Liverpool vs Chelsea: Gravenberch stands out in Anfield draw

Ryan Gravenberch gave Liverpool the lead after six minutes, but the 1-1 draw with Chelsea ended with the home side frustrated and the midfield control gone. Gravenberch was Liverpool's best player on the night, and the 7.9 rating backs that up. It was also one of those matches where an early goal briefly hid the wider problem.

How Liverpool lost control after the opener

Arne Slot said Liverpool wanted to keep going, but Chelsea grew into the game and started to pass through them more and more. His point was clear in his post-match comments: Chelsea got more comfortable on the ball, controlled the midfield and became the dominant side without creating a huge number of chances.

That was the part of the draw that stood out. Ryan Gravenberch did his job early, and he did more than score. He also finished with two key passes and five duels won, which is a decent return in a match Liverpool spent long periods chasing. Cody Gakpo's four touches in the first 45 minutes was another sign that Liverpool's attacking shape never really settled.

The early goal mattered, but it did not stay on the game. Enzo Fernández levelled for Chelsea, and from there the visitors had the cleaner midfield rhythm. Chelsea covered 103.6km to Liverpool's 102.9km, which fits the eye test from the second half more than it flatters the scoreline.

Why the Anfield mood turned quickly

The draw was not just about lost points. It fed into a wider feeling around Liverpool, who have now suffered 18 defeats in 55 games, and the full-time whistle brought audible frustration from the Anfield crowd. The introduction of £125m Alexander Isak as a substitute was booed by parts of the stadium, which tells you the temperature inside the ground was already high before the final whistle.

There was also a split in how this game can be read. Calum McFarlane said Chelsea still need wins, but called the result at Anfield positive. That is fair enough from Chelsea's side, especially after a six-game Premier League losing streak, although the draw is better seen as a recovery point than a clean reset. They did stop the bleeding, but this was still only one point at Anfield.

For Liverpool, the bigger issue is that the best individual performance belonged to Gravenberch, not a forward or a creator. When your standout is a midfielder who scores early and then spends the rest of the night helping to hold things together, that usually means the team has lost control of the match. Liverpool remain fourth in the Premier League, and the next task is obvious enough, find the control that disappeared after the sixth minute.