Belgian Captain Eden Hazard stole the show after coming on vs Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday Night at the Anfield.
Both managers fielded heavily weakened sides for the cup clash ahead of their second meeting of the week on Saturday.
However, with the quality in both starting XIs, they could’ve been lining up for a top-flight game. It was the visitors who began the match with more intensity and they saw the better of the early chances.
Willian, Ross Barkley and Andreas Christensen were just a few of the players to test Simon Mignolet within the opening 15 minutes.
A dreadfully short backpass from Christensen was seized upon by the former Blue but after rounding Caballero, he somehow sent his off-balance shot wide of the gaping net.
Moments later, Willian managed to pick out Morata six yards from the Liverpool goal but the Spaniard couldn’t keep his header below the crossbar.
Barkley’s lazy header was then pounced upon by Mane but he failed to score in a one-on-one situation with the Blues keeper knowing very little about the save.
After plenty of second-half pressure, Klopp’s side finally got their noses in front and it was Sturridge who made amends for his earlier miss.
The ex-England international acrobatically got to the rebound of Keita’s shot and sent a bicycle kick flying into the unattended Chelsea net.
20 minutes came and went following the goal and the visitors didn’t look like equalizing but they created an opening out of nothing.
Eden Hazard whipped in a free-kick from the right-hand side and after Mignolet kept out Barkley’s header, Emerson Palmieri was on hand to poke in the rebound.
The officials went through an extensive check of VAR with a hint of offside but the goal stood and the game looked destined for penalties.
Although, with a shootout looming, the contest exploded into life with both sides going hammer and tongs searching for a winner.
Sturridge came within an inch of getting the third goal as his bending strike from 25 yards crashed onto the bar before his former team-mate stole the show.
Hazard picked the ball up 30 yards from goal before majestically dancing past three Red shirts and smashing an unstoppable strike beyond a helpless Mignolet to send the travelling fans into pandemonium.
The World Cup star had come halfway through the second-half and always looked dangerous but no one would’ve expected a goal of such top quality when he replaced Willian.
With Eden Hazard’s exploit this season;
Do you think he is the Best player in the Premier League?
Drop your opinions in our comment section…
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