Chelsea boosted their push for Champions League qualification with a vital 3-1 victory over newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool, fresh from their title-clinching win over Tottenham, made six changes under head coach Arne Slot, and the reshuffled side struggled to match their usual intensity until late in the game.
Chelsea paid tribute to the champions with a pre-match guard of honour but quickly shifted focus to their own ambitions.
Enzo Fernandez gave them a dream start, arriving in the box to convert Pedro Neto’s cross after just three minutes.
The home side doubled their lead early in the second half when Cole Palmer’s driving run caused panic in Liverpool’s defence.
Virgil van Dijk’s attempted clearance struck teammate Jarell Quansah and deflected into the net for an own goal.
Liverpool had chances to get back into the match, but Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah squandered golden opportunities, much to the frustration of the travelling fans who otherwise spent the evening celebrating their team’s 20th league title.
Palmer came close to adding a third, hitting the post after beating Alisson at a tight angle, but made no mistake from the penalty spot in stoppage time after Quansah fouled Moises Caicedo.
That goal ended Palmer’s 18-game drought and sealed a crucial three points.
Van Dijk had briefly raised hopes of a late Liverpool comeback with a header five minutes from time, but it proved only a consolation.
Palmer was at the heart of everything positive for Chelsea, assisting the opener, unsettling Liverpool’s defence for the own goal, and capping his performance with a confidently taken penalty.
After a prolonged dip in scoring form, the timing of his resurgence could hardly be better as Chelsea head into a pivotal clash with Newcastle, now level on points with the Magpies and trailing only on goals scored.
For Liverpool, the intensity and sharpness of recent weeks was understandably lacking after their emotional title celebrations.
They showed more urgency after falling two goals behind, but their slow start left them too much ground to make up.
The focus now shifts to their final home game of the season, where they’ll lift the Premier League trophy in front of their fans at Anfield against Crystal Palace.
