Liverpool’s struggles under Arne Slot deepened at Stamford Bridge as they fell to a third successive defeat, conceding late once again.
Moisés Caicedo’s spectacular opener was cancelled out by Cody Gakpo in the second half, but teenage sensation Estevão struck deep into stoppage time to secure Chelsea the points.
It was another frustrating and disjointed display from the Reds, who missed the chance to move level on points with Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.
Here are the key talking points from a sobering evening in London.
1) Dominik Szoboszlai holds the team together
Once again, Dominik Szoboszlai was the heartbeat of Liverpool’s midfield. In a team that too often looked flat, disconnected and easy to play through, the Hungarian stood out for his intensity, technical quality and willingness to take responsibility.
He started the afternoon on the right side of a midfield three alongside Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, and from the opening minutes he looked the most likely to inject purpose into Liverpool’s play.
His ability to break lines with a sudden burst of acceleration or a crisp forward pass repeatedly gave Liverpool moments of control in an otherwise uneven first half. When others went into their shells after conceding, Szoboszlai kept demanding the ball, trying to lift the tempo and set a tone that too few followed
The second half underlined his importance even more. Conor Bradley, who had been walking a tightrope on a yellow card, was substituted early after the interval to avoid the risk of a dismissal. That forced a reshuffle that saw Szoboszlai drop into an improvised right-back role for the remainder of the game.
It wasn’t an easy assignment Chelsea were finding joy down the flanks and Liverpool’s shape was already fragile but Szoboszlai adapted with admirable professionalism.
That versatility is invaluable, but it also highlights an uncomfortable truth: Liverpool are leaning heavily on him to solve multiple problems at once.
In a team still trying to rediscover its structure under Arne Slot, Szoboszlai has become both the glue and the emergency fix.
2) Mohamed Salah struggles continue
Mohamed Salah’s dip in form has become one of Liverpool’s most pressing issues. After an off-colour display against Crystal Palace and being benched in midweek versus Galatasaray, this was another game that drifted past him for long spells.
Marc Cucurella denied him space throughout the first half, and though Salah saw more of the ball after the break, his touch and decision-making were below par. Florian Wirtz’s introduction at half-time briefly gave Liverpool a spark his first touch, a cheeky back-heel into Salah’s path, hinted at what the attack could be but the Egyptian never truly imposed himself. For a player central to unlocking Slot’s “version 2.0” of Liverpool, the lack of influence is alarming.
For a short spell, Salah became more involved, drifting into central pockets and trying to link play, but the decisive moments never came. His usual sharpness in and around the box was missing; the threat he typically carries on the counter was completely nullified.
This is not just a one-off blip. Over the last few matches, Salah has struggled to influence games in the way Liverpool have come to rely upon. Whether it’s fatigue, a tactical adjustment under Arne Slot, or simply a rough patch of form, the drop-off is noticeable.
3) Giorgi Mamardashvili’s debut
Giorgi Mamardashvili’s Liverpool career began in about as testing a scenario as you could imagine: a Premier League debut at Stamford Bridge, deputising for one of the best goalkeepers in the world, behind a midfield that was being carved open far too easily in transition. and while he wasn’t flawless, this was a quietly encouraging first outing.
There were a few nervy moments, particularly when he received the ball under pressure with limited passing options. At times, his passes were slightly underhit or telegraphed, forcing defenders into tight situations and breaking Liverpool’s rhythm in the build-up.
Crucially, there was little he could do about Moisés Caicedo’s thunderbolt that opened the scoring. It was a spectacular strike
This debut won’t make headlines, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It was steady, composed in moments of pressure, and offered enough glimpses to suggest he can be a reliable stand-in over the coming weeks as Alisson Becker is unlikely to return after the international break,
4) A damaging missed opportunity as Arsenal pull away
Earlier in the afternoon, Arsenal had done their job. Despite losing captain Martin Ødegaard to injury in the first half, Mikel Arteta’s side cruised past a struggling West Ham at the Emirates. Goals from Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka ensured three comfortable points and, with that, they maintained their early momentum at the top of the Premier League.
It meant Liverpool kicked off at Stamford Bridge knowing exactly what was required: a win to keep pace, or at the very least, a draw to move level on points with their title rivals.
For much of the match, a point would have been a perfectly acceptable outcome. This was Liverpool’s third challenging away trip in the space of ten days, Instead, Liverpool contrived to let that opportunity slip in the most painful way possible.
Estevão’s stoppage-time winner didn’t just decide the match it shifted the mood around Liverpool’s season. What could have been seen as a battling, morale-restoring point quickly turned into another gut punch, the third in succession.
5) Arne Slot faces the first real crisis of his Liverpool tenure
This was the first time in Arne Slot’s managerial career that he has suffered three consecutive defeats. Liverpool’s second-half improvement wasn’t enough to mask their structural issues: transitions were too easy for Chelsea, pressing triggers looked confused, and the attack remains alarmingly blunt.
The Dutchman’s controlled, methodical style has been completely disrupted over the past fortnight, with the team now looking more like a work-in-progress than a title contender. Slot now has a two-week international break to steady the ship, reset, and rediscover the identity that initially brought early-season promise. Manchester United at Anfield awaits after the break the perfect chance to spark a revival, but also a fixture that could deepen the malaise if problems persist.
A draw here wouldn’t have solved Liverpool’s problems overnight, but it would have halted the bleeding, steadied morale, and kept them right alongside Arsenal heading into the international break. Instead, they return home with three consecutive losses, questions mounting, and their rivals pulling slightly further away.
