When Arne Slot had steered Chelsea have been potential champions, it posed the query of whether or not they might sustain with Manchester Metropolis, Arsenal and Liverpool. It quickly transpired they may not sustain with the Joneses.

Or not Curtis Jones, anyway. Winners are usually not all the time scored by the most effective participant on the pitch however, in a match that would form two golf equipment’ seasons, this one was. Jones’ show of extraordinary dynamism restored Liverpool to the highest of the desk. It meant that Chelsea, already overwhelmed by Manchester Metropolis, have failed their two greatest exams of the season to this point. Liverpool, now seven factors away from them, have handed their hardest.

They did so courtesy of a few very totally different indictments of Chelsea’s switch enterprise. Many a cost will be levelled at Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, nevertheless it was a earlier Chelsea regime which let Mohamed Salah depart. With a purpose and an help, he gave them added causes to remorse a previous mistake. If Jones is exactly the form of participant the modern-day Chelsea would promote, Liverpool don’t have to dispense with homegrown abilities for pure revenue. Jones joined them at 9. At 23, he had certainly one of his most interesting afternoons in a crimson shirt.

Chelsea’s encouraging begin below Enzo Maresca has meant there have been fewer references to their spending however they fielded central midfielders who value some £280m. Two of them, Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, attracted massive bids from Liverpool in 2023 and the Ecuadorian, in his defence, created a purpose with a defence-splitting move.

But the sport revolved round Jones. He exerted a magnetism in addition to a decisiveness that echoed one other Liverpudlian midfielder, Steven Gerrard. Jones materialised in his personal field to make a doubtlessly goal-saving block on Cole Palmer and in Chelsea’s to be awarded two penalties: the primary scored by Salah, the second overturned by referee John Brooks. He offered the template of a midfielder’s run from deep, ghosting in unchecked for the decider. From his emergence, Jones has proven the persona to flourish on the main events. This was simply his third begin for Slot and, prestigious as victory at Previous Trafford is, maybe the Dutchman’s most significant triumph to this point.

It nonetheless felt extra like a sport from Jurgen Klopp’s time. A frantic ending, capped by Andy Robertson’s 97th-minute block from Malo Gusto, confirmed it lacked the management Slot prizes. There was a ragged really feel, gamers charging in all places, our bodies at occasions strewn on the pitch. There have been hints of final winter, when Jones was within the most interesting type of his Liverpool profession, when Klopp’s staff conjured match-winning performances from squad gamers. After Diogo Jota went off, Slot had solely seven of his first-choice staff on the pitch. Liverpool displayed their power in depth.

That was evident significantly in midfield, the place they’d appeared to lack a participant. Ryan Gravenberch was the primary to reply after the breakdown of Liverpool’s summer season transfer for Martin Zubimendi. Now, with Alexis Mac Allister confined to the bench for 80 minutes after harm, sickness and worldwide obligation in South America, the star flip got here from Jones. Slot arrowed in on his defensive contribution. “It’s nearly unattainable to manage a participant like Cole Palmer for 90 minutes however Curtis was fairly near that,” he stated. “And had an enormous, massive influence in each side of the sport.”

As Liverpool scored from their first shot, Salah rifling in a spot kick, he earned it when tripped by Levi Colwill. He appeared to have a second when unceremoniously upended by Robert Sanchez. Whereas the goalkeeper had touched the ball, it nonetheless appeared a beneficiant reprieve when Brooks rescinded his earlier determination and revoked the penalty. Liverpool might rue a assessment once more when Nicolas Jackson, initially dominated offside as he raced on to Caicedo’s move and slotted a shot previous Caoimhin Kelleher, then noticed his purpose accurately given. However three minutes after the injured Alisson’s understudy was overwhelmed, Mac Allister’s deputy struck.

Salah curled a cross in. Jones made the superbly timed run from midfield. His first contact was imperfect however, with Sanchez gradual off his line, he was in a position to prod in a shot along with his second. His first strike since January got here after Liverpool misplaced a scorer. Jota’s departure was delayed however he might have been harm when hauled down by Tosin Adarabioyo after six minutes. There have been similarities with Willian Saliba a day earlier, however the Chelsea defender was spared the identical destiny by the presence of Colwill, providing cowl.

However it was the primary trace of fragility from Chelsea. There have been others, although their supervisor sounded impressed. “We managed a lot of the sport,” stated Maresca. “We had possibilities, we had possession. We don’t prefer to lose, but when we have now to decide on, that is the way in which.” Chelsea’s defeat was solely their third in 23 league video games. The quantity suggests they may problem however whereas Slot branded it “an equal sport”, the outcome indicated that Liverpool are the contenders, Chelsea the pretenders.