Liverpool gloom deepens as £115m one that got away and Chelsea's new wonderkid have last laugh

Liverpool’s expensively assembled new squad were burned by the £115m man that got away and Chelsea’s new wonderkid to slip to a third defeat in a row.

Moises Caicedo, who joined the Blues over the Reds in the summer of 2023, gave his side the lead with a superb long range strike that debutant goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili had no chance with.

But after Arne Slot changed things around, including bringing on Florian Wirtz at half-time, Cody Gakpo’s close range strike looked to have got his side a point. However, Willian Estevao’s stoppage time strike would send Stamford Bridge crazy and deepen the sense of gloom around the champions.

READ MORE: Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca sent off for wild celebration after Estevao winner vs Liverpool

READ MORE: Florian Wirtz gets emotional after being told what to do as Liverpool struggles continue

The 18-year-old Estevao - who linked up with the Blues in the summer a year after joining from Palmeiras - was on hand to turn home Marc Cucurella’s cross in the sixth minute of added time..

Enzo Maresca sprang a tactical surprise of his own from the off by starting Malo Gusto in the centre of midfield and captain Reece James at right-back, a switch which allowed the young Frenchman to use his pace in the centre where Liverpool have looked leggy lately.

And while the Reds did start solidly enough, Gusto was to have a role in Chelsea’s glorious opening gambit 14 minutes in. The newly liberated 22-year-old emerged into midfield space and found Caicedo, who eased past Alexis Mac Allister and drove on unconcerned by any other red shirts before firing a stunning shot into Mamardashvili’s top left corner.

Liverpool did reply quickly though, and Gakpo’s cut back was sent goalwards by Dominik Szoboszlai but blocked well by Benoit Badiashile.

Any pressure exerted by Liverpool could quickly be turned against them though, and there was a sense of brittleness about the defence as Ibrahima Konate had to be alert to turn a Pedro Neto cross behind after he’d beaten Kerkez.

Chelsea wanted a penalty - the furious, eventually yellow carded Maresca most of all - when Alejandro Garnacho went down under a faint challenge from Szoboszlai, and the anger was still there when Alexander Isak headed over Salah’s cross at the other end. Despite that chance it was clear that Liverpool needed inspiration, and Slot turned to Wirtz to provide it at half-time, bringing him on for the booked Bradley.

The German almost provided it instantly, with his impudent, almost balletic pass from a fast Gakpo break finding Salah, but he prodded wide. The Egyptian, so often Liverpool’s inspiration, would soon be sent scurrying away down the right again, but after cutting inside he shot way over.

Liverpool looked a lot more put together now, and the introductions of Andy Robertson and Curtis Jones helped exert more control that would eventually lead to the equaliser. Szoboszlai, now at right-back, got down the flank, and his centre was touched on by Isak into the path of Gakpo, who blasted high into the net.

The pace was frenetic now, and Salah blazed over when he should have done better as Chelsea, who lost both starting centre-backs Badiashile and Josh Archeampong to injury, struggled to contain the Reds.

But it was the Blues’ lively young replacement attackers who would breathe new life into their own side, with Jamie Gittens bringing a smart stop from Mamardashvili from range, before the exciting Estevao saw his effort tipped around the post by the Georgian.

Moments later Alisson’s impressive understudy was quickly off his line to stop Marc Guiu.

There was nothing he could have done late on though as Estevao stole in to send west London wild.

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Archeampong (Hato 68), Badiashile (Lavia 55), Cucurella; Caicedo, Gusto; Neto (Estevao 74), Fernandez, Garnacho (Gittens 74); Pedro (Guiu 74)

LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Bradley (Wirtz 46), Konate (Jones 55), Van Dijk, Kerkez (Robertson 55); Gravenberch, Mac Allister (Endo 86); Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Isak (Ekitike 74)

MAN OF THE MATCH: Moises Caicedo

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