Article #22481

Liverpool are crawling towards Champions League qualification with dissent on their backs. There were boos on the final whistle, louder boos when Arne Slot withdrew Rio Ngumoha for Alexander Isak and jeers while Chelsea were dominating possession. And that was in the 39th minute. Protests over rising ticket prices may have been abandoned but unrest remains audible at Anfield.

What optimism could be gleaned from a mediocre contest between two clubs enduring mediocre seasons belonged to Chelsea. The visitors might have been there for the taking, especially after falling behind to an early Ryan Gravenberch strike, but they rallied to avoid equalling the club’s worst run of league defeats since 1952 and restore some confidence before next Saturday’s FA Cup final. Levi Colwill demonstrated it would be no risk to play him against Manchester City with an authoritative first start of an injury-plagued season and Reece James also impressed as a second-half substitute after almost two months out.