Are Liverpool the real deal?

With Liverpool winning 2-1 against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge thanks to first-half goals by Dejan Lovren and Jordan Henderson, Jurgen Klopp’s team once again showed their big-game credentials. They look like a side on the up, writes Adam Bate.

Asked beforehand about his team’s impressive record against the stronger sides, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp wasn’t prepared to take the bait. “It doesn’t help because they are more concentrated,” he told Sky Sports. “It gives Chelsea more information than it does us.”

Chelsea certainly didn’t use that information at the outset. Instead of being alert they were asleep. Instead of inspired they were insipid. Instead of raising their game they forgot to bring it at all. Liverpool were all over their hosts from the start.

“The beginning was brilliant from my side,” said Klopp afterwards. “We played football like hell. It was really nice to watch … It was wonderful.”

On co-commentary for Sky Sports, Gary Neville described Chelsea as “like a lethargic heavyweight who can’t move their feet” and the stats bore it out. Liverpool covered more ground and made more sprints. They topped both of those metrics even before Friday.

That tracking data monitors the runs of every player on the pitch, breaking their movement down by type. Liverpool players covered more of the ground by sprinting, running and jogging. Chelsea players covered more ground by walking. It was no way to start a big game.

In the first 15 minutes, Liverpool had two thirds of the ball and twice as much possession in the opponents’ defensive third. It set the tone and when Dejan Lovren took advantage of non-existent marking to volley home at the far post it was …

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