Analysis: Chelsea

Chelsea set up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Jorginho, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic forming the midfield trio. Willian, Olivier Giroud and Eden Hazard led the attack.

It was clear soon after kick-off that Hazard had been given the freedom to roam from his position and pick up the ball between the lines, where possible. The hosts tried to build from the back, using centre-backs Antonio Rudiger and David Luiz to commit Liverpool players towards them and thus open up spaces behind to penetrate.

A key strategy was playing the ball into the feet of a player who had dropped from a higher position before setting to a forward-facing teammate on a deeper line, allowing for penetration through the next unit. The player who set the ball would need to spin and run behind to collect the penetrative pass or the next set. Hazard’s involvement in this was crucial in the build-up to the game’s opening goal, which he himself eventually scored.

Chelsea conceded possession for the majority of the second half after taking the lead, looking to keep Liverpool out rather than search for a second. They still tried to exploit the spaces to maintain a threat on the counter, though, and could have increased their lead with a more clinical performance.

Maurizio Sarri’s players set up predominantly in a 4-5-1 system out of possession, with Hazard and Willian dropping from the front line to support Jorginho, Kante and Kovacic. Kovacic and Kante covered large distances to close down their opponents’ centre-backs, but they would need to recover back if the visitors were successful in switching the play. This was a significant amount of work for the pair and consequently difficult to maintain for the entire encounter. However, had wide attackers Hazard and Willian pressed instead of Kante and Kovacic, there would have been more distance for the midfield trio to cover across the width of the pitch, potentially opening lines for Liverpool into their full-backs, attacking midfielders and forwards. It was thus important that Hazard and Willian stayed slightly deeper to affect the Liverpool full-backs.

The Blues occasionally switched to a 4-4-2 in the second half, leaving Hazard up top with Giroud (and, later, substitute Alvaro Morata). The two forwards could then press the centre-backs, enabling the four across midfield to cover more ground than a midfield three would have been able to. Gaps still appeared within this system, though, and Chelsea became more vulnerable to switches of play due to the enduring compactness of the four.

Head coach Maurizio Sarri will have been frustrated to watch his team hold the lead for so long before conceding, but he will also take the positives from a performance that suggests his side shouldn’t be ruled out in the battle for the Premier League title.