AS IT HAPPENED: Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool

Welcome to Nigerianeye's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

Three days on from knocking their opponents out of the EFL Cup at Anfield, the Blues play host to the Reds with three league points on the line.

Both sides have made an unbeaten start to their top-flight campaign, but dropped points at West Ham United last time out for Chelsea means that Liverpool have the edge heading into this blockbuster fixture.

Follow all of the action as it unfolds in West London with our extensive updates below.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

CHELSEA: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso; Kovacic, Jorginho, Kante; Hazard, Giroud, Willian

SUBS: Caballero, Cahill, Zappacosta, Moses, Fabregas, Barkley, Morata

LIVERPOOL: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Gomez, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Milner; Mane, Salah, Firmino

SUBS: Mignolet, Fabinho, Keita, Sturridge, Moreno, Shaqiri, Matip























What an end to the contest that was! Daniel Sturridge may have entered the game late on, but it was his sublime late strike that will be best remembered when we look back at the match. For so long Eden Hazard's 25th-minute goal looked like being the difference, only for Sturridge to pop up in the final minute of normal time to snatch a 1-1 draw for his side. Thanks for joining our live coverage of the match!

90+5 min CHELSEA 1-1 LIVERPOOL

90+3 min Four minutes have been added on in West London, three of which we have played. This has been a gripping contest and it is still not over just yet. There is still time for one more late twist, with Chelsea the side pressing for a goal.

90+1 min This is quite something from Daniel Sturridge! On the field for all of two minutes, the ex-Chelsea man took matters into his own hands with a long-range finish that dipped over Kepa Arrizabalaga into the top corner. Fifty league goals in the Premier League for Sturridge.

90 min CHELSEA 1-1 LIVERPOOL (DANIEL STURRIDGE)

88 min LIVERPOOL SUB! The game's sixth and final change is made - Daniel Sturridge, who spent four years here earlier in his career, is on for James Milner. Klopp clearly going all out for an equaliser now; he has nothing to lose.

86 min Xherdan Shaqiri was determined to take on the free kick from 20 yards, and the Swiss international did at least find the target. It was far too weak an effort to beat Kepa Arrizabalaga, though, with the Chelsea keeper mopping up.

84 min The home supporters inside Stamford Bridge are urging their side to get up the field. The Blues have dropped deeper and deeper in this second half. A stray Wijnaldum pass is almost pounced on by Morata, but Alisson did well to sweep up.

82 min CHELSEA SUB! Former Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, who has been used heavily by Maurizio Sarri this season, comes on in place of Mateo Kovacic to help keep Chelsea ticking over in midfield. That's all three home changes now made.

80 min LIVERPOOL SUB! Jordan Henderson is the next player to make way for Liverpool - and the Reds' skipper is not a happy man. Think his reaction was more to do with his own performance today, rather than Klopp's decision, as Naby Keita enters the fray.

78 min A fresh Victor Moses is posing a different kind of threat to Liverpool's tiring midfielders and defenders. The versatile Nigerian attacker attempted to burst through on goal but was blocked by James Milner, who is rightly shown a yellow card.

76 min We are now into the final 15 minutes at Stamford Bridge and this match is still hanging nicely in the balance. Liverpool would take a point now if you offered it to them, and on the basis of the last 15 minutes they look good value to score.

74 min Eden Hazard and Xherdan Shaqiri have squandered good opportunities in this second half. Another chance comes and goes for the visitors - Roberto Firmino's downward header was blocked on the line by a well positioned David Luiz. Victor Moses is on for Willian.

72 min Another save for Alisson Becker to make, this time keeping out Mateo Kovacic's low effort. A minute or so later Xherdan Shaqiri let the ball run across his body but guided it wide of goal with just Kepa Arrizabalaga to beat - what a chance!

70 min The game burst into life with those quickfire chances for Sadio Mane and Eden Hazard. We are all set up for a thrilling conclusion to the match, with so very little between the two teams all evening. Can the Reds grab a leveller in the remaining 20 minutes?

68 min CHELSEA SUB! Maurizio Sarri is the first manager to make a change, bringing on Alvaro Morata for Olivier Giroud through the middle. Jurgen Klopp followed suit a minute later by bringing on Xherdan Shaqiri for Mohamed Salah.

66 min Eden Hazard really should have been doubling his tally for the evening from this chance. A quick free kick saw the Belgian burst clean through on goal, but Alisson Becker produced a fine stop from the one-on-one situation to keep it at 1-0.

64 min Liverpool have Xherdan Shaqiri and Daniel Sturridge to come on in terms of their game-changing players, while Fabinho is an option in the middle of the park to freshen things up. Klopp appears the more likely of the two managers to blink first.

62 min We have now played more than an hour but we await the first change, as Sarri urges his players to get higher up the pitch. Kante just fed through Willian to spark a counter, but Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez covered the ground at the expense of a corner.

60 min A blocked Mateo Kovacic shot from the edge of the box aside, we had yet to see either side get a serious attempt away up until this Sadio Mane effort from pretty much nowhere. The forward turned in the box and forced a good save out of Kepa Arrizabalaga.

58 min As the hour mark fast approaches, we are still awaiting the first serious attempt of the second half. It has been a quieter game than expected on the whole, but this fixture does tend to go that way - just one of the last 11 meetings have been won by more than one goal.

56 min Sarri's side are looking pretty comfortable at the moment. The onus is on Liverpool to get in behind, but there are no real gaps to exploit at the moment. The biggest threat for the Blues at this point is Eden Hazard on the counter-attack.

54 min The opening 10 minutes of this second half have been similar to the first half, in many ways, as the teams are taking it in turns to enjoy spells on the ball. Still little in terms of goalmouth action, but it remains a gripping contest.

52 min Chelsea with a couple of early attempts in the second half, neither of which troubled Alisson Becker. Klopp is urging his players to get in the faces of Chelsea's defenders, and it is the visitors who are now enjoying a spell on the ball.

50 min A couple of important blocks from a Liverpool perspective, including one from Virgil van Dijk to keep out Mateo Kovacic's shot 15 yards from goal. Chelsea have started this second half strongly as they look to put the game out of Liverpool's reach.

48 min Willian does very well to bring down another searching David Luiz pass and then knock the ball past his man, but he could not quite pick out a teammate at the end of it. Liverpool have a weak penalty shout for handball rejected up the other end.

46 min We are back up and running at Stamford Bridge, where Liverpool trail to Eden Hazard's strike 25 minutes in. Neither manager made any changes at the interval, so it is as you were for the time being.


Sadio Mane sent an acrobatic effort over the crossbar from the final meaningful act of the first half at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have edged things so far and have a one-goal advantage to show for it; Eden Hazard firing the ball across Kepa Arrizabalaga 25 minutes in.


45+2 min CHELSEA 1-0 LIVERPOOL

45 min Chelsea have played some great football in midfield at times this evening, including in the build-up to their breakthrough goal. Liverpool, too, have had their moments, but they have ultimately been toothless in the final third.

43 min Nice play from Liverpool, but a disappointing end to the move. Mohamed Salah put too much on his intended pass to Roberto Firmino at the back post, and the ball trickled straight out of play. What the visitors would give for a goal this close to half time!

41 min Olivier Giroud is helping out in a defensive sense down the left, whereas Eden Hazard has been given licence to stay high up the pitch in case of a counter. From one such opportunity, Sadio Mane wipes out the Belgian and earns a yellow card.

39 min It has been a first half of very few chances, and there has been little between the sides on the whole. Chelsea took their big chance when it arrived through a fine Eden Hazard finish, however, and the onus is now on Liverpool to respond over the remaining 50 minutes.

37 min Had Salah been able to adjust his body quickly enough, that would have been a certain goal. As it was, the angle was slightly against him and Rudiger had a chance to get back. The Reds have been the better side since Eden Hazard's breakthrough goal.

35 min Brilliant defending from Antonio Rudiger to keep his side in front. Mohamed Salah was played through by Roberto Firmino and rounded Kepa Arrizabalaga, but his side-footed finish towards an unguarded net was blocked by the German centre-back on the line.

33 min Liverpool's only real openings so far have come through Mohamed Salah, who could not make the most of his two early shooting opportunities. James Milner's free kick hits the head of Cesar Azpilicueta and ricocheted over the crossbar.

31 min Alisson got a fingertip to that Hazard shot, making it even more frustrating. Great build-up play from Chelsea in the build-up, though, with plenty of one-touch passes and flicks. Liverpool are now probing away, looking for a leveller.

29 min Alisson will not be pleased with that goal - the Brazilian could not adjust his body to the shot and it crept past him. The Blues have barely got going this evening - in an attacking sense, at least - but they have opened the scoring in this huge match.

27 min The matchwinner from Wednesday night's EFL Cup tie between these two sides gives Chelsea first blood in this latest tussle. It was a nice team move from the Blues, culminating in Hazard driving the ball across Alisson Becker and into the far corner.

26 min CHELSEA 1-0 LIVERPOOL (EDEN HAZARD)

25 min For the first time today Chelsea manage to penetrate Liverpool's backline. David Luiz played a brilliant ball over the top for Willian, who capitalised on some slack defending from Andrew Robertson to race through, only to then be denied by Alisson Becker.

23 min It is just not happening for Chelsea so far; whenever they do manage to get the ball forward they struggle to do anything with it. Up the other end, Mohamed Salah's through-ball for Sadio Mane is gathered by Kepa Arrizabalaga.

21 min Virgil van Dijk got his head to that earlier corner, but he was too far out to do anything with it. Chelsea are still waiting for their first shot of any note, having been kept out of the final third by Liverpool so far.

19 min Chelsea have edged the possession count in the opening quarter of the match, although it is Liverpool who have had more of the ball in the positions that matter. Roberto Firmino is the latest Reds player to get a shot away, which David Luiz blocked and Marcos Alonso cleared.

17 min This has been far from a free-flowing contest in the opening 17 minutes, but it has certainly been gripping. Liverpool are defending very well, keeping Eden Hazard away from goal whenever the Belgian gets on the ball.

15 min Liverpool remain the side who are posing more of a threat, as Chelsea sit back and allow their opponents onto them. The Blues struggling to get the ball into the final third of the field, as Sadio Mane drives a shot a fair way wide of the target.

13 min The visiting side are growing more and more into the match and have been the more threatening thus far, with Mohamed Salah testing Kepa Arrizabalaga and then curling one wide from an identical position. Chelsea looking a tad sluggish at the moment.

11 min Liverpool's high press is making David Luiz look uncomfortable. The home side are a little too reluctant to just knock the ball up the field when under pressure. Space again opens up for Mohamed Salah to shoot after holding off Rudiger and Jorginho, but he curled the ball wide.

9 min It has been quite a disjointed start to the match, in fairness, with both teams currently taking it in turns to keep hold of the ball. Chelsea fans are out of their seats as the ball drops in the box, but Liverpool are able to clear their lines.

7 min The ball bounces favourable for Mohamed Salah to take on a shot from 20 yards out. The Egyptian forward did not get enough power behind it, however, and it was a simple first save of the evening for Kepa Arrizabalaga down the middle.

5 min The home side have looked the more assured on the ball in the early throes here, which is not all that surprising - they are now the pass masters under Maurizio Sarri. Liverpool feeling their way into the match, unable to really keep a hold of the ball for too long.

3 min N'Golo Kante wins the ball in Liverpool's half of the field and feeds it to Willian, who in turns threads a delightful pass into the path of Eden Hazard. The attack fizzles out, though, without the ball ever entering the Liverpool area.

1 min KICKOFF:  Chelsea get us up and running in this concluding fixture of an action packed Saturday in the Premier League. Liverpool have made a perfect start to the campaign, yet they find themselves sitting second ahead of kickoff here following Manchester City's home win over Brighton & Hove Albion.