Liverpool v Chelsea

Match reportLiverpool play out opening day Premier League draw at Chelsea

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By Joe Urquhart at Stamford Bridge

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Liverpool played out a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon to begin their 2023-24 Premier League campaign.

Luis Diaz struck in the first half of the fixture, while Mohamed Salah saw a goal ruled out via VAR in the opening period.

Axel Disasi levelled for Chelsea ahead of the half-time interval and Ben Chilwell also had an effort chalked off before the break.

Neither team were able to find a winner in the second half in the capital, resulting in a share of the points.

Team news

Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai both made their Premier League debuts for Liverpool, with the pair handed starts by Jürgen Klopp.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Gakpo (Jones, 66), Diaz (Doak, 77), Salah (Elliott, 77), Jota (Nunez, 66).

Subs not used: Kelleher, Gomez, Tsimikas, Matip, McConnell.

First half

The Reds started the afternoon on the front foot and saw Diogo Jota twice go close in the opening exchanges.

Ibrahima Konate produced a brilliant block inside his own box a short while later, before Salah went closest of the two teams as he curled an effort onto Robert Sanchez's crossbar from the edge of the box.

Liverpool continued to dominate most of the possession, and it was a lovely flowing move that brought the game's opening goal.

The ball moved from defence to attack in a matter of seconds, resulting in Salah's threaded low pass into the area being turned home by the onrushing Diaz.

Chelsea attempted to respond, with Nicolas Jackson shooting wide, but it was Klopp's outfit who thought they had a second on the half-hour mark.

Salah broke through the last line to latch onto a Trent Alexander-Arnold pass and find the back of the net, but VAR intervened to rule the effort out due to offside.

The hosts did find a leveller ahead of the half-time interval, Disasi scooping home a loose ball in the box, before Chelsea also saw a Chilwell strike chalked off for offside with the use of technology.

Second half

Virgil van Dijk almost found the top corner with a curler from the edge of the box and Diaz had a close-range header blocked by Jackson, with Liverpool claims for handball waved away.

Alisson Becker then had to get down low to halt another Chilwell effort after the full-back advanced, with the home side enjoying a period of sustained pressure afterwards.

Following the hour, Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones were introduced from the bench in a bid to give the visitors fresh legs, though it was goalkeeper Alisson again who blocked low from the charging Jackson.

Both sides battled to find a winner, with Harvey Elliott and Ben Doak also stepping off the bench late on in the contest.

Liverpool pushed on and finished well as an errant pass from home stopper Sanchez found the feet of Mac Allister.

The midfielder, though, was unable to let Nunez free with his resulting pass.

In added time, Nunez almost secured the spoils again, cutting onto his right foot and firing a shot from distance that was deflected inches past the far post.

Attendance: 40,096

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