CaughtOffside rates the Liverpool players for their performances against Chelsea…
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea – The Blues came from behind to claim another victory at Anfield, as Brendan Rodgers’ side were unable to secure a result despite the return of those players rested in mid-week.
SEE MORE:
Emre Can Scores – First Liverpool goal
Gary Cahill Goal – Equaliser scrambled home
Diego Costa Thumps Home – Chelsea take the lead
The excellent Emre Can put the home side ahead with a deflected shot from outside the penalty area, but Gary Cahill nudged home an equaliser five minutes later. Diego Costa scored the winner mid-way through the second half after more poor defending.
Read the full Liverpool ratings below:
GK) Simon Mignolet – 5
Look to have made an excellent save for Chelsea’s opener, only to fall back into his own goal, before flapping at a cross that subsequently allowed Costa to net the winner – poor.
RB) Glen Johnson – 4
Went missing for the Chelsea move down the left which led to the winning goal. Another disappointing day for the full-back whose days at Anfield are surely numbered.
LB) Alberto Moreno – 5
Will shoulder a percentage of the blame for the first goal after failing to clear in the penalty area. A disappointing afternoon for the young Spaniard.
CB) Martin Skrtel – 5
Spent most of the game squabbling with Diego Costa, another bad day from the out of form Slovakian.
CB) Dejan Lovren – 4
The £20m man had another truly atrocious day, and you have to think that Kolo Toure – after his excellent performance against Madrid in mid-week – will feel very hard done by.
CM) Steven Gerrard – 6
Wasn’t fazed by the Chelsea taunts, and should have won his team a penalty when his shot struck the arm of Gary Cahill.
CM) Jordan Henderson – 5
Another poor performance from Liverpool’s vice captain, who continues to struggle this season.
CM) Emre Can – 7
Got his goal, albeit thanks to a slice of good fortune with the Cahill deflection, and was Liverpool’s best player before he was surprisingly substituted.
RW) Raheem Sterling – 5
Played out wide again by Brendan Rodgers, and struggled to influence the game. Moved to the head of a diamond late on, but it was too late by then.
LW) Philippe Coutinho – 7
Looked bright in the early stages, and like Can he will feel hard done by to have been replaced in the second half.
ST) Mario Balotelli – 5
Isolated, lethargic and disappointing. The season doesn’t look like getting better any time soon for £16m Italian striker.
Manager: Brendan Rodgers – 4
Predictable team, predictable performance by this season’s standards. Ditched a lot of the players that impressed in mid-week, particularly Kolo Toure, and his regulars just didn’t do the business.
Subs:
1) Joe Allen – 5 – Surprising choice to replace Emre Can
2) Fabio Borini – 5 – Put in a shift, but created little
3) Rickie Lambert – 5 – Thrown on late on to no avail
SEE ALSO: Best Premier League players 2014/15