Chelsea have edged out Liverpool to boost their chances of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season, MySportDab reports.
The Blues head into the match occupying the last slot (5th-place) for Champions League qualification and were tied on 60 points with Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa, who are also fighting for a slot in the Europe’s elite tier.
They needed all three points to open a three-point gap over the two contenders and also boost their chances of securing a ticket for the coveted club competition next season.
Meanwhile, Liverpool, having clinched the Premier League title following a thumping victory over Tottenham Hotspur in their last match, had their pride on the line heading into this match.
Arne Slot’s side were the overwhelming favourites to ace this tie given their stellar run this season, including a recent dominant record against the Blues.
However, it appeared they were in for another difficult tie and a tall order at Stamford Bridge against a victory-hungry Chelsea side.
Proceedings got off to a fiery start with both sides unleashing their attacking flair and pushing for an early goal but it was Chelsea who had the upper hand.
Just three minutes into the game, Cole Palmer found Enzo Fernandez with a cross inside the box and the Argentine beat Alisson Becker to open the scoring for the Blues. The goal was enough to send the Blues into the break with a lead.
In the second half, Quansah mistakenly scored an own goal to double the lead for the home side in the 56th minute.
Down by two goals, Liverpool ramped up the pressure to come back into the game but it took them five minutes from time to find the back of the net.
Virgil van Dijk scored a stunning header to halve the deficit for the Reds and reignite comeback hopes. However, such hopes were dealt a final blow when the visitors conceded a penalty in extra time.
Cole Palmer converted the spot-kick to re-extend the lead for Enzo Maresca’s side and secure all three points for the team. The win has seen the London club open a three-point gap over Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in the race for a top-five finish.
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