In a dramatic stoppage-time finish, Chelsea secured a 2-1 victory over Liverpool after defender Marc Cucurella revealed his team executed a pre-planned tactic to exploit a weakness in Mohamed Salah’s defensive game.
Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool: Blues Snatch Dramatic Stoppage-Time Victory
The match at Stamford Bridge was decided in the 95th minute when 18-year-old substitute Estevao Willian slid in to convert Cucurella’s low cross, sparking wild celebrations and a touchline sprint from Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca that resulted in a red card.
Chelsea had taken the lead in the 14th minute through a spectacular long-range strike from Moisés Caicedo.
Liverpool found an equalizer in the 63rd minute when Cody Gakpo finished from close range after a flick-on from Alexander Isak.
The win elevates Chelsea to sixth in the Premier League table, while Liverpool, who have now suffered three consecutive defeats, cede top spot to Arsenal.
After the match, match-winner Cucurella explained that Chelsea’s coaching staff had identified and practiced a specific plan to target the space behind Liverpool’s forward Mohamed Salah.
“We know that Salah is always ready to counter-attack, so we practice and the manager always tells us the space is maybe there,” Cucurella told Sky Sports.
He noted that the winning goal was a direct result of this preparation, saying, “I saw it was the last minute… I tried to give my last effort, and it ends up being a good ball” for Estevao to score.
The game could have turned out differently for Liverpool, as Mohamed Salah missed key opportunities, including a glaring chance early in the second half.
Despite Salah’s uncharacteristic wastefulness in front of goal, manager Arne Slot came to his defense.
“He is a human being. It is not like every chance he gets is always a goal,” Slot stated, emphasizing that he was pleased to see Salah repeatedly get into dangerous positions.
The match adds to a challenging period for Liverpool, with pundit Jamie Redknapp noting the team is feeling the absence of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and is experiencing ongoing problems in the full-back positions.
For Chelsea, the victory provides a massive morale boost, with assistant coach Willy Caballero expressing pride in the players and describing the last-gasp win as “something special”.
