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Chelsea kept their Champions League ambitions alive with a commanding 3-1 win over newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The Blues struck early through Enzo Fernandez before an own goal from Jarell Quansah and a late Cole Palmer penalty sealed the win, despite Virgil van Dijk pulling one back for Liverpool in the closing stages.
Having wrapped up a record-equalling 20th English league title with a 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham the previous week, Liverpool looked flat and second-best throughout. By contrast, Chelsea had everything to play for as they battled for a top-five finish, which could secure a Champions League place.
Enzo Maresca praised his team’s performance, saying, “Very important, especially at this stage of the season. I’m very impressed with the players.”
He hinted that although Chelsea hadn’t planned to sit deep, Liverpool’s quality forced them into a more defensive shape. “That shows why they are champions,” he said.
Chelsea are now fifth in the table, level on points with fourth-placed Newcastle, who drew 1-1 with Brighton earlier in the day.
Sixth-placed Nottingham Forest could join them on 63 points if they beat Crystal Palace on Monday. Meanwhile, Manchester City sit just one point ahead of Chelsea, setting the stage for a thrilling end to the season.
“We have to fight for the Champions League and hopefully more in the future,” Maresca added.
Chelsea also have a European final in sight, holding a 4-1 advantage over Djurgardens heading into Thursday’s UEFA Conference League semi-final second leg.
Liverpool, meanwhile, tasted only their third league defeat of the season, having previously lost to Nottingham Forest and Fulham. With several key players rested, the champions looked sluggish in a display that lacked their usual intensity.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot took some positives, saying, “The way we lost is more positive, I think. We reacted after going 2-0 down and didn’t give up.”
Chelsea gave Liverpool a guard of honour before kick-off, though it was met with boos from the home crowd. The gesture and Slot’s team rotation—including leaving out Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister, and others—may not have pleased Chelsea’s top five rivals.
Chelsea took just three minutes to open the scoring as Fernandez finished Pedro Neto’s cross, punishing a disorganised Liverpool defence. Noni Madueke came close soon after, while Quansah’s own goal in the second half extended Chelsea’s lead.
Van Dijk headed in a consolation from a Mac Allister corner with five minutes to play, but Palmer’s penalty in stoppage time—after Quansah tripped Moises Caicedo—restored the two-goal cushion and rounded off a key win for the hosts.
