Arne Slot suffered his third defeat in a row with Liverpool on Saturday. After two losses, The Reds once again came up short at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea. Cody Gakpo seemed to have rescued a point for the English champions, but in the dying moments it still went wrong.
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Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in a dramatic Premier League clash that will be remembered for its late twist and its wider implications at both ends of the table.
The result handed Arne Slot his third consecutive defeat since taking charge of the Reds, a sequence that marks a negative milestone in his managerial career. Until now, the Dutch coach had always managed to avoid losing three on the bounce, whether at AZ Alkmaar, Feyenoord or in his early days at Liverpool. But under the lights in west London, that proud record finally came to an end.
The pressure had already been building on Slot in recent weeks. Despite a summer of optimism following Jürgen Klopp’s departure, Liverpool’s start to the season has been far from convincing. Victories early in the campaign disguised a number of flaws, but the cracks were brutally exposed in the defeats against Crystal Palace in the league and Galatasaray in the Champions League. Arriving at Stamford Bridge, Slot knew he desperately needed a result, not only to stop the slide but also to keep Liverpool at the summit of the Premier League. Instead, Arsenal now leapfrog them into first place, leaving the Dutchman with even more questions to answer.
The lineup reflected both Slot’s trust in his compatriots and the depth of attacking options at his disposal. Virgil van Dijk anchored the defence, Ryan Gravenberch brought energy to midfield, and Cody Gakpo started up front. Big-money summer signing Florian Wirtz was left on the bench, alongside Hugo Ekitiké, while Alexander Isak, the record-breaking acquisition from Newcastle, led the line. Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, meanwhile, had his own problems to solve, as a lengthy injury list robbed him of several first-choice defenders. Remarkably, even under such circumstances, teenage centre-back Jorrel Hato, signed from Ajax, was not included in the starting eleven, though fate would later force him into action.
It was Chelsea who struck first blood, and in some style. After just under 15 minutes, Moisés Caicedo picked up possession in midfield and surged forward almost unchallenged. With no Liverpool player closing him down, the Ecuadorian decided to unleash a shot from distance. What followed was spectacular: the ball arrowed into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili rooted to the spot. Stamford Bridge erupted as Chelsea took a 1-0 lead, and the sense of vulnerability around Liverpool only deepened.
The rest of the first half offered little in terms of clear chances. Chelsea, buoyed by Caicedo’s strike, were content to hold their shape and frustrate Liverpool. The Reds, for their part, struggled to carve out opportunities, with Salah unusually subdued and Isak isolated against Chelsea’s makeshift defence. At halftime, Slot knew something had to change. His response was to bring on Wirtz, and the German playmaker immediately injected creativity into the side. Within seconds of the restart, he produced a moment of brilliance, flicking the ball with a sublime backheel to set up Salah. It should have been the equaliser, but Salah’s effort lacked composure and the chance went begging, a moment that would come back to haunt Liverpool.
Chelsea’s defensive woes worsened early in the second half when Benoît Badiashile was forced off injured, adding to an already overcrowded treatment room. Yet Maresca, perhaps surprisingly, opted to replace him with midfielder Romeo Lavia rather than calling upon Hato. That decision seemed risky, and Liverpool soon capitalised. Just past the hour mark, Isak brought down a cross with impressive control inside the crowded penalty area. He was unable to get a shot away, but Gakpo reacted quickest, hammering the ball into the net to make it 1-1. For a brief moment, it appeared Slot’s side had rediscovered their resilience.
Soon after, however, Chelsea’s defensive crisis deepened again as Josh Acheampong also limped off. This time Maresca had no option but to introduce Hato, who made his Premier League debut in testing circumstances. Yet rather than destabilising Chelsea, the substitution seemed to galvanise them. Liverpool pressed hard, pushing bodies forward in search of a winner, but that left them vulnerable to Chelsea’s counter-attacking speed.
Maresca’s substitutions in attack proved decisive. With Estevão, Jamie Gittens and Marc Guiu leading the line, Chelsea suddenly looked sharper, quicker and more dangerous in transition. Time and again, the trio broke forward with pace, forcing Mamardashvili into several smart saves. Liverpool, meanwhile, struggled to find rhythm, and the anxiety in their play was palpable as the game edged towards stoppage time.
Then came the decisive moment. Deep into added time, Chelsea launched one final attack. A cross was swung across the face of goal, eluding defenders and goalkeeper alike. At the far post, 17-year-old Brazilian prodigy Estevão slid in and turned the ball home, sparking wild celebrations among the home supporters. For Liverpool, it was a devastating blow a reminder of their fragility at the back and their failure to manage key moments under Slot’s stewardship.
The final whistle confirmed Chelsea’s 2-1 victory, a result that lifted their spirits after three winless league games and sent them into the international break with renewed confidence. For Liverpool, it was a night of bitter disappointment. Slot not only endured his first run of three consecutive defeats as a manager, but also saw his side surrender top spot to Arsenal. The narrative that Liverpool were legitimate title contenders has taken a severe dent, and the Dutch coach faces a critical period ahead if he is to restore belief.
The symbolism of Estevão’s winner should not be underestimated either. A teenage Brazilian, only recently integrated into the first team, punishing one of Europe’s great clubs in the dying seconds it captured both Chelsea’s faith in their youth project and Liverpool’s vulnerability in this transitional era. Slot has spoken of patience and building for the future, but in the ruthless world of Premier League football, results are everything. And right now, the results are turning against him.
Updated: 07:43, 4 Oct 2025
