them through to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup in dramatic fashion.
The Blues came from behind, with Emerson Palmieri’s 79th-minute equaliser – his first Chelsea goal – hauling them level after Daniel Sturridge had scored against his former club.
And, two minutes after Sturridge fired against the bar, Hazard netted a brilliant winner.
The Belgian, on as a substitute, picked the ball up on the right, breezed past three challenges and buried a shot past Simon Mignolet from a tight angle.
Sturridge had struck just before the hour mark with a superb scissor-kick after Naby Keïta’s shot had been saved by Willy Caballero.
That looked like taking Liverpool through, but Chelsea hit back when Emerson bundled the ball in after Ross Barkley’s header from Hazard’s free-kick had been parried by Mignolet. The goal was allowed to stand after VAR confirmed that Barkley was just about onside.
Sturridge’s goal had emphatically atoned for an appalling miss in the opening minute of the second half.
Andreas Christensen’s weak backpass was a gift for the ex-Blues forward, who rounded keeper Willy Caballero and then contrived to shoot wide.
Earlier, Alvaro Morata missed chances to give Chelsea a first-half lead and continues to struggle in front of goal.
After being found by Cesc Fabregas’ fabulous 50-yard ball, Morata’s attempt to lift the ball over Mignolet hit the Liverpool keeper.
Morata’s attempted follow-up from a tight angle rolled across the line before the Reds defence were able to scramble the ball to safety.
Another opportunity soon fell to Morata, this time after he was set up by Willian, but the Spaniard was denied by Mignolet having elected to shoot from another awkward angle rather than square the ball for Barkley and Victor Moses, who were waiting at the far post.
Chelsea then lost their way somewhat and were under pressure either side of the interval.
But they battled back after falling behind and Hazard’s brilliance proved decisive.
Chelsea: Caballero, Azpilicueta, Christensen (Luiz 74), Cahill, Emerson, Fabregas, Kovacic (Kante 64), Barkley, Moses, Willian (Hazard 56), Morata.
Subs not used: Bulka, Zappacosta, Jorginho, Hudson-Odoi.
26/09/2018 @ 9:23 pm
Why Hazard? Play our kids and loss with dignity. I don’t just know why this man keeps playing the Moses and Willian when Odoi has a better chance to perform.