Chelsea vs Liverpool has always been an eventful encounter and the latest edition of the Premier League fixture delivered on all accounts as the Blues edged Liverpool 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

The Blues, courtesy of Olivier Giroud’s first-half header, kept their top-four hopes alive by producing a defensive masterclass against opponents that were still recovering from their European exploits.

Advertisement

Here are the five main talking points from an enthralling encounter in West London:

Olivier Giroud’s proving his critics wrong…one headed goal at a time

Giroud’s crosstown move was viewed as a strange one considering they already had Alvaro Morata, but the burly Frenchman has proven his detractors wrong as he seems to have become Conte’s go-to man.

Not just when daylight’s burning and the Blues need a last-gasp equaliser/winner, but Conte seems to be trusting the former Arsenal man to lead the line from the start of late.

And the results have been there for all to see, for Giroud has scored four times in the last five games.

Clutch performances from the target man and at this stage, it looks like he’ll start the FA Cup final on May 19.

Should Liverpool be concerned about Mohamed Salah’s form?

Not the Stamford Bridge return Salah would have envisioned as he was shackled incredibly well by Gary Cahill and Co.

Not even a single shot on goal and at half-time, he had touched the ball fewer times than anyone else on the pitch, including the goalkeepers even.

Things didn’t improve after the interval, either, for the Egyptian was a shadow of his prolific self against his former side and to rub salt onto the wound, managed to get booked for diving.

The Reds have just one game left before the biggie (the UEFA Champions League final) and the fact that the Egyptian’s not found the back of the net three games in a row will worry the Reds faithful.

Never too late…Eden Hazard’s coming into form

It’s been a poor season by the Belgian’s lofty standards, make no mistake.

Even if the Blues win the FA Cup and qualify for the Champions League, their wing wizard will not head into the World Cup flush with confidence.

His stats show he’s in the midst of his best-ever season for the West Londoners but it’s not just about mere numbers is it?

Against Liverpool, however, he was back to his elusive best, jinking past a sea of defenders and while the end product was lacking in the end, Antonio Conte will be happy with what he saw.

Blues still need Spurs and/or Liverpool to slip

Due to their vastly inferior goal difference, Chelsea will still finish fifth unless Liverpool or Tottenham drop further points.

The Reds have just one game left, at home to Brighton while Spurs have two home games (Newcastle and Leicester).

With Spurs two points ahead and having played as many games as Chelsea, they would need to either lose one game or draw both their remaining ones.

The Reds have been in indifferent form of late, as have been Spurs, but it would be highly optimistic for one to hope that they drop points at home to Brighton.

Still, it isn’t over till it’s over and as long as Chelsea win their remaining games (Huddersfield home and Newcastle away), anything could happen and one can bet on some big story to develop on the final day.

Stretched thin, indifferent form: Plenty for Jurgen Klopp to ‘fix’

Trent Alexander-Arnold had a decent outing in midfield but the fact that Liverpool are so short of options in the middle of the park isn’t a good sign.

Whether or not Emre Can can still play this season is up in the air and Adam Lallana simply can’t be expected to complete the full 90 minutes.

James Milner looked like he was carrying something but with no changes possible, save skipper Jordan Henderson, he bravely decided to carry on but the durable Englishman might come to regret that this week.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s presence is being sorely missed now for the Merseyside outfit do not have a player as dynamic as him in midfield and the likes of Georginio Wijnaldum and Milner are decent players, at best.

Against Real Madrid, decent simply won’t do, ask the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Bayern Munich if you find that hard to believe.

Klopp has a real dilemma on his hands as he obviously can’t lift the standards of his player at his late stage of the season but the gregarious German will have to find a way to motivate them for the Kiev showdown.