Going into the game at Anfield, Chelsea had lost six on the trot. They knew they needed a positive result, not only to remain in touching distance of that sixth place but also to make sure that they restore some confidence ahead of the FA Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley next weekend.
The game started poorly for the Blues as they conceded early on. But then, they played their way back into it. Enzo Fernandez drew them level and probably should have scored another. Cole Palmer had the ball in the back of the net, but it was ruled out because Marc Cucurella had been offside in the buildup. On the other end of the pitch, Liverpool struck the framework a few times as well.
Ultimately, it ended in a 1-1 draw at Anfield. And all things considered, perhaps it was a fair result. Here are three things we learned from the game.
Enzo Fernandez must stay
Over the years, a lot of fans have had a lot of opinions about Fernandez. Some believe that he is an elite talent who should be one of the centre-pieces of the team. Others feel that he is overrated and it would not be a major blow if the Argentine did end up leaving this summer.
The strike against Liverpool was his 20th goal contribution of the season. In a campaign where the Blues have struggled badly to find the back of the net.
That kind of output from midfield cannot be understated. Fernandez brings a lot to this team. And Chelsea should do everything that they can to convince him to stay.
Cole Palmer shows flashes of quality again
Admittedly, Palmer has not been great this season. But there are a lot of factors behind that. I do not believe that he has lost any quality or is a one-season wonder.
Palmer simply looks short of confidence at this point in time. He has been dealing with a constant groin issue. Perhaps that is still affecting him. Or maybe he simply is not confident enough at the moment and is missing that instinctive quality that makes him so special.
Against Liverpool, he showed his quality though. He had some good moments and his goal was ruled out through no fault of his own.
To be honest, it might be for the best if Palmer misses the World Cup. No player wants that but it feels like he needs a good summer of rest. He has not had one for years and that has clearly had an impact on him.
Chelsea show signs of improvement
I know that this Liverpool team is in poor form as well. That being said, the draw does end Chelsea’s six-game losing run. And once again, it shows that they can step up in big games.
For large part of this game, Chelsea were the better team. And they had enough chances to convert this draw into a win.
Now, they will need to put in an even better performance at Wembley if they want to beat Manchester City and lift the FA Cup next weekend.
