Liverpool scored late on at Stamford Bridge through Daniel Sturridge to snatch a 1-1 draw in Saturday evening's Premier League clash.
The Reds had a couple of efforts stopped on the line after Eden Hazard had opened the scoring for the hosts 25 minutes into a tight contest.
Just when a point looked to be out of their reach, Sturridge netted a goal of the season contender in the final minute of normal time to keep his side two points ahead of the Blues.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Three days on from the Blues' 2-1 win at Anfield in the third round of the EFL Cup, two of the three remaining unbeaten sides in the top flight lock horns in West London in what is the pick of this weekend's fixtures.
Chelsea may have come out on top in that midweek cup tie to book their place in the fourth round, but it is Liverpool who just about have the upper hand in the league. The Reds have played six and won six so far, whereas the Blues dropped points for the first time this season in last weekend's stalemate away to West Ham United, leaving them two points adrift of their opponents.
CHELSEA TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso; Kovacic, Jorginho, Kante; Hazard, Giroud, Willian
SUBS: Caballero, Cahill, Zappacosta, Moses, Fabregas, Barkley, Morata
Starting with a look at the home side, Maurizio Sarri has gone with an unchanged side from last weekend's 0-0 draw at West Ham United. The Italian boss rotated for the midweek trip to Anfield by bringing in eight new faces, but they each drop back out for this second instalment - and arguably the bigger of the two matches. That means Antonio Rudiger is fit to start alongside David Luiz in the heart of defence, despite injuring his groin at the London Stadium.
The midfield three very much picks itself at the moment, with pass master Jorginho occupying a central position and N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic used either side. Kante's place in this side is no longer nailed on, and it may well be that Cesc Fabregas sees more action against defence-minded teams now that he is back to full fitness, but this is a match that Kante's battling qualities will come to good use.
Pedro is still not involved due to a shoulder injury sustained against PAOK a little over a week ago, so the front three is also a straightforward pick for Sarri. Eden Hazard was the star performer in his 30 minutes on the pitch at Anfield in the week, and he has been directly involved in more Premier League goals than any other player this term - five of his own and two assists. Willian has also performed well, while Olivier Giroud is now very much preferred to Alvaro Morata through the middle.
LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Gomez, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Milner; Mane, Salah, Firmino
SUBS: Mignolet, Fabinho, Keita, Sturridge, Moreno, Shaqiri, Matip
Liverpool have also gone with the same XI that many would have selected, bringing in Joe Gomez and James Milner from the 3-0 win against Southampton at Anfield last week. Gomez was given a breather for that straightforward win and, while Joel Matip impressed with a goal and a clean sheet, the England international was always expected to be recalled today. The big news is that Virgil van Dijk is fit to start, despite not training this week because of a rib injury.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Georginio Wijnaldum have recovered from illness respectively to make the starting lineup, both maintaining their record of starting each of the Reds' league games this term. Much like the back five, the front three also picks itself when everyone is fully fit, so there is no surprise to see Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino recalled after being left out for the midweek cup tie.
Salah, a second-half sub along with Firmino for the 2-1 EFL Cup loss, has scored four goals in seven appearances against Chelsea for Basel and Liverpool, compared to just two goals in 19 for the Blues during his short time in West London. Xherdan Shaqiri is the other player to make way from the 3-0 win over Southampton, joined on the bench by Naby Keita and Fabinho - the visitors are certainly not short of midfield options!
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has stuck with the same XI that started the 0-0 draw with West Ham United last weekend, while opposite number Jurgen Klopp has brought in Joe Gomez and James Milner from Liverpool's 3-0 win against Southampton. Among the starters for the home side is Olivier Giroud, who boasts five goals in his last six league starts against the Reds, including the winner when they last met in May.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Today will mark the 58th time that these two sides have met in the 21st century, making this the most-contested fixture in that period. Liverpool have won only two of the last 15 encounters in all competitions, however, although both of those wins did come at Stamford Bridge. The Blues won the midweek EFL Cup clash 2-1 at Anfield and also came out on top in this corresponding fixture four months ago through an Olivier Giroud goal.
The home side started the weekend sitting third in the Premier League table, level on points with Manchester City - who are in action against Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon - and two points behind early pacesetters Liverpool. The Blues did drop their first points of the season last time out, however, as they huffed and puffed against West Ham but simply could not find a way through at the London Stadium.
Prior to the draw in East London, Chelsea had seen off Huddersfield Town, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Cardiff City, while also beating PAOK in their Europa League opener. Sarri has complained that fatigue may set in at some point in the coming months due to the quick turnaround in fixtures, but that did not prevent him from naming a strong side for that European trip to Greece nine days ago.
That is credit to Sarri, who sees the Europa League as a competition that Chelsea can win. It will provide a backdoor entry into the Champions League, of course, but the Blues' best bet of regaining their spot in UEFA's showpiece competition is more likely to come through the Premier League this term. They have made a flying start, only halted by West Ham last week, and there are plenty of parallels between 2018-19 and 2016-17 when going all the way under Antonio Conte.
Sarri did make eight changes for the EFL Cup tie in midweek, though, but it was left to substitute Hazard to get the Blues over the line in a match that they trailed for so long. That victory on Merseyside was a huge boost for Sarri, especially coming on the back of a disappointing result in the Premier League - although it must be stressed that a 0-0 draw away to West Ham is far from disastrous... just ask Manchester United!
It means that the Blues are now unbeaten in eight matches ahead of their first test against one of last season's top-four sides. Chelsea, who finished fifth in the Premier League in Conte's final season at the helm, also face Manchester United immediately after the international break, so we will learn a lot more about them in the coming weeks. Before that showdown with the Red Devils, though, Sarri's men must first take on Liverpool today, Vidi on Thursday and Southampton next weekend.
Chelsea are one of four sides with a perfect home record so far in the Premier League, along with Manchester City - winners again today - Liverpool and surprise package Watford. The Blues have scored a combined 14 goals home and away, which is bettered only by Manchester City's 21 after playing a game more. Hazard has scored five of those goals, and taking all games into consideration for club and country since the World Cup, the Belgian forward has now contributed directly to 10 goals in nine outings.
Liverpool also have 14 goals to their name across the opening two months of the Premier League season, with Sadio Mane leading the way with four to his name, and they also boast the division's best defensive record - two goals conceded so far and four clean sheets kept. That is quite some return for Alisson Becker, whose tag as world's most expensive goalkeeper was taken away from him three weeks later by Chelsea stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The Blues are today aiming to make it four home wins in a row to begin a Premier League season for the first time since 2014-15 under Jose Mourinho. Chelsea's return from fixtures against their fellow established top six last season was pretty mixed, claiming 12 points from a possible 30, and they never managed to score more than once against Man City, Man United, Tottenham, Liverpool or Arsenal here.
RESULTS! The 3pm kickoffs in the Premier League have now concluded. Man City were comfortable 2-0 winners over Brighton at the Etihad Stadium, seeing them climb above Liverpool into top spot, although both the Reds and Chelsea can reclaim first place with the right result today - it will take an eight-goal win for the Blues, though! Arsenal and Tottenham also won against Watford and Huddersfield respectively, while Man United lost 3-1 at West Ham earlier in the day.
Defeat for Liverpool in midweek was the first blemish on what has otherwise been a perfect season. Klopp was not too concerned about the manner of his side's EFL Cup exit, although he did admit that it is important for his players to "strike back" at Stamford Bridge this evening. Three days on from that first setback of the season, the Merseyside outfit have a chance to exact revenge on their rivals.
Liverpool were tipped as Man City's most serious threat this season after an impressive summer transfer window that saw them strengthen in key areas, having also made Virgil van Dijk the world's most expensive defender in the January market. They have more than lived up to the hype so far thanks to wins over West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton at Anfield, as well as picking up all three points away to Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
That trip to Tottenham earlier this month was billed as Liverpool's first major test this season, and they passed it with flying colours courtesy of goals from Georginio Wijnaldum and Roberto Firmino. Spurs were poor, in truth, as were Paris Saint-Germain in the Reds' 3-2 Champions League win a little over a week ago, but Klopp's men deserve credit for taking advantage and getting the job done on both occasions.
It was seven wins in a row prior to the Chelsea loss on Wednesday night, and Klopp acknowledges that his players must quickly pick themselves up and go again. There really is no time to rest, as this trip to Chelsea is followed up by a daunting test away at Napoli in the Champions League next week, before concluding this latest segment of Premier League fixtures with the visit of new league leaders Manchester City in eight days' time.
DID YOU KNOW? Victory for Liverpool today would make it the first time since 1990-91 that they have won their opening seven games to a top-flight season, and just the second time in their illustrious history. Only Chelsea have previously achieved that feat during the Premier League era, doing so in 2005-06 when going on to win their first nine en route to back-to-back titles.
Liverpool could also equal a club record of four successive away win to begin a top-flight season, which they also set in the 1990-91 campaign. Klopp has only previously won eight league games in a row once before, doing so between December 2011 and March 2012 while manager of Borussia Dortmund. There are records there to be equalled and beaten, then, on what is a huge evening for the Merseyside outfit.
MANAGERS' COMMENTS!
Maurizio Sarri: "I think that [Hazard] is for sure one of the best [players in the world], but I am absolutely convinced that he can improve. I think that we have seen only 75, 80% of his potential. He's a genius, technically I think he's the best. And so I want him to be the best in the world. He has a lot to give...and I want everything: more continuity from the physical point of view, from the mental point of view."
Jurgen Klopp: "We try to use the information from [Wednesday] to be better on Saturday. Striking back is a nice opportunity. Before we started, it was clear the game at Chelsea would not be a children's birthday party. It will be tough and intense for both sides. It's a big one. It already sounds good, and we have to make sure it is good."
Maurizio Sarri believes that there is still room for improvement as far as Eden Hazard is concerned, claiming this week that the Belgian forward is only playing at "80% of his potential". That is quite some claim from the Blues boss, and if there is indeed another 20% to come from Hazard then he really will usurp Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the world's best. Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, wants his Liverpool players to learn from their midweek cup exit in order to exact revenge on Chelsea.
Ten of the 14 Premier League goals scored by Liverpool this season have come in the first half of matches, and they have still yet to concede in the opening 45 minutes. The Reds, who ended their eight-match wait for victory over fellow top-six side when seeing off Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month, face their toughest test yet in a fixture that they do not tend to do too well in. Kickoff is now just a couple of minutes away in West London...
KICKOFF: Chelsea get us up and running in this concluding fixture of an action packed Saturday in the Premier League. Liverpool have made a perfect start to the campaign, yet they find themselves sitting second ahead of kickoff here following Manchester City's home win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
N'Golo Kante wins the ball in Liverpool's half of the field and feeds it to Willian, who in turns threads a delightful pass into the path of Eden Hazard. The attack fizzles out, though, without the ball ever entering the Liverpool area.
The home side have looked the more assured on the ball in the early throes here, which is not all that surprising - they are now the pass masters under Maurizio Sarri. Liverpool feeling their way into the match, unable to really keep a hold of the ball for too long.
SAVE! The ball bounces favourable for Mohamed Salah to take on a shot from 20 yards out. The Egyptian forward did not get enough power behind it, however, and it was a simple first save of the evening for Kepa Arrizabalaga down the middle.
It has been quite a disjointed start to the match, in fairness, with both teams currently taking it in turns to keep hold of the ball. Chelsea fans are out of their seats as the ball drops in the box, but Liverpool are able to clear their lines.
SHOT! Liverpool's high press is making David Luiz look uncomfortable. The home side are a little too reluctant to just knock the ball up the field when under pressure. Space again opens up for Mohamed Salah to shoot after holding off Rudiger and Jorginho, but he curled the ball wide.
The visiting side are growing more and more into the match and have been the more threatening thus far, with Mohamed Salah testing Kepa Arrizabalaga and then curling one wide from an identical position. Chelsea looking a tad sluggish at the moment.
SHOT! Liverpool remain the side who are posing more of a threat, as Chelsea sit back and allow their opponents onto them. The Blues struggling to get the ball into the final third of the field, as Sadio Mane drives a shot a fair way wide of the target.
This has been far from a free-flowing contest in the opening 17 minutes, but it has certainly been gripping. Liverpool are defending very well, keeping Eden Hazard away from goal whenever the Belgian gets on the ball.
Chelsea have edged the possession count in the opening quarter of the match, although it is Liverpool who have had more of the ball in the positions that matter. Roberto Firmino is the latest Reds player to get a shot away, which David Luiz blocked and Marcos Alonso cleared.
Virgil van Dijk got his head to that earlier corner, but he was too far out to do anything with it. Chelsea are still waiting for their first shot of any note, having been kept out of the final third by Liverpool so far.
It is just not happening for Chelsea so far; whenever they do manage to get the ball forward they struggle to do anything with it. Up the other end, Mohamed Salah's through-ball for Sadio Mane is gathered by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
SAVE! For the first time today Chelsea manage to penetrate Liverpool's backline. David Luiz played a brilliant ball over the top for Willian, who capitalised on some slack defending from Andrew Robertson to race through, only to then be denied by Alisson Becker.
GOAL! CHELSEA 1-0 LIVERPOOL (EDEN HAZARD)
The matchwinner from Wednesday night's EFL Cup tie between these two sides gives Chelsea first blood in this latest tussle. It was a nice team move from the Blues, culminating in Hazard driving the ball across Alisson Becker and into the far corner.
Alisson will not be pleased with that goal - the Brazilian could not adjust his body to the shot and it crept past him. The Blues have barely got going this evening - in an attacking sense, at least - but they have opened the scoring in this huge match.
Alisson got a fingertip to that Hazard shot, making it even more frustrating. Great build-up play from Chelsea in the build-up, though, with plenty of one-touch passes and flicks. Liverpool are now probing away, looking for a leveller.
Liverpool's only real openings so far have come through Mohamed Salah, who could not make the most of his two early shooting opportunities. James Milner's free kick hits the head of Cesar Azpilicueta and ricocheted over the crossbar.
OFF THE LINE! Brilliant defending from Antonio Rudiger to keep his side in front. Mohamed Salah was played through by Roberto Firmino and rounded Kepa Arrizabalaga, but his side-footed finish towards an unguarded net was blocked by the German centre-back on the line.
Had Salah been able to adjust his body quickly enough, that would have been a certain goal. As it was, the angle was slightly against him and Rudiger had a chance to get back. The Reds have been the better side since Eden Hazard's breakthrough goal.
It has been a first half of very few chances, and there has been little between the sides on the whole. Chelsea took their big chance when it arrived through a fine Eden Hazard finish, however, and the onus is now on Liverpool to respond over the remaining 50 minutes.
YELLOW CARD! Olivier Giroud is helping out in a defensive sense down the left, whereas Eden Hazard has been given licence to stay high up the pitch in case of a counter. From one such opportunity, Sadio Mane wipes out the Belgian and earns a yellow card.
Nice play from Liverpool, but a disappointing end to the move. Mohamed Salah put too much on his intended pass to Roberto Firmino at the back post, and the ball trickled straight out of play. What the visitors would give for a goal this close to half time!
Chelsea have played some great football in midfield at times this evening, including in the build-up to their breakthrough goal. Liverpool, too, have had their moments, but they have ultimately been toothless in the final third.
HALF TIME: CHELSEA 1-0 LIVERPOOL
Sadio Mane sent an acrobatic effort over the crossbar from the final meaningful act of the first half at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have edged things so far and have a one-goal advantage to show for it; Eden Hazard firing the ball across Kepa Arrizabalaga 25 minutes in.
Both managers reverted back to their strongest lineups on the back of the EFL Cup tie in midweek, meaning a recall for former Chelsea ace Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian forward has scored in four of his previous seven meetings with Chelsea, and he could have added to that tally in the opening quarter of this latest clash as he tested Kepa Arrizabalaga with a weak effort and then curled one wide.
Liverpool's high press was making Chelsea uncomfortable and it was the visitors who were looking the more threatening in the final third, with Sadio Mane next to get a shot away which ended well wide of the target. With a quarter of the match played Maurizio Sarri's men eventually stepped things up, creating their first chance 23 minutes in for Willian.
For all their intricate play, it was a long ball over the top from David Luiz that set Willian free, but the Brazilian was denied by compatriot Alisson Becker when in on goal. Three minutes later the Blues did take the lead, however, and it was through a fine Hazard finish across Alisson into the bottom corner following some one-touch passing in the build-up.
That was the first time that Liverpool have conceded in the first half of a league game this term, but they should have been level at the break as Salah rounded Kepa and had an unguarded net to aim for, only for Antonio Rudiger to race back and keep the ball out on the line. Not a great deal between the two sides at the midway point, then, as we take a look at the options available to the two managers...
CHELSEA SUBS: Caballero, Cahill, Zappacosta, Moses, Fabregas, Barkley, Morata
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Mignolet, Fabinho, Keita, Sturridge, Moreno, Shaqiri, Matip
KICKOFF: We are back up and running at Stamford Bridge, where Liverpool trail to Eden Hazard's strike 25 minutes in. Neither manager made any changes at the interval, so it is as you were for the time being.
Willian does very well to bring down another searching David Luiz pass and then knock the ball past his man, but he could not quite pick out a teammate at the end of it. Liverpool have a weak penalty shout for handball rejected up the other end.
A couple of important blocks from a Liverpool perspective, including one from Virgil van Dijk to keep out Mateo Kovacic's shot 15 yards from goal. Chelsea have started this second half strongly as they look to put the game out of Liverpool's reach.
Chelsea with a couple of early attempts in the second half, neither of which troubled Alisson Becker. Klopp is urging his players to get in the faces of Chelsea's defenders, and it is the visitors who are now enjoying a spell on the ball.
The opening 10 minutes of this second half have been similar to the first half, in many ways, as the teams are taking it in turns to enjoy spells on the ball. Still little in terms of goalmouth action, but it remains a gripping contest.
Sarri's side are looking pretty comfortable at the moment. The onus is on Liverpool to get in behind, but there are no real gaps to exploit at the moment. The biggest threat for the Blues at this point is Eden Hazard on the counter-attack.
As the hour mark fast approaches, we are still awaiting the first serious attempt of the second half. It has been a quieter game than expected on the whole, but this fixture does tend to go that way - just one of the last 11 meetings have been won by more than one goal.
SAVE! A blocked Mateo Kovacic shot from the edge of the box aside, we had yet to see either side get a serious attempt away up until this Sadio Mane effort from pretty much nowhere. The forward turned in the box and forced a good save out of Kepa Arrizabalaga.
We have now played more than an hour but we await the first change, as Sarri urges his players to get higher up the pitch. Kante just fed through Willian to spark a counter, but Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez covered the ground at the expense of a corner.
Liverpool have Xherdan Shaqiri and Daniel Sturridge to come on in terms of their game-changing players, while Fabinho is an option in the middle of the park to freshen things up. Klopp appears the more likely of the two managers to blink first.
SAVE! Eden Hazard really should have been doubling his tally for the evening from this chance. A quick free kick saw the Belgian burst clean through on goal, but Alisson Becker produced a fine stop from the one-on-one situation to keep it at 1-0.
CHELSEA SUB! Maurizio Sarri is the first manager to make a change, bringing on Alvaro Morata for Olivier Giroud through the middle. Jurgen Klopp followed suit a minute later by bringing on Xherdan Shaqiri for Mohamed Salah.
The game burst into life with those quickfire chances for Sadio Mane and Eden Hazard. We are all set up for a thrilling conclusion to the match, with so very little between the two teams all evening. Can the Reds grab a leveller in the remaining 20 minutes?
SAVE! Another save for Alisson Becker to make, this time keeping out Mateo Kovacic's low effort. A minute or so later Xherdan Shaqiri let the ball run across his body but guided it wide of goal with just Kepa Arrizabalaga to beat - what a chance!
OFF THE LINE! Eden Hazard and Xherdan Shaqiri have squandered good opportunities in this second half. Another chance comes and goes for the visitors - Roberto Firmino's downward header was blocked on the line by a well positioned David Luiz. Victor Moses is on for Willian.
We are now into the final 15 minutes at Stamford Bridge and this match is still hanging nicely in the balance. Liverpool would take a point now if you offered it to them, and on the basis of the last 15 minutes they look good value to score.
YELLOW CARD! A fresh Victor Moses is posing a different kind of threat to Liverpool's tiring midfielders and defenders. The versatile Nigerian attacker attempted to burst through on goal but was blocked by James Milner, who is rightly shown a yellow card.
LIVERPOOL SUB! Jordan Henderson is the next player to make way for Liverpool - and the Reds' skipper is not a happy man. Think his reaction was more to do with his own performance today, rather than Klopp's decision, as Naby Keita enters the fray.
CHELSEA SUB! Former Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, who has been used heavily by Maurizio Sarri this season, comes on in place of Mateo Kovacic to help keep Chelsea ticking over in midfield. That's all three home changes now made.
The home supporters inside Stamford Bridge are urging their side to get up the field. The Blues have dropped deeper and deeper in this second half. A stray Wijnaldum pass is almost pounced on by Morata, but Alisson did well to sweep up.
SAVE! Xherdan Shaqiri was determined to take on the free kick from 20 yards, and the Swiss international did at least find the target. It was far too weak an effort to beat Kepa Arrizabalaga, though, with the Chelsea keeper mopping up.
LIVERPOOL SUB! The game's sixth and final change is made - Daniel Sturridge, who spent four years here earlier in his career, is on for James Milner. Klopp clearly going all out for an equaliser now; he has nothing to lose.
GOAL! CHELSEA 1-1 LIVERPOOL (DANIEL STURRIDGE)
This is quite something from Daniel Sturridge! On the field for all of two minutes, the ex-Chelsea man took matters into his own hands with a long-range finish that dipped over Kepa Arrizabalaga into the top corner. Fifty league goals in the Premier League for Sturridge.
Four minutes have been added on in West London, three of which we have played. This has been a gripping contest and it is still not over just yet. There is still time for one more late twist, with Chelsea the side pressing for a goal.
FULL TIME: CHELSEA 1-1 LIVERPOOL
What an end to the contest that was! Daniel Sturridge may have entered the game late on, but it was his sublime late strike that will be best remembered when we look back at the match. For so long Eden Hazard's 25th-minute goal looked like being the difference, only for Sturridge to pop up in the final minute of normal time to snatch a 1-1 draw for his side.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from Stamford Bridge. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, and you can follow updates from the La Liga showdown between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid right here. Thanks for joining!
