Chelsea and Liverpool do not know how to score in matches between themselves.
Kai Havertz’s potential winning goal was disallowed due to a hand foul. PDO
The counter guy at Stamford Bridge must have done it by accident.
He played the Foo Fighters’ classic song The Pretender in the stadium. At the same time, it offered the TV director the opportunity to take a close-up look at someone making his coaching debut Bruno Saltor.
The Spaniard inherited the duties of the Chelsea pilot from the one who was fired at the weekend From Graham Potter. Saltor himself certainly did not believe that his tactical skills were still at the level of the first coach of a big club, but despite that, he played the role credibly.
A couple of seasons ago, the matches between Chelsea and Liverpool were top events in the sport on a global scale. Now, however, it was a meeting between two strongly underperforming combinations, in which there was no more input than the visitors at most.
Pool manager Jurgen Klopp is, on the other hand, the longest-lived of the current Premier League managers. However, that didn’t stop Saltori’s Chelsea from taking control of the game.
Chelsea constantly unleashed dangerous attacks on Pool’s goal. Joao Felix, Mateo Kovačić and Kai Havertz would have given the hosts a 3-0 lead in 12 minutes with a better finish.
Looking at the failed finishing attempts, it was easy to understand why this Chelsea has scored the fewest league goals in the club’s 99-year history.
The 0–0 Curse
Klopp had shaped his team with a generous hand. The red shirts tuned in to the same frequency only at the end of the opening period, which went to the Reds.
Against that background, the tie at the half-time whistle seemed fair.
The story continues after the picture
Chelsea interim manager Bruno Saltor (left) avoided defeat in his own debut. AOO
In the second period, Liverpool’s defense similarly leaked, and Havertz broke away to score in the 50th minute. Unfortunately for the German, the ball bounced off the Pool vesker About Alisson to the attacker’s elbow and from there to the net.
The shot was disallowed by VAR due to a manual error.
The further the match progressed, the greater the fear of a goalless draw grew. There have been no complete games between these teams for over 15 months as the last three meetings had all ended 0-0.
Klopp decided to get more speed from the bench. Mo Salah and Andy Robertson jumped onto the grass after more than an hour of play.
Chelsea’s only sporting contribution is now in the Champions League, where they face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals. Liverpool, on the other hand, still has a slim chance of getting into the top four, but to beat them would have required a winning goal.
Cody Gakpo and James Milner came on the field in the 79th minute, but the substitutions didn’t produce the desired result either.
The story continues after the picture
Emotions ran high in the Liverpool camp. Goalkeeper Alisson had a heated discussion with Jordan Henderson. PDO
Pool will be tested by title-hunting Arsenal at the weekend, and it is certain that they will not be as sloppy in scoring situations as Chelsea.
On Tuesday, it ended in a 0-0 draw between these teams for the fourth time in a row.
The result did not really satisfy either team. However, Saltor left the dressing room clearly relieved. There is at least nothing to be ashamed of in his coaching debut.