Substitute Willian grabbed a point for Chelsea late on, Liverpool failing to hang on to a lead once again after Mohamed Salah put them ahead, the much anticipated Premier League clash ending 1-1 at Anfield.
Liverpool started strong, dominant in possession, in control but didn't produce much danger, not giving Thibaut Courtois much to do.
Halfway through the half saw a block by Simon Mignolet one-on-one against a dangerous Eden Hazard and then seconds later the Belgian keeper put Davide Zappacosta's attempt out for a corner, followed by ping pong in and around the box, tense, tense, tense, first real chances and pressure by the Blues, or either side actually.
Chelsea were all over the Reds in those crazy ten-ish minutes, Marcos Alonso's 25-yard free kick going over the wall but bending just about a yard wide. And breath.
A threatening Salah created most for the home side, putting a left-footed shot just wide a few minutes before the break, still no shots on target for the Reds though, Courtois looked beaten but remained unthreatened.
The referee Michael Oliver ignored a penalty shout against Hazard bringing down Philippe Coutinho in the box as an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain threat was cleared. It would have been harsh.
It stayed goalless at the break, Liverpool with more of the ball, but Chelsea with more chances and closer to breaking the deadlock.
Chelsea were on top after the interval, Hazard tumbling into the box a bit too over-dramatic, nothing given.
Seconds later Courtois spilled Daniel Sturridge's cross/shot, the ball squirming under the keeper and out for a corner, Liverpool's first of the match. The second followed shortly after, both were cleared.
A daft kick out by Tiemoué Bakayoko against Coutinho conceded a free kick, which the Brazilian took and saw blocked out for a corner. Joel Matip wasted that set piece out for a goal kick.
The first attempt on target for the Reds came in the 55th minute, skipper Jordan Henderson with a shot, easily collected by Courtois.
Another penalty shout came with just under an hour gone, this time against Gary Cahill, Sturridge's ball, arms by his side, nothing in it, game on.
Chelsea threatened a couple of more times with Zappacosta and Alvaro Morata before Liverpool mounted threats and chances of their own with Coutinho and Salah.
Jürgen Klopp took off Sturridge straight after LFC took the lead, Georginio Wijnaldum replacing the under-fire striker with just under 25 minutes to go.
The game slowed down a lot after that. Chelsea needed changes, made changes, more attacking after falling behind.
Substitute Wijnaldum saw a shot deflected out for a corner by Cahill, before some poor decision making by Chelsea conceded another counter by the Reds which won them a corner.
So, both sides kept threatening, Alonso missing the biggest sitter right in front of goal, kicking the ball high in the sky with his left foot.
The Reds did look nervy at the back, it's surprising they had only conceded once at Anfield in the Premier League this season.
That was until Willian stunned and fooled everyone with a cross/shot from the right edge of the box, the curl and turn lifting over and beating Mignolet to make it 1-1 with five minutes to go.
Five very tense minutes, plus three added on which saw a late double-change for the Reds, Adam Lallana returning from injury and coming on with Sadio Mané, and a great save by Courtois denying Salah late on.
It ended a goal and point each, the Reds throwing away a lead once again, disappointing, but showing much more strength, fight and threat against the Blues, who will be much happier with the point, Antonio Conte's reaction said it all.
Much in contrast to that, Mané was not happy with Klopp after the match, no surprise there. Everyone was caught out by the German's changes and too late substitutions, he blamed it all on the referee in the post-match interview. Harsh.
With this draw Liverpool remain unbeaten in their last six Premier League meetings with Chelsea.
However, the Blues haven't lost any of their last six Premier League visits to Anfield.
One point gained, but two points dropped in the chase for the top four, especially annoying after Tottenham also dropped points against managerless strugglers West Brom earlier in the day.
No rest for the wicked as Liverpool will travel to Stoke on Wednesday.
Liverpool Goal: Salah 65'.
Chelsea Goal: Willian 85'.
HT Stats: LFC 0-0 CFC
Possession: 64%-36%
Shots: 6-7
On target: 0-2
Corners: 0-5
Fouls 5-4
Yellow cards: 0-0
FT Stats: LFC 1-1 CFC
Possession: 53%-47%
Shots: 16-11
On target: 4-3
Corners: 7-8
Fouls: 10-7
Yellow cards: 0-0
Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet; 18 Moreno, 17 Klavan, 32 Matip, 12 Gomez; 7 Milner, 14 Henderson (c), 21 Oxlade- Chamberlain (19 Mané 89'); 10 Coutinho (20 Lallana 89'), 15 Sturridge (5 Wijnaldum 66'), 11 Salah. 4-3-3
Substitutes not used: 1 Karius, 9 Firmino, 26 Robertson, 66 Alexander-Arnold.
Chelsea Team: 13 Courtois; 24 Cahill, 27 Christensen, 28 Azpilicueta; 7 Kanté; 3 Alonso, 14 Bakayoko (11 Pedro 77'), 6 Drinkwater (4 Fàbregas 74'), 21 Zappacosta (22 Willian 83'); 10 Hazard; 9 Morata. 3-1-4-1-1 or more like 8-1-1
Substitutes not used: 1 Caballero, 2 Rüdiger, 15 Moses, 30 David Luiz.
Referee: Michael Oliver
Man of the match: Mohamed Salah
Ground: Anfield
Attendance: 53,225
Click here to read my previous LFC match report.
All pictures, stats and facts were taken from the BBC match report, Twitter and SFR match coverage.
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