Arne Slot praised Liverpool's resilience in passing what he called the toughest test of his tenure, as the Reds secured a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday. The win propelled Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League standings.
A penalty from Mohamed Salah and a decisive goal by Curtis Jones sealed the victory, marking Liverpool's 10th win in 11 matches since Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp. Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson had briefly equalized, but his efforts weren’t enough to prevent the Blues from suffering their first league defeat since their loss to Manchester City at the start of the season.
Despite controlling nearly 60 percent of possession, Chelsea couldn’t capitalize on their dominance. The defeat leaves them seven points off the top in sixth place. Meanwhile, Liverpool now sits one point ahead of Manchester City and four clear of Arsenal, who they will face next weekend at the Emirates Stadium.
"Many other games were hard but this might have been the hardest because of the amount of quality players they have and the structure they have," said Slot. "We had to fight really hard to get this one over the line."
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca found positives in the performance despite the result. "We lost, we are not happy, but the performance with and without the ball was very good," Maresca said. "I've been in this stadium many times and to see Liverpool in their (half) for a long time is not easy."
Liverpool’s only defeat under Slot came against Nottingham Forest after September's international break, but the team bounced back convincingly.
Jones Makes the Difference
Slot made key tactical adjustments, resting several South American players—Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz, and Darwin Nunez—following their international duties. The decision to start Jones, in only his second Premier League appearance of the season, proved pivotal. The England international won Liverpool's penalty and scored the match-winning goal.
Chelsea started strong, controlling possession and putting Liverpool under pressure early. However, the home side’s counter-attacking pace was a constant threat. It was Salah who set up Jones, who was fouled by Levi Colwill inside the box, resulting in a penalty. Salah confidently converted, marking his 10th goal against his former club.
Moments later, Cody Gakpo thought he had doubled Liverpool’s lead, but Salah was judged offside in the build-up. Chelsea's best chance in the first half came when Jackson hit the post, offering a glimpse of their attacking potential.
Shortly before halftime, Liverpool were awarded a second penalty when Jones was brought down by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. However, a VAR review overturned the decision, with Sanchez shown to have made contact with the ball before the challenge.
Chelsea quickly found an equalizer in the second half. Jackson connected with a pass from Moises Caicedo and slotted the ball past Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher for his fifth goal in eight Premier League appearances. Initially ruled offside, VAR confirmed Jackson was onside, bringing Chelsea level.
Liverpool’s response was swift, as Jones capitalized on a Salah cross to restore their lead just three minutes later. Despite sustained pressure from Chelsea in the final 40 minutes, Liverpool’s defense held firm. Chelsea came close to an equalizer in stoppage time when Renato Vega headed over a Cole Palmer free-kick, and Christopher Nkunku narrowly missed connecting with Pedro Neto’s cross.
The victory sets up a crucial match for Liverpool against Arsenal, as they continue their quest to remain at the top of the Premier League.
