Chelsea 2-0 Liverpool: Chelsea knocked Liverpool out of FA Cup

Giroud, Pedro, Gilmour and Kepa were instrumental to Chelsea victory. Willian and Barkley scored the goals. Liverpool started without Salah, Firmino, Henderson, Arnold and Matip.

March 4, 2020 Contributing Editor European Leagues
Chelsea 2-0 Liverpool Chelsea knocked Liverpool out of FA Cup

Chelsea have knocked Liverpool out of FA Cup in their fifth-round match in Stamford Bridge tonight. 

Chelsea vs Liverpool – Context

  • Lampard made six changes to Chelsea’s starting lineup from last Saturday’s draw against Bournemouth. Kepa returned under the bar along with Rudiger and Zouma as a centre-back. Gilmour, Barkley and Willian are three other introductions to starting eleven.
  • Klopp had brought Adrian in goal and Gomez as Center-back. The German coach brought Williams and Jones in Red defence and midfield in the starting eleven. Salah and Firmino both started in bench, whereas Takumi and Origi started along with Sadio Mane.
  • Chelsea won six of their last 10 FA Cup encounter against Liverpool. Chelsea have always been part of Fifth round fixture in FA Cup in previous six years, but for Liverpool, this was the furthest that they have reached in past six editions of FA Cup.

Chelsea vs Liverpool – Goal

  • Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian defected a powerful strike by Willian from 20 yards to the back of the net Chelsea’s opener after 13 minutes., minute after he saved similar attempt by Willian from the right flank. 
  • The game was almost over after 64 minutes when former Everton midfielder and Toffees fan Barkley surged from inside his own half on a solo run before beating Adrian with an emphatic strike.

What the scoreboard won’t tell

  • Kovac was substituted early, he was taken off 3 minutes before, and Willian was replaced 6 minutes after the break. Both of the replacement came out of injury concerns.
  • Pedro had a usual day in office. He did everything box-to-box than scoring a goal. He managed the game for Chelsea with an incredible work-rate.
  • Billy Gilmour, the Chelsea debutante, was adjudged man-of-the-match today. He, along with Barkley and Mount in the midfield, were top of their game. Even though statistically Chelsea had less ball possession, but whenever Blues created any chance, they looked dangerous. 
  • Kepa Arrizabalaga had a great day in Chelsea goal. European champions had chances in the first half, only to see recalled goalkeeper Kepa to present a formidable barrier with a string of saves. 
  • Olivar Giroud showed that once again, why he was Didier Deschamps’s man in star-studded France national team. Though he did not score a goal today, his intelligent physical presence had rattled Liverpool defence. He engaged Virgil Van-Dijk in Chelsea half, and Ross Barkley had all the chance to move 25 yards with the ball, before plunging it into the Liverpool goal. 
  • The hosts could have had more, but Mason Mount rattled the crossbar with a 25-yard free-kick before striker Olivier Giroud saw an effort brilliantly tipped on to the woodwork by Adrian. 

Results and Records

  • Chelsea have reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in four of the past five seasons – going on to win the competition the last time they reached this stage in 2018 (1-0 v Manchester United in the final). 
  • Liverpool have lost three consecutive away games in all competitions for the first time since November 2014. 
  • Willian has scored 24 goals from outside the box since his Chelsea debut in September 2013, 13 more than any other Blues player. 
  • Chelsea’s Ross Barkley scored his first-ever goal against Liverpool on his 12th appearance.

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