Estevao’s late strike sinks Liverpool as Chelsea edge thriller at Stamford bridge

Liverpool crashed to a third successive defeat as Estevao Willian’s last-gasp strike condemned the struggling Premier League champions to a 2-1 loss against Chelsea on Saturday.

Arne Slot’s side were stunned when Estevao netted from close range in stoppage time at Stamford Bridge, moments after Cody Gakpo’s second-half equaliser had cancelled out Moises Caicedo’s stunning opener for the Blues.

After beginning the season with seven consecutive wins across all competitions — including five in the Premier League — Liverpool have hit a surprising slump, suffering consecutive defeats to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, and now Chelsea.

Having lost to Palace in the dying minutes last weekend, this was another agonising setback for Slot’s men, who earlier in the campaign had earned a reputation for snatching late winners.

According to Super Sports, those dramatic finishes had masked Liverpool’s underlying struggles to find cohesion following a £400 million ($539 million) summer spending spree.

The second-placed Reds have now relinquished top spot to Arsenal, who moved one point clear after beating West Ham on Saturday.

Chelsea’s dramatic victory lifted them to sixth, easing pressure on manager Enzo Maresca and halting a run of two straight league defeats.

The Blues took the lead in the 14th minute when Liverpool’s sloppy play in midfield allowed Caicedo to seize possession and surge forward.

With Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate backing off, the Ecuadorian unleashed a spectacular strike into the top corner from the edge of the box — his third goal of the season and a reminder of why Liverpool had fought to sign him before Chelsea outbid them in 2023.

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