CHELSEA GOALS FROM Eden Hazard and Samuel Eto’o were enough to give the home side a 2-1 win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
The visitors hit the front after just five minutes when Martin Skrtel poked home from close range after Luis Suarez got ahead of Branislav Ivanovic at the front post. The Merseyside club held the lead for less than 20 minutes after Eden Hazard curled home this beauty to give Simon Mignolet no chance.
Having led the league on Christmas Day, Liverpool will finish the year in fifth place, six points below leaders Arsenal, with Chelsea two points off the pace in third place behind Manchester City.
Beaten 2-1 by City on Boxing Day, Liverpool have now lost successive league games for the first time since April 2012, while top scorer Luis Suarez has gone two games without scoring after amassing 10 in his previous four outings.
However, it was difficult not to have some sympathy for the Uruguayan after he was bundled to the ground by Eto’o in the second half only to receive a shake of the head from referee Howard Webb and a chorus of boos from the home fans.
It looked a clear penalty and just one of a number of decisions Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will feel went against his team.
Former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres threatened to seal victory at the death after coming on from the bench, but having taken Sakho out of the game, he saw his shot saved by Mignolet.
Eden Hazard curls in a cracker as Chelsea beat Liverpool
CHELSEA GOALS FROM Eden Hazard and Samuel Eto’o were enough to give the home side a 2-1 win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
The visitors hit the front after just five minutes when Martin Skrtel poked home from close range after Luis Suarez got ahead of Branislav Ivanovic at the front post. The Merseyside club held the lead for less than 20 minutes after Eden Hazard curled home this beauty to give Simon Mignolet no chance.
YouTube credit: DakiHighlights
Having led the league on Christmas Day, Liverpool will finish the year in fifth place, six points below leaders Arsenal, with Chelsea two points off the pace in third place behind Manchester City.
Beaten 2-1 by City on Boxing Day, Liverpool have now lost successive league games for the first time since April 2012, while top scorer Luis Suarez has gone two games without scoring after amassing 10 in his previous four outings.
However, it was difficult not to have some sympathy for the Uruguayan after he was bundled to the ground by Eto’o in the second half only to receive a shake of the head from referee Howard Webb and a chorus of boos from the home fans.
It looked a clear penalty and just one of a number of decisions Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will feel went against his team.
Former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres threatened to seal victory at the death after coming on from the bench, but having taken Sakho out of the game, he saw his shot saved by Mignolet.
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Barclays Premier League curler Eden Hazard Goal! Chelsea Liverpool top sock