Report, result, goals as Enzo Fernandez punishes ‘really poor’ defense to end Blues’ Premier League loss.

Enzo Fernandez’s free-kick ended Chelsea’s six-game Premier League losing streak with a point at Liverpool as both sides were denied goals and the hosts hit the woodwork twice at Anfield.

Player Fernandez’s free-kick from 35 yards curled into the back of the net in the 35th minute as Chelsea recovered from Ryan Gravenberch’s sixth-minute goal for their first point since March 4.

Ryan Gravenberch opens the scoring with an absolute screamer 🚀

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– Football on TNT Sports (@footballantnt) May 9, 2026

Gravenberch latched on to Rio Ngumoha’s goal and curled in from outside the box to put Liverpool on course for a third successive home win with the Netherlands midfielder’s sixth goal in all competitions this season.

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer’s strike and Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo’s header were denied moments later before Dominik Szoboszlai’s shot hit the post and Virgil van Dijk hit the crossbar.

Enzo Fernandez’s free-kick goes wide and Chelsea are level 💥

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– Football on TNT Sports (@footballantnt) May 9, 2026

Liverpool vs Chelsea analysis: Reds defense

There was speculation that Wesley Fofana would have capitalized on Fernandez’s free-kick, but former Scotland striker Ally McCoist had little doubt of Liverpool’s defensive quality in Chelsea’s goal.

“Konate is probably the deepest defensively,” McCoist told TNT Sports. “One thing you have to say is that it’s very difficult to defend.”

McCoist said Chelsea exploited the space between the center and the right-hand side of Liverpool’s defense for another Fernandez shortly after, with Giorgi Mamardashvili denying the Argentina international.

“[Fernandez gets] center and right back,” commented McCoist. “Curtis Jones has to step in and be more careful.”

You can look back on live text updates from Liverpool vs Chelsea.

Virgil van Dijk outmuscles Moises Caicedo to fire his header over the crossbar 😮‍💨

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– Football on TNT Sports (@footballantnt) May 9, 2026

Liverpool vs Chelsea team

Mamardashvili returned in goal in one of Liverpool’s three changes, with Milos Kerkez and 17-year-old Ngumoha also coming on.

Alexander Isak returned from injury to the bench, with Freddie Woodman and Andy Robertson moving in. Florian Wirtz was ill.

Alisson Becker and Mohamed Salah are yet to resume training while Stefan Bajcetic, Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike, Wataru Endo and Giovanni Leoni have long-term injuries.

Liverpool starting XI: Giorgi Mamardashvili, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Milos Kerkez, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones, Cody Gakpo, Jeremie Frimpong, Ryan Gravenberch, Rio Ngumoha

Substitutes for Liverpool: Freddie Woodman, Joe Gomez, Alexander Isak, Federico Chiesa, Andy Robertson, Trey Nyoni, Kieran Morrison, Mor Talla Ndiaye, Callum Wright

Chelsea vs Liverpool team

Levi Colwill was back in the Chelsea starting line-up following a serious knee injury and his defender Reece James returned to the bench.

Centre-back Colwill was one of five new players in the visitors’ line-up since their 3-1 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest on Monday, along with Filip Jorgensen, Fofana, Jorrel Hato and Andrey Santos.

Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah and Romeo Lavia moved to the bench while Jesse Derry and Sanchez came out due to head injuries.

Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto were out for knocks. Willian Estevao is out for the rest of the season and Jamie Gittens is out with a hamstring injury.

Chelsea starting XI: Filip Jorgensen, Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, Jorrel Hato, Moises Caicedo, Andrey Santos, Enzo Fernandez, Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro

Chelsea substitutes: Gabriel Slonina, Reece James, Josh Acheampong, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Romeo Lavia, Mathis Eboue, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, Liam Delap

What’s next? Liverpool, Chelsea games

Fourth-placed Liverpool are seven points clear of sixth-placed Bournemouth ahead of Saturday afternoon’s games and they head to Aston Villa on Friday (20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT).

Ninth-placed Chelsea are two points behind seventh-placed Brentford and play Manchester City in the FA Cup on May 16 (15:00 BST / 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT).

Liverpool vs Chelsea statistics

• Liverpool have lost two of their Premier League games against Chelsea, as many as they have in their last 20 (W8 D10)
• They have avoided three successive defeats against the Blues, having last done so between December 2013 and November 2014.
• With 11 Premier League defeats this season, Liverpool have lost their most since the 2014/15 campaign under Brendan Rodgers, when they lost 12.
• Since 2009/10 (19) they have registered more than 18 of their losses in all competitions this season
• No Liverpool player has more goals and assists combined than Szoboszlai in all competitions this season (13 goals, 10 assists). The midfielder is the first Reds midfielder to reach at least 10 goals and 10 assists in a season since Steven Gerrard in 2013/14 (14 goals, 14 assists)
• Only once in Chelsea’s league history have they lost seven in a row, in November and December 1952
• After their 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge in October, Chelsea were looking to complete a league double against Liverpool for the first time since 2013/14.
• They have won one of their last 11 Premier League games against Liverpool (D6 L4), with a 1-0 win in March 2021 under Thomas Tuchel.
• Having scored in their last 14 Premier League games – including three goals in four of their last five – Chelsea are on their longest run without a league clean sheet since a streak of 17 games between March and August 1991 (17)
• Joao Pedro is Chelsea’s top scorer in the league (15) and in all competitions (20) this season and has been directly involved in seven of the Blues’ last nine Premier League goals, scoring six and assisting one.