Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool: Estevao's last-gasp winner consigns Arne Slot's side to a THIRD successive defeat in all competitions - as lack of fluency continues to plague struggling Reds

Brompton Cemetery was closed on Saturday because of the high winds. The Royal Parks said it was part of their Tree Safety Policy. And so Chelsea fans who might normally walk past the tombs and the graves on their way from Earl’s Court to Stamford Bridge took a diversion.

Chelsea snatched a late, late winner deep into the seven minutes of time added on with a fine goal from substitute Estevao that complemented a stunning early strike from man-of-the-match Moises Caicedo.

Enzo Maresca, the Chelsea coach who was said to be under pressure after a run of three league games without a win, lost himself in the joy of the moment to the point where he ran down the touchline to join in the celebrations and was sent off after being shown a second yellow card.

It was another worrying performance for Liverpool, who have now lost games to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea in quick succession and have been replaced by Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.

The fluency of last season has disappeared and even if they improved when they brought Florian Wirtz on at half-time, they are struggling to assimilate their new signings into a team that functioned so well last season.

Some are saying that Arne Slot has ‘coached the Klopp out of Liverpool’ after a first season in charge that was largely about continuity. Liverpool did equalise through Cody Gakpo but Mo Salah is struggling for form and with forging an understanding with Alexander Isak.

Liverpool had looked the brighter team in the opening stages without ever coming close to forcing an opening but Chelsea edged their way into the game and began to create uncertainty in the Liverpool back line with the intensity of their pressing.

Giorgi Mamardashvili, making his league debut for Liverpool in the absence of the injured Alisson, misplaced a couple of passes as the visitors struggled to cope with Chelsea’s high press and before he had a save to make, he was picking the ball out of the back of his net.

It will be of little consolation to Mamardashvili but he could hardly have been beaten by a better strike. A neat triangle in midfield found Caicedo, Chelsea’s only ever-present player this season, midway inside the Liverpool half.

Caicedo strode forward and as Virgil van Dijk thought about advancing to meet him, a feint from Caicedo made Van Dijk drop off and bought Caicedo a couple of extra yards. It was all he needed. He unleashed an unstoppable right foot shot from 20 yards that hurtled past Mamardashvili and bulged the roof of the net.

Four minutes later, Liverpool wasted a good opportunity to go level. Cody Gakpo broke down the left and pulled the ball back into the path of Dominik Szoboszlai eight yards out. The Hungary midfielder sidefooted the ball goalwards but it was blocked by Benoit Badiashile.

Liverpool had another sniff of an equaliser ten minutes before the break when Milos Kerkez broke into the box again. He should have shot but he tried to cross the ball to Mo Salah instead and the ball was hacked clear. Slot held his head in his hands in frustration.

Next, it was Maresca’s turn to betray his angst. Alejandro Garnacho burst into the box, pursued by Szoboszlai, and tumbled under his challenge. Replays showed Garnacho had hurled himself to the ground after the faintest touch.

It was the correct decision not to give a penalty. Some of the gusts of wind at Stamford Bridge were stronger than Szoboszlai’s touch on Garnacho’s back. But Maresca was so incensed by it that he overstepped the mark with the hysteria of his protests and referee Anthony Taylor showed him a yellow card.

Chelsea, though, were the more confident side and a clever move worked the ball back to Garnacho on the edge of the box before the former Manchester United winger curled his shot off the outside of the post. Mamardashvili was rooted to the spot.

Liverpool were struggling to rediscover last season’s fluency, particularly in attack. But just before the break, Salah curled a beautiful cross into the path of Alexander Isak. Isak rose to meet it but his firm header was just too high.

Slot reacted to the ineffectuality of the first half performance by bringing on Florian Wirtz for Conor Bradley at half-time and Wirtz nearly created an equaliser within 60 seconds of the restart.

Liverpool broke forward after some uncertainty in the Chelsea defence and when the ball was played to Wirtz on the edge of the area, he produced a sublime flick to direct it into the path of Salah. 

It is foolish to back against Salah when he is presented with a chance like that but this time, he drove his right foot shot wide.

The changes had improved Liverpool, though, and the next time they mounted an attack, they scored. Szoboszlai, now playing at right-back, forced his way to the byline and crossed into the box. Isak helped it on and Gakpo was on it in a flash, rifling a close-range shot past Robert Sanchez high into the roof of the net.

The game became more and more open. As the clock ticked down, both sides went for the win. Mamardashvili made a fine diving save to tip a curling shot from Estevao around the post and Marc Guiu wasted an opening when he let a pass from Estevao roll under his foot.

Mamardashvili was the busier goalkeeper. He touched a rising drive from Caicedo over the bar but there would have been nothing he could have done about an Enzo Fernandez header in the first minute of added time if Fernandez had got it on target.

The Chelsea skipper ran on to a brilliant cross from Estevao and met it at the far post four yards out. But Fernandez had mistimed his run slightly, the ball was just behind him and as he twisted his body to meet it, his header cannoned off the outside of the post.

It felt as if it might have been Chelsea’s last chance but then Cucurella broke free on the left and Estevao did the rest.