Liverpool’s wait to secure Champions League football goes on while Chelsea avoided a club record-equalling seventh straight defeat in a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
The match encapsulated the hosts’ whole season in the first 45 minutes when they went ahead then retreated into their shell, allowing a team low on confidence and with a caretaker manager to grow into the game before equalising.
Ryan Gravenberch’s goal was only the fourth time Liverpool have scored in the opening 15 minutes of a league fixture this season but once Virgil van Dijk volleyed over from six yards things started to go backwards for Arne Slot’s side.
Enzo Fernandez’s low free-kick evaded everyone and crept inside the far post for the equaliser as Chelsea capitalised on the initiative they were handed by their passive opponents.
Both teams had second-half goals disallowed by VAR for offside and Dominik Szoboszlai and Van Dijk hit the frame of the goal as Liverpool finally woke from their slumber.
However, the draw still leaves them needing a win to guarantee a return to the Champions League, although superior goal difference means two points may be enough even if sixth-placed Bournemouth win all their remaining games.
The point also did nothing for Chelsea’s own European hopes.
Slot’s football has been criticised for being slow but the first half was also boring, not helped by the absence of Florian Wirtz through illness.
While the Dutchman retains the support of the Anfield hierarchy going into next season, the Kop booing his substitution of teenager Rio Ngumoha shows there are plenty of bridges to be built if the fanbase and management are to be reconciled.
It is a similar situation at managerless Chelsea, who came into the game looking to avoid their worst run of defeats since 1952 and fans voicing their unhappiness with the ownership.
Liverpool could not have hoped for better opposition but once the visitors realised they were not going to be overrun they took control with Cole Palmer finding space to thread balls over or through – mainly to Marc Cucurella who, for an hour, caused the most problems.
The game started well as in only the sixth minute Szoboszlai smashed a free-kick into the wall and Ngumoha teed up the rebound for Gravenberch to curl home his first league goal since December from the edge of the area.
But once Van Dijk shot over from close range the momentum changed with Giorgi Mamardashvili, back in goal after a knee injury, denying Cucurella (twice) and Joao Pedro.
So poor was the tempo and apparent unwillingness to press home their advantage, the Kop roared their disapproval when Ibrahima Konate shaped to pass back to the goalkeeper from midway inside his own half.
Cody Gakpo’s needless foul presented Fernandez with an opportunity from 35 yards and, while Wesley Fofana claimed a touch, the low free-kick was adjudged to have rolled inside the far post untouched.
VAR denied Palmer an end to his goal drought, now at 12 games for club and country, and did the same for Curtis Jones’ close-range header.
Liverpool’s dearth of attacking intent meant the 17-year-old Ngumoha was lauded almost every time he touched the ball, even if there was no successful end product most of the time.
So when he was hooked to allow fit-again British record signing Alexander Isak to come on the jeers were loud and even Szoboszlai hitting the foot of the post and Van Dijk heading against the crossbar could not prevent more boos at the end.
