Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea: Premier League – as it happened

Andy Hunter was at Anfield. His match report has landed, and here it is! Thanks for reading this MBM.

Jurgen Klopp’s turn. “We had good spells but couldn’t keep it up. We have to be ready for little steps, and this is a little step. We didn’t concede against Chelsea, which is good. We didn’t create an awful lot of chances but we had them. We defended more with passion than clear organisation, so in the end I am OK with nil-nil. You have to accept it. Both teams were very aggressive. It was hectic in moments. We have to build on stuff.”

Graham Potter talks to BT. “Our performance was good. I’m happy with the energy in the team. It’s always tough at Anfield. I’m happy with a lot of it. I obviously wanted to win, but it’s a clean sheet and a point and we move forward. First half we were decent. We were a little bit unlucky not to get the goal, but offside is what it is. Overall a positive day other than the fact we wanted three points. We’ve had a tough period but the group has stayed together and remains calm. The group is fighting and I’m happy with their performance.”

James Milner speaks to BT. “We always want to win our home games. We know the situation we’re in. Everything feels a bit more difficult. But we’ve got to stick together and keep working hard. It’s pleasing to get a clean sheet, that’s where we’ve got to start, get that base. You saw the fight. We had chances to win the game. There’s things to work on, but it’s a step in the right direction. We’re in a tough period. We’ve obviously got a long way to go to where we want to be.”

Nobody looks particularly happy. Nobody looks particularly disappointed either. But a top-four finish, already a tall order for both clubs, looks even more unlikely now. That Mykhailo Mudryk, though! Arsenal fans may demur, but he’s going to be an awful lot of fun to watch.

90 min +4: Fabinho hits a weak shot from the edge of the Chelsea box. It pinballs to Nunez, who hoicks over from six yards. He was offside anyway.

90 min +3: Liverpool break upfield from the Chelsea corner, Nunez winning one for Liverpool. The set piece is worked back to Alexander-Arnold, who swings in from a deep position on the left. Azpilicueta chests down so Kepa can claim. Ice cool.

90 min +2: Chukwuemeka enters the Liverpool box from the left. He should shoot, but hesitates, allowing Robertson to block out for a corner.

90 min +1: A series of throw-ins cause several touchline arguments. A lot of heat over nothing. The pressure on two underperforming teams, I guess.

90 min: There will be five added minutes.

89 min: Jones drives down the inside-right channel and is clipped by Azpilicueta. He doesn’t get the foul, though, and so, frustrated, lunges into Gallagher. He’s booked.

87 min: Henderson strides into space down the right. His deep cross is eyebrowed away at the far post by Azpilicueta, with Salah lurking. Liverpool recycle possession, and Nunez makes off down the left channel. Gallagher bowls him over for a free kick, which Liverpool waste. Anfield sighs in frustration.

85 min: Chukwuemeka one-twos with Mudryk down the inside-right channel. Chukwuemeka’s free in the box! But he falls over his own feet in his eagerness to receive the return pass and shoot, and Gomez is able to usher the ball out of play. Chukwuemeka so unlucky.

83 min: Fabinho rolls a ball down the left for Nunez, who extends a leg to cut back for Alexander-Arnold, romping in from the right. Alexander-Arnold leans back and larrups deep into the Kop.

82 min: Chelsea also switch out Mount and Havertz for Aubameyang and Chukwuemeka. Liverpool’s aforementioned three new players come on too, replacing Elliott, Bajcetic and Gakpo. That took a while. Expect a fair bit of added time.

80 min: Chalobah, in the process of being subbed, takes an age to leave the field of play. He’s booked as he goes. Azpilicueta comes on in his stead.

79 min: Chalobah goes down, requiring some treatment. Meanwhile Liverpool prepare a triple substitution. Henderson, Jones and Fabinho are coming on.

78 min: Nunez races 50 yards to nick the ball off the attacking Mount. The home crowd certainly appreciated that.

76 min: Nunez bustles down the inside-left channel. Silva nudges him as far left as he can. Nunez shoots upon entering the box, but from such a tight angle that it’s easy for Kepa to claim. Smart play from Silva.

75 min: Mudryk drops a little deeper and playmakes this time. He starts a move that shuttles the ball wide right for Ziyech, who dribbles into the Liverpool box and shoots low. Gomez blocks well.

74 min: Kepa plays calmly out from the back under extreme pressure from Nunez. It generates a rare blast of noise in an otherwise pensive ground.

72 min: Mudryk is a total menace. Milner is on a yellow, and lacking pace, so he makes way for Alexander-Arnold, who may be on a hiding to nothing here.

71 min: Ziyech crosses deep from the right again. Mudryk tries to control at the far post, but feathers it out for a goal kick. A first-time shot may have been the better bet there, in retrospect.

70 min: Ziyech crosses deep from the right. Mudryk can’t meet with an extended leg at the far stick. Goal kick. What a brilliant nuisance Mudryk has been since coming on. He oozes class.

69 min: Nunez bustles down the left and flicks infield for Gakpo, who spins and whips all in one movement, towards the bottom left. There’s not much pace on the shot, though, and it’s an easy claim for Kepa.

67 min: You suspect it’s going to be a long 25 minutes for Milner now. “This time I AGREE with Mary Waltz,” begins born diplomat Jeremy Boyce, “about the happy-happy joy-joy of watching your team slip out of the top flight, to, in my case, 18 years of oblivion (yes, I’m a Leeds fan), League 1, struggles, board changes, ownership changes, unrest, discontent, but we got back there in the end. Look on it as a whole new adventure. On a more encouraging note, I hear Bielsa’s still available if the worst/best happens tomorrow.”

66 min: Mudryk knocks the ball past Milner, backing himself in a footrace. He’s so obviously going to win it, and Milner decides to take one for the team. Foul. Booking. Danger over. For now.

64 min: Ziyech dribbles into the Liverpool box from the right. He can’t get a shot away. Gallagher comes in from the left and leaves the ball to Mudryk, who takes a touch one way to beat Milner, then the other to breeze past Gomez. He slams his shot into the side netting. That would have been some introduction!

63 min: I’ll leave this one to Jeff Sachs: “Here he comes! Nunez!” He replaces Keita.

61 min: Gakpo works his way towards the Chelsea box. Silva topples backwards, the ball hitting the hand he puts out to break his fall. Liverpool want a penalty, but come on. Just a corner, and nothing comes of that.

60 min: Ziyech nearly replicates this goal …

… only he was going the other way, right to left, and hoicked his shot over the bar. What a dribble, though!

58 min: Gallagher latches onto a weak Gomez clearance and nearly drives his way clear down the middle. Gomez does well to make good his mistake, ushering Gallagher wide right and blocking his eventual shot out for a corner, from which nothing comes.

57 min: Silva takes an age over a dead ball. Shades of Mourinho’s great heist of 2014. Referee Michael Oliver taps theatrically on his watch.

55 min: Hall makes way for Chelsea’s new prize Mudryk.

54 min: Milner probes down the right and wins a corner. He takes it himself. Chalobah heads it clear, and Ziyech hoofs it even further upfield. Nobody there in blue. Chelsea are struggling to get out of their final third.

52 min: Robertson bustles – and bustles hard – down the inside-left channel. He enters the box and tees up Gakpo, who takes a shot from a tight angle. Blocked by Silva. Liverpool really have cranked it up.

50 min: Gallagher fouls again, bowling over Elliott on the left flank. A stern word from the ref. Robertson hits the free kick long. Bajcetic, at the far post, heads back across the face of goal. Gakpo cranes his neck to head over. Had he left the ball, Salah was in a much better position. A player trying a bit too hard to open his Liverpool account.

49 min: Gallagher nudges Thiago to the floor and is slightly fortunate to escape a booking when he flings the ball away in frustration. From the free kick, Keita aims for the bottom-right corner. Silva blocks. Chelsea clear.

48 min: Liverpool have clearly been given the what-for. They’ve picked up the pace. Salah probes down the right, then Robertson draws a foul from Ziyech on the left. The hosts load the box, but the free kick is calmly dealt with by Chalobah.

46 min: There’s nearly a sensational start to the second half as Konate bustles down the right. He blooters a cross that somehow turns into a shot from the halfway line! With Kepa well out of position, the ball nearly drops into the top-left corner. But it sails wide of the left-hand post in the end. Very strange.

Liverpool get the second half underway. No changes yet. Nunez and Mudryk remain on the bench.

Half-time postbag o’pain. “Those are certainly the ninth and tenth best teams in the league” – Sean Orlowicz

“You know you’re struggling when a half decent move ending in a shanked shot into the Anfield Road end makes you channel Andy Townsend’s ‘better, better’ line in your inner monologue” – Nick Smith

“Gee thanks Scott. First a mind-numbing half of football. Then an accurate and well-written article about what a dismal state my Everton team is in, justifying my dread that I will have to watch my boys play in the Championship next year. Happy, happy, joy, joy” – Mary Waltz

Half-time reading. It’s not been a banner season on Merseyside so far.

45 min +3: A long ball down the middle nearly releases Ziyech. Robertson gets in first, but blooters his backpass, forcing Alisson to slice a clearance into the Kop. Ziyech takes the gift corner, but Alisson makes up for his part in the previous shambles by plucking confidently from the sky.

45 min +1: Gakpo meets Alisson’s goal kick, heading down to Keita, who swings a pass wide right for Salah. He cuts inside and looks to send one of his trademark curlers into the top left, but gets it all wrong, and the ball sails harmlessly into the Anfield Road end.

45 min: There will be four added minutes.

44 min: Elliott crosses from the left. Silva eyebrows behind for a corner with Gakpo lurking. The resulting corner is a farce, as Jorginho falls over despite no contact whatsoever, but wins a foul anyway. Keita is hopping mad, but the decision is made.

42 min: … so having said that, they immediately put together their best move of the match so far. Robertson drives down the middle, with a little help from Bajcetic and Keita, and sends the ball wide right for Salah, who looks to return it to the left back. Badiashile deflects the ball back to Kepa with Robertson preparing to shoot.

40 min: Gomez wedges a pass down the inside-left channel. Robertson prepares to turn the jets on, but is flagged offside. Liverpool are so dysfunctional in attack right now.

38 min: Kepa put to work! Salah air-kicks in the Chelsea box, but the ball’s worked back to Thiago, who bobbles a shot goalwards from the edge of the area. The ball’s deflected, extracting what little sting the shot has, and the keeper smothers.

37 min: Gakpo takes possession of a dropping ball adroitly, and threatens to tear off down the right. Cucurella slides in to concede a corner, which Liverpool duly waste. Kepa still a total bystander.

35 min: Robertson comes dribbling in from the left, to get the home crowd finally excited. But his pass infield goes to nobody. Anfield descends into impotent frustration again.

34 min: Bajcetic comes sliding in late on Hall, and goes into the referee’s notebook. A big test of the young man’s temperament over the next hour or so, then.

33 min: Ziyech curls the free kick in from the right touchline. Havertz should get an effort on goal, six yards out, but shoulders the ball wide left. Alisson is beyond livid with his defence, who aren’t giving him much help. They can’t cope with crosses at all.

32 min: Ziyech curls a dangerous ball towards the far post. Badiashile meets it, six yards out, but his downwards header is parried on the line by Alisson. What a save! Liverpool clear, but Chelsea come again down the right. Gomez fouls Chalobah and it’s another dangerous free kick.

31 min: Mount, Havertz and Hall cause a bit of bother down the left, and eventually Keita clips Hall to the floor. Free kick. Chelsea load the box.

29 min: Cucurella’s back up again. We play on.

28 min: Salah catches Cucurella accidentally on the knee and the Chelsea defender goes down. On comes the physio.

27 min: Konate strides forward and swings a pass wide left for Elliott, who has plenty of time and space but can’t beat the first man with his cross. Kepa has had nothing to do. “Mary Waltz is wrong,” begins Jeremy Boyce. “Actually it’s a strange old world that’s come time-warping round again. With Arsenal, Man Utd and Newcastle in the top four, Chelsea and Liverpool languishing mid-table, Villa and Wolves lower down. If you imagined Burnley and Bolton as this season’s Bs (Brighton and Brentford) you’re nearly there. All that’s missing are the names on the team sheets, Milburn, Wright, Lawton and you’re right back there in the 1950s eating your bread and dripping.”

25 min: Chelsea have enjoyed 79 percent of possession during the last five minutes. The home crowd are getting frustrated as a result. Liverpool are struggling to string more than a couple of passes together at the moment.

24 min: Mount hassles Gomez down the left and forces a corner. Liverpool defend this one properly and clear … but the ball keeps coming back at them, and Gallagher is able to loop a shot goalwards from the edge of the D. Straight at Alisson.

22 min: Yet another long ball towards Havertz. Yet again Liverpool look uneasy. He cuts back for Mount, but the pass rolls behind his team-mate, who slips. Chelsea come again soon after, through Havertz down the right again. The ball’s worked via Mount to Hall on the left. Hall whistles a shot through the six-yard box. Chelsea on top.

20 min: Gakpo strips Hall, 30 yards from the Chelsea goal. Impressive work that leads to a not quite so impressive shot. He snatches at a long-distance effort and the ball sails harmlessly into the crowd behind.

19 min: Thiago goes long again towards Havertz. Straight down the middle this time. Alisson sweeps up. Liverpool attempt to counter, Milner creaming a pass down the right to release Salah … but with Liverpool committing men to the attack, the flag belatedly goes up for offside.

17 min: Robertson throws in long from the left, towards nobody in particular, and gives Konate far too much to do. Mount nips in and nearly tears clear down the middle, but Milner, recovering from the other flank, slides in to guide the ball back to Alisson. Once again, Liverpool were a little sloppy.

16 min: Gakpo dribbles handily down the right and wins a corner off Cucurella. Liverpool don’t get their reward, though, the assistant referee flagging incorrectly for a goal kick. The home fans are incandescent, Gakpo merely disappointed.

14 min: Silva floats a gorgeous long pass down the inside-left channel towards Havertz, who decides to take a first-time lash at the ball. He shanks his volley into the Kop. Full marks for ambition, but he had time and space to take that down and advance.

12 min: Chelsea have completed their first task successfully: they’ve quietened the home crowd considerably.

10 min: Some space for Ziyech down the right. He swings long for Havertz at the far stick, but Alisson has it covered and ushers the ball out for another goal kick. Chelsea have been the better team during these early exchanges.

8 min: Havertz nearly gets in down the right. Konate comes across and is forced to head behind for a corner … though the ball takes a light flick off Havertz en route so that’s a bonus goal kick for the hosts. Liverpool are looking a little jittery at the back.

6 min: Gakpo, in search of his first goal for Liverpool, latches onto Salah’s pass infield from the right. He leans back and hoicks over the bar. An eventful start all right.

2 min: Robertson catches Gallagher late, and hard, an old-fashioned boot on the shin. Robertson is lucky not to go into the book. The fact there were barely 90 seconds on the clock probably a factor there.

Chelsea get the ball rolling. They’re kicking towards the Kop in this first half. “It’s a strange new world,” begins Mary Waltz. “Both teams mid table, Salah only seven goals, everything turned upside down. It does make watching more interesting.”

The teams are out! Liverpool are red men, while blue is the colour for Chelsea. A fine atmosphere at Anfield this lunchtime. “Nunez, please!!! I really want to see Nunez play.” Our old friend Jeff Sachs there, with a cri de cœur on behalf of every last one of us. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.

Graham Potter speaks to BT. “We’re looking forward to the game. We’re in a good mentality. We’re facing a top opponent, we know the challenge. [Mudryk] can play the back end of the game. He hasn’t played too much recently, but he’s been training. We’re in for a tough game.”

This is of course a re-run of both of last season’s domestic cup finals. Here’s how those panned out, minute by minute, should you wish to be reminded.

Jurgen Klopp speaks to BT Sport. “We have to find a way for the boys to feel really comfortable, to have the right distances. We have to win more challenges. We were not angry enough. But it was not on purpose. A week ago we were really down, frustrated, angry, and four days ago we were quite happy. But we can’t go through a season like that, we have to find consistency. Imagine if I didn’t play [18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic] today! What would I have to do as a football player, to play outstanding, but the coach then tells you that was good my friend, but back in the cupboard?! It was clear that if we can, we start with the same midfield.”

It’s Jurgen Klopp’s 1,000th match as a manager, and he makes three changes to the team that beat Wolves 1-0 in the FA Cup. Alisson, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah are back, with Caoimhin Kelleher and Kostas Tsimikas dropping to the bench and Fabio Carvalho missing out altogether. Darwin Nunez is back but only as a sub.

Chelsea make one change to their starting line-up from the 1-0 win against Crystal Palace. Marc Cucurella replaces Carney Chukwuemeka. Mykhailo Mudryk is on the bench waiting to make his debut.