LIVERPOOL, England : Enzo Fernandez scored from a first-half free kick as Chelsea F.C. ended their six-game Premier League losing run with a 1-1 draw against Liverpool F.C. at Anfield on Saturday.
The result earned Chelsea caretaker manager Calum MacFarlane his first point in charge and kept Liverpool fourth in the standings with 59 points from 36 matches, edging them closer to Champions League qualification. Chelsea stayed ninth on 49 points.
Liverpool took the lead in the sixth minute through Ryan Gravenberch, whose curling strike from the edge of the area flew into the net after he cut in from the left.
Chelsea responded well after a difficult recent run and levelled in the 35th minute when Fernandez’s low free kick from the right evaded everyone in the penalty area and crept into the far corner. Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili appeared unsighted after Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana swung at the ball and missed.
“I think the effort today was really good,” Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella told TNT Sports.
“We showed that if we play together and fight together then we have a good level. Hopefully we can take confidence from this game because next week we have a massive game.”
Chelsea thought they had gone ahead early in the second half when Cole Palmer found the net, only for the goal to be ruled out after Cucurella was judged offside in the build-up.
Liverpool then had a goal disallowed at the other end after Cody Gakpo was flagged offside before setting up Curtis Jones for a headed finish.
The home side pushed for a late winner, with Dominik Szoboszlai striking the post and captain Virgil van Dijk hitting the crossbar with a header from a corner.
There were boos from sections of the Anfield crowd during the second half when Liverpool manager Arne Slot substituted 17-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha.
