200th league win for Klopp but Bradley the talk of the Kop

STARBOY: Liverpool's Conor Bradley celebrates after assisting their side's third goal. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.

Liverpool 4 Chelsea 1 

Conor Bradley was the star turn as Jurgen Klopp continued his farewell tour as Liverpool manager by chalking up his 200th Premier League win.

The Northern Ireland right-back has been a revelation since coming into the team in place of the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold.

But Co Tyrone-born Bradley took his performance level to a new high by scoring a superb first goal for the Merseyside club and assisting two others for Diogo Jota and Dominik Szobozlai.

Christopher Nkunku pulled one back for Chelsea but a fightback by the Londonders was never on the cards such was Liverpool’s superiority and Luis Diaz put a proper reflection on the score line with the fourth.

Bradley’s name was sung by the Kop when he was replaced after 68 minutes as Liverpool cruised to an impressive win against a hapless Chelsea team in a dress rehearsal for the EFL Cup final on February 25.

On this evidence, Liverpool will have no problems adding the first of the four trophies they are chasing as they bid to mark Klopp’s final season with a silver lining.

Klopp’s 200th league win in the English top flight has come in his 318th game — only Pep Guardiola has chalked up the double century quicker.

The last seven encounters between these clubs had all ended in draws but from the way Liverpool started, that never looked like being the case last night.

In the early stages, it was a case of Nunez versus Chelsea as the Uruguay striker adopted a shoot-on-sight policy with no less than six efforts in the first 20 minutes.

Three times Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic denied him with fine saves, he was off target with two others while another one hit Thiago Silva.

Nunez should have scored with his seventh attempt just before half-time when he was handed the ball to take a penalty after Diogo Jota had been felled by Benoit Badiashile only to fire his spot kick against the post.

That was the only blot on an otherwise superb first-half performance by Liverpool who were already two goals to the good.

Jota netted the first after 25 minutes after Bradley’s fine assist. He dispossessed Ben Chilwell, raced forward, and then picked out Jotas who had one thing in his mind as he burst between Thiago Silva and Badiashile before firing past Petrovic.

VAR checked if the ball had touched his hand but gave him the benefit of the doubt and he celebrated his 13th goal of the season.

Petrovic’s busy night continued when he tipped round a Curtis Jones shot that was heading for the far corner but he could nothing Bradley’s goal after 40 minutes.

The youngster burst forward, taking Luis Diaz’s pass into his stride before showing the composure of a top striker by aiming his shot into the far corner of the net.

If Nunez had converted the penalty, a three-goal margin would have only underlined Liverpool’s total first-half dominance.

Mauricio Pochettino showed what he thought of his team’s display by making three half-time substitutions. with Conor Gallagher, Ben Chilwell, and Noni Madueke all hooked. To be honest the Chelsea boss might have changed all 10 outfield players if the rules had allowed him.

Two of the replacements at least carved out Chelsea’s first real chance early in the second half but Mykhailo Mudryk sent a decent chance over the bar from Malo Guto’s cross.

Nkunku showed neat footwork to score Chelsea’s consolation but Liverpool were straight back on the offensive and it was a surprise they only added one more goal when Diaz turned home a cross by the hard-working but unlucky Nunez, who had earlier crashed a header against the crossbar.

The manner of the win will delight Klopp and put his squad in great heart for Sunday’s showdown with title rivals Arsenal at the Emirates where they have already won in the FA Cup.

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson 6; Bradley 9 (Alexander-Arnold 68, 6), Konate 8, Van Dijk 7, Gomez 7 (Robertson 68, 6); Szoboszlai 7 (Gakpo 68, 6), Mac Allister 7, Jones 7 (Clark 80, 6); Diaz 7, Jota 7 (Elliott 68, 6), Nunez 8.

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Petrovic 7; Disasi 5, Thiago Silva 5, Badiashile 4, Chilwell 4 (Gusto 46, 5); Caicedo 4 (Chukwuemeka 65, 4), Fernandez 5; Madueke 4 (Mudryk 46, 4), Gallagher 5 (Nkunku 46, 5), Sterling 4; Palmer 4.Casadei 85,4).

Referee: Paul Tierney 7.