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Chelsea vs Liverpool result: Five things we learned as Sadio Mane’s brace earns Reds a win

Sadio Mane scored his first two goals of the season (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Sadio Mane scored his first two goals of the season (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Liverpool made it two wins from two as defending Premier League champions with a 2-0 win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

The Reds were the dominant side in the first half, though they didn’t create too many chances - but their task was made easier after Sadio Mane was hauled down by Andreas Christensen, who was sent-off.

After half-time Liverpool stepped it up a gear and Sadio Mane headed them ahead just minutes after the restart.

Mane then doubled the lead after closing down Kepa’s attempted pass and firing into the empty net, while Jorginho saw a penalty saved by Alisson Becker.

Here are five things we learned from the game at Stamford Bridge.

Sadio Mane scored his first two goals of the seasonPOOL/AFP via Getty Images
Sadio Mane scored his first two goals of the seasonPOOL/AFP via Getty Images

Right call for VAR red card

Chelsea would have been largely pleased at containing Liverpool’s dominance to the midfield region as the clock ticked toward the 45-minute mark.

Seconds later, Andreas Christensen had dragged down Sadio Mane and was sent-off - though only after a video review.

An initial yellow card was shown, but it was clearly the right call to upgrade it to red as the defender had hauled down Mane with no attempt to play the ball.

After a weekend of a few video review calls being criticised, this one was a win for the VAR process.

German threat not yet firing on all cylinders

Kai Havertz and Timo Werner are the headline signings for Chelsea this transfer window, but there’s more work ahead to get the best out of them.

The duo started in a three-man attack here, though switching roles somewhat with Werner to the left and Havertz a drifting, central target.

The ex-Bayer Leverkusen man is still getting up to speed, with two low-key showings against Brighton and now the Reds, as he struggled to either link up with his team-mates or show his individual quality in possession.

Werner definitely showed more involvement, but his clear chances in the final third have been few and far between as yet.

Thiago’s quick entrance

It took only 45 minutes for new signing Thiago Alcantara to enter the fray, brought on as a half-time substitute for Jordan Henderson.

The former Bayern man occupied the deepest midfield role after his entrance, with the usual incumbent Fabinho playing behind him in defence.

It was a neat, tidy and relatively restrained performance from him, dictating play from the centre, though he then caught Timo Werner in the box to concede a penalty—saved by Alisson.

Clearly there’s lots more to come in future, and it’s notable that Jurgen Klopp was shouting directives at him throughout the half, in terms of areas to take up and where to move defensively.

Another Kepa catastrophe

First up, it’s worth pointing out that Kepa made a couple of decent, if routine, saves, and his aerial handling was generally solid.

But he doesn’t help himself with avoidable errors, and those are the ones which take the headlines here again.

The Spanish international was almost caught out early on, speeding out of his goal to the left-side of the area and losing the foot-race with Mo Salah, though Liverpool didn’t score on that occasion.

They did after the break though, with Kepa trying to pass out past the Mane press, and only managing to assist the No. 10 in netting his second goal.

Man City gauntlet laid down

Prior to kick-off the talk had been about whether Chelsea and their new signings - not all on display - could show enough to begin to close the gap between themselves and the top two.

While the answer to that question was an emphatic no, Liverpool themselves have put a quick marker down for their more genuine challengers, Manchester City.

Ahead of Pep Guardiola’s team kicking a first ball of the season, the Reds already have a six-point lead to sit on, claiming a 100 per cent start with two very different performances.

With Diogo Jota to come into the squad and several of the side still building fitness, it’s shaping up to be another great season for the title-holders, who have put down the early marker for those hoping to keep pace.