Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool: Blues secure huge win over champions

Chelsea gave Liverpool a guard of honor and then promptly handed the Premier League champions their third loss of the season in a 2-1 affair at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Enzo Fernandez scored early and the Blues increased their lead via a Jarell Quansah own goal before Cole Palmer added a stoppage-time penalty to move the Blues onto 63 points, good for fifth place behind Newcastle on the Premier League table.

WATCH — Chelsea v Liverpool full match replay

Virgil van Dijk scored a late header for much-changed Liverpool, who lost for just the third time this Premier League season. Their maximum points total drops to 91 on the season.

Chelsea’s unbeaten run is up to six in the Premier League, the last three of which have been wins over Fulham, Everton, and Liverpool. The Blues finish with Newcastle, Manchester United, and Nottingham Forest.

More to come...

What’s next?

Chelsea host Djurgaden on Thursday, boasting a 4-1 lead from the first leg of their Conference League semifinal tie. They then go to Newcastle United in a massive top-five tilt on Sunday.

Liverpool host Arsenal at 11:30am ET Sunday.

How to watch Chelsea vs Liverpool live, stream link and start time

Kick off time: 11:30am ET Sunday (May 4)
Venue: Stamford Bridge — London
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Watch live on Peacock

Chelsea vs Liverpool final score: 3-1

Enzo Fernandez 3', Jarell Quansah o.g. 56', Virgil van Dijk 85'

Chelsea vs Liverpool live updates — by Nick Mendola

Full time — Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool

The Blues hold onto a huge trio of points.

Cole Palmer penalty goal — Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool (90+6')

A first goal since January. He had been a different kind of ice cold.

Chelsea win penalty

Szoboszlai’s lazy pass puts Quansah in a tough spot and he trips Moises Caicedo in the box.

Virgil van Dijk goal — Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool (85th minute)

The big man jukes past a barely-interested Noni Maduele and nods a corner kick past Robert Sanchez.

Game on?

Federico Chiesa will get a PL winners medal

Appearance No. 5 of the Premier League season formally seals a medal for the Italian.

Cole Palmer still snakebit

He’s been so good today and nearly scores from a ridiculous ankle, beating Alisson but clanking the far post.

More subs

Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai enter for Endo and Elliott.

Now in the 70th minute at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool subs

Off go Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

On come Darwin Nunez and Conor Bradley.

2-0 Chelsea in the 58th minute.

Jarell Quansah own goal — Chelsea 2-0 Liverpool (56th minute)

Can’t do much about this one.

Cole Palmer gets the ball and dribbles into the right, cutting it past Kostas Tsimkas.

Liverpool get one clearances, but the second from Virgil van Dijk rockets off Jarell Quansah and into the Reds’ goal.

Virgil van Dijk cautioned

Van Dijk is late to a 50:50 with Romeo Lavia and catches the Chelsea midfielder’s ankle with his studs.

A painful one for Lavia and a yellow for VVD.

Still 1-0 Chelsea in the 51st minute.

Halftime — Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool

Both teams have talent but one team needs it and the other is heavily-rotated.

Chelsea might be more upset that they haven’t built a bigger lead, because Liverpool will bring quality off the bench as Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai are among the subs.

Chelsea ceding possession, producing threats

Liverpool have held over 70% of the ball, but Chelsea are thriving out wide and have six shot attempts to the champions’ four.

Enzo Fernandez goal — Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool (3rd minute)

So easy.

Cole Palmer sends Pedro Neto toward the right edge of the box.

Neto cuts back a seeing-eye pass to Enzo Fernandez, who simply has to pick his preferred corner and does to make it 1-0.

Boos greet Liverpool’s guard of honor (video)

“The Liquidator” can’t drown out Stamford Bridge’s displeasure as Liverpool stroll between two lines of Chelsea players.

Liverpool ready for their guard of honor at Stamford Bridge

It’ll burn the home crowd, for sure.

Chelsea lineup

Sanchez, Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella, Lavia, Fernandez, Madueke, Palmer, Neto, Jackson

Liverpool lineup

Alisson, Tsimikas, Van Dijk, Quansah, Alexander-Arnold, Endo, Jones, Elliott, Jota, Salah, Gakpo

Chelsea vs Liverpool preview — by Joe Prince-Wright

Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea have completed solid back-to-back wins at the perfect time of the season, winning 1-0 at home against Everton last weekend as the Blues have regained some control and defensive discipline. They’ve still dropped off since being potential title contenders in December but they’ve recovered well in recent weeks to give themselves hopes of securing the top five finish they want to be in the Champions League next season.

Arne Slot and Liverpool will get a guard of honor onto the pitch at Stamford Bridge on Sunday as they won the Premier League title with four games to spare as they hammered Spurs 5-1 at Anfield last weekend. That started one heck of a party and that is still going on as Liverpool revel in being able to celebrate this title with their fans. There is still the small matter of Liverpool potentially securing the biggest-ever points margin for a title win in Premier League history and Mohamed Salah trying to set several individual records in the closing weeks of the season.

Chelsea team news, focus

There are some fresh injury issues for Chelsea with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez struggling with a knock. Filip Jorgensen will come in if Sanchez can’t go. It will be intriguing to see if Moises Caicedo remains at right back with Romeo Lavia returning and playing so well alongside Enzo Fernandez in central midfield as that gave Chelsea a better defensive balance. In attack Nicolas Jackson was back among the goals in the Premier League last weekend and Noni Madueke looked sharp, but Cole Palmer still looks just off the pace as his drought continues.

OUT: Wesley Fofana (thigh - out for season), Mykhailo Mudryk (suspension), Omari Kellyman (hamstring - out for season), Marc Guiu (thigh) | QUESTIONABLE: Malo Gusto (thigh), Robert Sanchez (knock), Christopher Nkunku (knock)

Liverpool team news, focus

With the title now wrapped up it will be intriguing to see how Arne Slot approaches the final few weeks of the season. Does he keep playing his best XI and go for some records? Or does he give fringe players the chance to prove themselves? With a big summer reportedly ahead as several new signings are planned, Slot’s Liverpool will evolve and there are some key areas where they will be looking. Fringe players like Elliott, Jones, Jota, Quansah and Nunez could all be trying to prove a point, while the likes of Robertson and Konate have just one year left on their contracts. It’s an exciting time for Liverpool as they will keep the core of this brilliant squad together but the ownership are clearly ready to back Slot with some key additions in the summer.

OUT: Joe Gomez (thigh - MORE) | QUESTIONABLE: Conor Bradley (knock)

Chelsea vs Liverpool prediction

This feels like it will be a case of Chelsea starting fast and going ahead and then Liverpool roaring back to remind everyone why they are the champions. Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool.