Liverpool, January 21 (BNA): Liverpool and Chelsea continued their disappointing seasons as the injury-hit mid-table sides drew 0-0 at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday.
Chelsea thought they were ahead in the third minute when Kai Havertz hit the net from close range after a corner kick, but the video assistant referee controlled the German offside, Reuters reported.
In Jurgen Klopp’s 1,000th game in charge, Liverpool looked lacking in confidence as they looked to avoid three successive league defeats, creating only half of their chances, with new signing Cody Jacobeau missing their best in the first half.
The visiting team presented a great opportunity to sign Mykhailo Modric in the second half, but it looked lively, except that the Ukrainian was unable to lift the Blues, who got a point that put them in tenth place, equal at 29 points with Liverpool in eighth place.
The two teams are nine points away from the first four places, as Chelsea played 20 matches, compared to 19 for Liverpool.
“I thought the performance was good,” Chelsea boss Graham Potter told BT Sport. “I’m happy with the team, the energy and what we’ve tried to do.
“At Anfield it’s always difficult. It’s a clean sheet and a point, we’re moving forward. Overall, a positive day, apart from the fact that we wanted three points.”
Klopp claimed Liverpool’s 3-0 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion last time out was the worst of his spell at Anfield, but things didn’t improve much against Chelsea.
And it seemed that the hosts would face it again from the start at Anfield, where Havertz hit the net from close range, but after a lengthy review of the video assistant referee technique, the German player was ruled offside.
Chelsea still had to go into the break on top, but the arrival of defender Benoit Badiachel in January was very close to goalkeeper Alisson from close range.
After the break, substitute Darwin Nunez approached Liverpool, Modric fired into the side-netting after a bizarre run while Carne Chukwuemica should have done better with a late chance for the Blues, but the equalizer was a fair result.
Liverpool failed to win any of their last three Premier League matches, while this is the first time they have failed to score in consecutive matches in the competition since March 2021 against Fulham and Chelsea.
“When you’re in a difficult period and a difficult moment in the team, I think it’s important that you stick together and fight for those clean sheets and that’s where you start,” Liverpool’s James Milner told BT Sport.
“It’s not the best football we’ve played, but it’s small steps to get to where we know we can be.”