Arne Slot&rsquo;s Liverpool missed the chance to all but secure Champions League football next season after a 1-1 draw against a wounded <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/epl-forest-sink-woeful-chelsea-to-boost-survival-bid-23628880" rel="nofollow">Chelsea </a>in the English Premier League (EPL) on Saturday.
The Blues had come into this clash having lost six consecutive EPL games.&nbsp;
Ryan Gravenberch&rsquo;s sweet strike in the sixth minute gave Liverpool the perfect start, but Chelsea hit back to salvage a point when Enzo Fernandez&rsquo;s free-kick in the 35th minute evaded everyone in the middle to find the bottom corner.
<h2>Liverpool get booed</h2>
Boos at full-time reflected the mood around Anfield after another lacklustre performance from the defending champions. Coach Slot was also booed heavily for substituting Rio Ngumoha &mdash; the Reds&rsquo;s liveliest attacker in the match &mdash; in the 67th minute to bring on record-signing Alexander Isak.
<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/english-premier-league-liverpool-rout-crystal-palace-3-1-23627540" rel="nofollow">Liverpool </a>goalscorer Gravenberch, was disappointed with their fans&rsquo;s behaviour, claiming the team deserve more support rather criticism. &nbsp;&ldquo;We need [the fans] behind us. OK, we didn&rsquo;t win, but we don&rsquo;t really deserve this. Fans have to be behind us for 90 minutes. Hopefully the next few games they won&rsquo;t do the same,&rdquo; said the midfielder.
<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/100-per-cent-sure-florian-wirtz-will-deliver-liverpool-manager-arne-slot-23628576" rel="nofollow">Slot </a>explained his decision to take off Ngumoha had to do with the 17-year-old nursing a muscle issue, but lamented his team&rsquo;s inability to control the midfield in the first-half despite a better performance in the second period.
&ldquo;We started off really well and then in quite a large phase of the game we struggled to control their midfielders. Unfortunately we conceded a set piece and that makes it really hard in a top game to win. It was such a sloppy goal [to concede]. But second-half, I saw a completely different intensity in terms of pressing. We hit the post, hit the bar, but it was not enough to win,&rdquo; said Slot.&nbsp;
<h2>Chelsea show character &nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
Chelsea deserve credit for the way they fought back &mdash; a trait that has been missing recently &mdash; after trailing early. Despite failing to win, Calum McFarlane&rsquo;s side will take plenty of positives from this game, which should hold them in good stead &nbsp;when they &nbsp;face Manchester City in the FA Cup summit clash on May 16.
Four No. of wins for Liverpool in their last 10 games across all competitions
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Inconsistent defending champions Liverpool held to 1-1 draw by out-of-form Chelsea; miss golden opportunity on home turf to confirm UEFA Champions League berth

EPL: Rusty Liverool feel the blues against Chelsea

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EPL: Rusty Liverool feel the blues against Chelsea

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