Chelsea edges Liverpool in a thrilling encounter thanks to Estevao’s late debut strike

Chelsea have recorded consecutive wins over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge for the first time since November 2014 with a 2-1 win courtesy of Moises Caicedo’s thunderbolt and Estevao’s late winner.

The Blues started sharp with a beautiful move that ended with Pedro Neto’s inswinger cross, which evaded every blue shirt.

In the 14th minute, Caicedo was set up by Malo Gusto as the Ecuadorian was given time and space to unleash a belter into the top corner to give the host the deserved lead.

In the champions’ quest for an equaliser, Dominik Szoboszlai saw his goal-bound volley fended off by Benoit Badiashile after Cody Gakpo found him with a beautiful cut-back.

Just before the break, Alejandro Garnacho could have doubled Chelsea’s advantage, but his curling effort went agonisingly wide.

The Argentine went down in the box from a challenge from Szoboszlai, and the hosts appealed for a penalty, which was waved away by referee Anthony Taylor, who booked Enzo Maresca for his protest.

The final chance of the first half came from Alexander Isak’s header after he was picked out beautifully with an outside-the-boot pass from Mohammed Salah, but the Swedish striker headed over Robert Sanchez’s crossbar.

Arne Slot made a change at the break as he brought on Florian Wirtz, who almost set up the equaliser with a flick upon his arrival, but Salah blasts his effort well over.

The visitors’ pressure mounted as Sanchez was called into action as Ryan Gravenberch’s long-range shot was saved.

Chelsea’s injury woes continued as Badiashile and Acheampong came off with injuries, with Romeo Lavia and Jorrel Hato replacing them.

The Reds levelled just past the hour mark after a cross was brought down by Isak into the path of Gakpo, who fired in a powerful shot past Sanchez.

Maresca introduced a triple sub searching for a winner, with Estevao, Marc Guiu and Jamie Gittens all coming on with 15 minutes to play.

Mamardashvili was forced to make a double save from Gittens’ and Estevao’s curlers.

Caicedo could have got his second of the evening, but his long-range shot was tipped over the crossbar by the Georgian goalkeeper.

At the other end, Szoboszlai rolled his shot wide after a Liverpool counter-attack with seven minutes of additional time given.

Estevao started the move with a cross to the back post, which was headed goalwards by Enzo Fernandez, but the ball struck the post and bounced wide.

In the sixth minute of the seven minutes of additional time, Cucurella was set up by Fernandez with a pass behind Liverpool’s defence, who whipped the ball across the six-yard box for Estevao to tap in at the back post, beating Mamardashvili.

Liverpool drops to second, with Arsenal claiming top spot, and the Blues move up to sixth, with a trip to Nottingham Forest next after the international break.