Updated at 18.46
OLIVIER GIROUD BOOSTED Chelsea’s bid to snatch a place in the Premier League’s top four as the France striker sealed a 1-0 win over Liverpool that brought the Champions League finalists back down to earth on Sunday.
Giroud’s first-half header at Stamford Bridge lifted fifth-placed Chelsea to within two points of fourth-placed Tottenham in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
A fourth successive victory equalled Chelsea’s longest league winning streak this season, keeping them in the hunt for a top four finish while denting third-placed Liverpool’s challenge for the same target.
It was a frustrating return to domestic action for Liverpool after their Champions League semi-final success against Roma in midweek.
In a dramatic conclusion to the top four battle, Chelsea, who are three points behind Liverpool, host struggling Huddersfield on Wednesday and Tottenham face Newcastle the same evening.
On the final day of the season next Sunday, Chelsea head to Newcastle and Tottenham entertain Leicester.
With only one win in their last five league games, Liverpool have made their top four status an unnecessarily tense affair.
Jurgen Klopp’s team should still be able to guarantee a Champions League berth if they beat Brighton at Anfield on Sunday.
Even if they don’t finish in the top four, Liverpool can return to Europe’s elite club competition by defeating Real Madrid in the Champions League final on 26 May.
Liverpool fans crowded into one corner of the Bridge were still in party mood after their side’s Roman conquest and regular renditions of their “Allez, Allez” European anthem served as the soundtrack to a bright opening from the visitors.
Picked out by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s pass, Roberto Firmino made an intelligent run down the right-hand side of the penalty area and tested Thibaut Courtois with a dipping half-volley.
Eden Hazard was the victim of a thunderous tackle from James Milner that left the Chelsea playmaker in need of treatment and the Liverpool midfielder fortunate to avoid a booking.
Hazard dusted himself down and was able to play on, moments later teeing up Marcos Alonso for Chelsea’s first shot on target.
That was a rare incursion into the Liverpool area from Chelsea as Klopp’s men dominated possession early on.
- Personal duel -
Sadio Mane’s 25-yard drive forced a sprawling save from Courtois and from the resulting corner, the Chelsea keeper needed to be alert to stop Virgil van Dijk heading in from close range.
Mane was in a personal duel with Courtois, who kept out another powerful blast from the Senegal winger, then scrambled to his feet to deny him again from the rebound.
But despite their pressure, Liverpool were caught with a sucker punch in the 32nd minute as Giroud justified Conte’s decision to select him at the expense of the out of form Alvaro Morata.
Victor Moses teased Andrew Robertson as he worked space to swing over a cross and Giroud, stealing in front of the slow to react Dejan Lovren, glanced a fine header into the far corner of the net.
Giroud celebrated his fifth Chelsea goal since his January move from Arsenal by sprinting over to the bench and clambered up to hug team-mate David Luiz, who wasn’t involved in the matchday squad.
Suddenly there was more verve about Chelsea and Cesc Fabregas almost doubled their lead with a low effort that flashed across goal.
Mohamed Salah was anonymous in the first half until the Liverpool star was booked for diving, a decision that drew an angry response from Klopp as he berated the fourth official.
Moses threatened with a stinging strike soon after the interval and Hazard followed suit, bringing Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius into action after a thrusting run.
Egypt star Salah was finding it impossible to escape the close attention of Chelsea defenders.
Liverpool were impotent as a result and Chelsea salted away the points after Liverpool substitute Dominic Solanke headed over.
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Delighted for the lad! Would be great if in the future more young Irish players could come back for half a season play some LOI and go back with that bit of experience, seems to have done Eoghan no harm
Ambrose and boyata are both a liability,simunovic still an unknown quantity so I’d say it’s a toss up between o Connell and kolo to partner sviatchenko.would be great to see eoghan nail down a regular spot and continue his progress
That is brilliant news for Celtic and Ireland.
I watched the match – O’Connell showed great character throughout the game.
Can’t but read Rogers interview in his voice
Lads…. were ye watching a different game,,, he was 100% to blame for the goal…. lost his man completely
Blueman, you’re right, the goal was his fault but his head didn’t go down after it as most young players would and he went from strength to strength as the game went on.
It’s a zonal marking system, therefore no man to lose. Although he could have been better for it so could every other defender in the box and if Gordon stayed on his line maybe it wouldn’t have been a goal so 100% is very harsh on the the young fella. For a 20 y/o making his first European start in a notoriously tough place to go he done very little wrong and was one of Celtics better players. If you were watching the match and not just the goal you would have seen that!
O Connell did well all things taken into account,good result to take back to glasgow
Fact is the goal was his fault, you can dress it up anyway you want,… football at the highest level is a harsh game, and goals decide games, if he wasn’t a young irish player playing for celtic , people wouldn’t be raving about his performance and making excuses for his defending for the goal… think we need to take off the green white and gold glasses here…. and I did watch the full game
Blueman there’s nobody bigging him up.if simunovic can be kept fit and playing regularly,o connell won’t get much game time.at the moment he’s the pick of a bad bunch and just a potentially good defender
Blueman get a grip ffs. He’s 20 years of age, made one or two small mistakes in the biggest game of his career to date. Start blaming the young man now and giving him abuse about the goal could shatter his confidence, that’s why he’s being praised. Attitudes like yours is the reason a lot of talented youngsters don’t make it in the game!
Hahaha…. one or two small mistakes???… wouldn’t call losing his man for a goal in a champions lge game a small mistake. … its quite a significant one. If young pros can’t take a bit of criticism they may as well forget about a career in the game…. and I thought he he will let a bit of criticism on the 42 get to him… if he he was that type of character he would never have made it this far
You said people wouldn’t be raving about his performance if he wasn’t Irish or playing for Celtic. Well this is an Irish site and an article about Celtic, so obviously people who have a better understanding of the game than yourself (and people who really watched the game) think he merits praise for his performance! And if you’re a Celtic supporter you should be ashamed of yourself :-/
I am not a celtic fan … I am looking at the game… which I watched in full from an unbiased point of view… it’d obvious your biased towards him, , and if u can’t see he was at fault for that goal than it is you who doesn’t really know that much about football….