Liverpool missed the chance to seal a Champions League spot after a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Anfield left their top-five hopes in limbo.
liverpool The side missed the chance to secure Champions League football next season after a 1-1 draw against injury-hit Chelsea on Saturday.
The Blues had fallen out of the race for a top-five finish after losing six consecutive Premier League games.
Ryan Gravenberch’s sweet strike gave Liverpool the perfect start, but Chelsea counter-attacked to salvage a point when Enzo Fernandez’s free-kick dodged everyone in the middle to find the bottom corner.
The full-time boos reflected the mood around Anfield after another disappointing performance from the defending champions.
But they are closing in on Champions League qualification with a seven-point lead over sixth-placed Bournemouth, who have just three games left to play.
Chelsea can no longer mathematically finish in the top five and remain in ninth place.
But there were few chances of a recovery for interim boss Callum McFarlane ahead of next weekend’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Chelsea suffered a defeat at home to second-tier Nottingham Forest on Monday and looked set for another long afternoon after conceding victory in just six minutes.
Rio Ngumoha picked out Gravenberch on the edge of the box and the Dutch international fired wide into the top corner.
Liverpool’s forward line was decimated by injuries with the absence of Mohamed Salah, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekiti, while Alexander Isak was fit enough to earn a place on the bench.
The lack of attacking enthusiasm was visible as Liverpool allowed the beleaguered Blues to gain a foothold in the game and gradually regain some confidence.
The visitors equalized 10 minutes before half-time when Fernandez’s free-kick caught Giorgi Mamardashvili flat-footed and rolled in at the far post.
Chelsea thought they had turned the game around early in the second half when Cole Palmer came on.
But VAR intervened to save the Reds as Mark Cucurella strayed marginally offside in the build-up.
Liverpool came closest to a winner in the closing stages as they twice hit the woodwork.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s powerful drive came back off the base of the post.
Virgil van Dijk then rattled the crossbar with a towering header from Szoboszlai’s corner.
Arne Slott is reportedly set to remain in charge of Liverpool next season despite a hugely disappointing campaign thanks to the accolade he earned in winning the Premier League last year.
But discontent among the Anfield crowd towards the Dutchman was reflected in anger at teenager Ngumoha and his decision to replace him full-time.
