We expected too much out of the Blues v Reds game – and our expectations were exceeded

Sometimes you just hate a match even though it was absolutely breathtaking. You hate it because it had to end. Such was the 2-2 draw between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday night. The two world-class teams shared four excellent goals and shared the points.Liverpool drew the first blood when Sadio Mane made the most out of a Trevor Chalobah mistake to tuck the ball beyond Edouard Mendy. The defender was caught in possession in a dangerous area and the Senegalese made him pay.Mohamed Salah had already evaded the Blues’ backline to race into a one-on-one with Mendy on 23 minutes, but the flag was up for the Egyptian. It should have been a warning for Tuchel’s men, but they didn’t take it seriously enough. Just a few minutes later, there was Salah again, played in by a smart pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold. Mo controlled the ball expertly, tricked Marcos Alonso with a quick shimmy before firing between Mendy and the near post. It was a devastating goal. Trademark Liverpool.Chelsea were facing a two-goal deficit and they had to find a way to at least reduce it before the break – and do it without their star striker Romelu Lukaku, who has been left out by head coach Tuchel on the morning of the game. The European champions wouldn’t throw in the towel, kept on going and, roared on by the Stamford Bridge crowd, staged one of the most thrilling comebacks in space of just a few minutes.First came that insane goal from Mateo Kovacic. The Croatia international was off-balance and backtracking with his face to the goal, but he still caught one of the sweetest volleys you’ve ever seen and sent it into the net. Unstoppable. It was game back on.Antonio Rudiger cut off a pass in the middle of the park and played it forward for N’Golo Kante. The Frenchman just paid it forward into the path of Christian Pulisic to beat Liverpool’s stand-in goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. It was 2-2 in the dying seconds of the first half. And what a half it’s been!Liverpool’s veteran midfielder Fabinho nearly gifted a chance to the Blues shortly after the restart, but his experience helped him dig himself out of the hole he’d dug for himself. On the other end, Salah showed his quick wit and creativity once again when he surprised everyone in the stadium with an attempted chip from a long way out. Mendy was equal to it, however, but needed to be fully alert and at full stretch to palm it away.As the match approached its final stages, Liverpool slowed the play somewhat, seemingly happy to wait for a chance to score on the counter-attack. But a dramatic winner never came on either side. It was probably a fair outcome because neither side deserved to end this glorious match in defeat.Stay with Mozzart Sport Kenya for our player ratings and in-depth analysis of this cracking match.PREMIER LEAGUE – ROUND 21SaturdayArsenal – Manchester City 1-2 (1-0)/Saka 31 – Mahrez 57 pen, Rodri 90+3/Watford – Tottenham 0-1 (0-0)/Sanchez 90+3/Crystal Palace – West Ham 2-3 (0-3)/Edouard 83, Olise 90 – Antonio 22, Lanzini 25, 45+5/Leicester – Norwich POSTPONEDSundaySouthampton – Newcastle POSTPONEDBrentford – Aston Villa 2-1 (1-1)/Wissa 42, Rasmunssen 83 – Ings 16/Everton – Brighton 2-3 (0-2)/Gordon 53,76 – Mac Allister 3,71 Burn 22/Leeds – Burnley 3-1 (1-0)/Harrison 39, Dallas 77, James 90+2 – Cornet 54/Chelsea – Liverpool 2-2 (2-2)/Kovacic 42, Pulisic 45+1 – Mane 9, Salah 26/Monday20:30: (1.63) Man.Utd. (3.80) Wolverhampton (6.75)***odds are subject to change

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