Cole Palmer snapped an 18-game goal drought with a stoppage-time penalty as Chelsea dismantled a lethargic Liverpool side 3-1 at Stamford Bridge, boosting their top-five ambitions and moving level on points with Newcastle.
Liverpool, newly crowned Premier League champions, played like a side already in off-season mode and Enzo Maresca’s men wasted no time in capitalising.
Enzo Fernández opened the scoring inside three minutes after a sweeping move down the right, as the Reds’ backline stood off and watched.
A bizarre own goal off Jarell Quansah’s groin — ricocheting in after a failed clearance from Virgil van Dijk, doubled Chelsea’s lead shortly after the break, epitomising Liverpool’s slack display.
Though Van Dijk atoned momentarily with a powerful header to reduce the deficit, Quansah’s clumsy foul on Moisés Caicedo in the dying minutes handed Palmer the chance to seal it.
He did so with composure, capping Chelsea’s dominant display and ending his own long scoring silence.
