The game was into the third minute when Palmer found Pedro Neto whose cut-back cross fell to the unmarked Fernandez and the Argentine whipped the ball low into the net The lively Palmer was also instrumental in the second goal after he clipped the ball into the area and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk's attempted clearance bounced off teammate Quansah and into the goal. Palmer scored his first goal since mid-January from the spot in the 96th minute after Quansah's foul on Moises Caicedo Van Dijk had pulled one back in the 84th minute from a corner for Liverpool. The result kept Chelsea fifth in the table, separated from fourth-placed Newcastle United only by goals scored The lively Palmer was also instrumental in the second goal after he clipped the ball into the area and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk's attempted clearance bounced off teammate Quansah and into the goal. Palmer scored his first goal since mid-January from the spot in the 96th minute after Quansah's foul on Moises Caicedo Van Dijk had pulled one back in the 84th minute from a corner for Liverpool. The result kept Chelsea fifth in the table, separated from fourth-placed Newcastle United only by goals scored Chelsea aided their hopes of Champions League qualification with an excellent win over the champions This game was very important. Liverpool forced us to defend deep, something that we don’t like to do. But they are so good. We planned the game, trying to be aggressive. But they forced us into a different plan and we adapted quite well. I am very impressed with my players. It is not easy to play man-to-man. If we finish top five, everyone is thinking they are doing well, but I am impressed with them [regardless]. For sure, Chelsea has to fight for Champions League. Hopefully in the future it can be for something more important. 2d ago19.47 CESTHere the xG, if you’re into that sort of thing. 2d ago19.46 CESTChelsea’s Cole Palmer speaks to the cameras: Liverpool are champions for a reason but I think we had desire and good fight and we edged them. Shit happens, obviously I went three months without scoring, but it just gave me more motivation to keep working. Social media is just full of idiots but I just want to help my team. You feel like you’re letting your team down when you miss chances. I’ve had doubters all my life, it doesn’t bother me. I was trying things today, first-time passes. I felt normal today. 2d ago19.41 CESTIn other news, London City Lionesses have been promoted to the Women’s Super League after a dramatic final day in the Women’s Championship. Cucurella and Madueke were the standout players Not sure how deeply we need to look into that Liverpool defeat. Their mentality was poor today, but that is not unexpected after the highs of last week. Slot rung the changes, and just as he did against Plymouth in the FA Cup in February, Liverpool did not gel. 2d ago19.28 CESTThis is what that result does to the league table. Chelsea are now three points clear of Forest and Villa and will watch on with interest as Forest take on Palace on Monday night. 2d ago19.25 CESTFull-time: Chelsea 3-1 LiverpoolThe champions are beaten! 2d ago19.25 CESTGOAL Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool (Palmer pen 90+7)Palmer caps a wonderful display by passing the ball to Alisson’s right Liverpool’s goalkeeper guesses right but can’t reach the penalty 2d ago19.22 CEST90+4 min: Salah is so far short of his normal exceptional standards today. The man can’t trap a beanbag today. 2d ago19.18 CEST90 min: Corner to Chelsea then take it short and immediately lose possession of the ball Five minutes added on for Liverpool to get an equaliser. 2d ago19.17 CEST89 min: Chelsea make another change: goalscorer Fernandez off for Reece James. 2d ago19.16 CEST87 min: Chelsea so easily could be 3-0 up but now they face an anxious last few minutes to secure the three points, which are so precious in the race for Champions League qualification. 2d ago19.15 CESTGOAL! Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool (Van Dijk 85)How bizarre! Chelsea fail to mark Van Dijk from a corner and the Dutchman has a completely free run to meet the cross Chelsea also made a change: Lavia off, Gusto on. Caicedo will go into midfield, Gusto to right back. 2d ago19.13 CEST81 min: Palmer hits the post The England midfielder ghosts past Bradley to the byline indicate he is going to pull the ball back to a teammate but Palmer instead shoots from the tightest of angles Alisson is completely out of position but the ball rebounds out off the far post and to safety 2d ago19.05 CEST73 min: Chelsea have fallen into a mid/low block, and Liverpool are enjoying plenty of possession and now have Szoboszlai and Mac Allister on the ball I should say that there were some other chants from Chelsea fans: ‘always the victim’. Grim. 2d ago19.03 CEST71 min: Chelsea respond with a change of their own: Jadon Sancho replaces Nicolas Jackson. That means Madueke will go to the right and Neto will play as a central striker. 2d ago19.01 CEST69 min: Some substitutions to tell you about: Liverpool take Elliott and Endo off for Mac Allister and Szoboszlai. 2d ago18.57 CEST65 min: Which is taken by Elliott and blasted straight into the Chelsea wall. 2d ago18.54 CEST63 min: Chelsea supporters have started singing about Steve Gerrard and Demba Ba, I am obliged to report. 2d ago18.51 CEST59 min: Slot makes a double change, maybe 14 minutes too late. Nunez on for Jota, Bradley on for Alexander-Arnold. with the ball rebounding straight into the net 2d ago18.42 CEST52 min: Groands from the Chelsea fans as Jackson is caught offside from a Madueke pass. It’s not clear if they are annoyed at the late timing of the latter’s pass, or Jackson’s errant run. Maybe both. 2d ago18.33 CESTPeeeeeeeep!We’re back underway at Stamford Bridge. Both sides are unchanged, which is a little surprising (for Liverpool). Updated at 18.34 CEST2d ago18.19 CESTHalf-time reading: Updated at 18.21 CEST2d ago18.17 CEST45 min: One minute added on for stoppage time. This half has flown by. 2d ago18.16 CEST41 min: Palmer finds a nice pocket of space on the right side of Chelsea’s midfield and releases Neto and the winger slaloms right and left before cutting inside Tsimikas and shooting low into the near side netting Chelsea are set to discuss a new contract with Moises Caicedo despite the midfielder having six years left to run on his current deal Flamengo are interested in signing Joao Felix from Chelsea this summer and plan to launch a loan bid for the Portugal international You have reached ESPN's Australian edition. Stay on current site or go to US version playHow many Chelsea players would be starters for Europe's top teams (1:42)Julien Laurens picks out the Chelsea players good enough to be starting at the top level in club football Here are some musings and reactions to the most memorable moments of the weekend almost as a reward to three guys who contributed to the title but were simply often shut out of the lineup by better players The upshot was a pretty evident lack of chemistry a mental and emotional hangover from the just crowned champions Chelsea capitalized with a 3-1 win marked by a whopping 3.13 expected goals whose bags are already packed -- is pretty much at full strength which bodes well until you remember that this time last year they were trying to get rid of him every which way -- and this is a team that still has more questions than answers Pushing the youngsters the way Chelsea have done is always a feast-or-famine exercise: you know some won't make it What's difficult is when you have a bunch of "tweeners" -- guys who perform well enough that you don't want to ship them out but don't quite show enough development to convince you they'll become players who can carry a team It feels as if, again, it boils down to what I wrote last week -- and what Enzo Maresca said postgame -- this team will go as far as Cole Palmer and Nico Jackson carry them play1:38Ogden questions if leaving Liverpool is a good move for Alexander-ArnoldMark Ogden wonders if Trent Alexander-Arnold's best chance of success on the pitch is at Liverpool rather than a likely switch to Real Madrid Monday's news that Alexander-Arnold will leave at the end of his contract is not a surprise The next step is for him to announce he's joining Real Madrid: we're told there's a verbal agreement in place but it's worth remembering that until the ink is dry anything can happen Leaving a club after two decades is invariably a shock but it feels as if this is the possible way to do it Alexander-Arnold informed the club in March whatever offer they may have made him obviously wasn't as appealing as what he thought he could get elsewhere and in this case Alexander-Arnold already has generational wealth He has already won a Champions League and a league title (two in fact) with the club he has supported since he was a kid What he hasn't done is challenge himself on of the few comparable (if not bigger) stages: at the Bernabéu There's no reason for any hard feelings here he didn't tell anyone he wanted to play for free or reach 1,000 appearances for the club or anything like that The conundrum now for Liverpool is whether to bring in an A-list right back or someone who can compete for the starting job with the heir apparent, Conor Bradley My guess would be the latter given there are a couple other positions to prioritize Obviously Alexander-Arnold's departure is a net negative for Liverpool The challenge for Arne Slot will be to seize the opportunity it creates because while his attacking output made him a unique weapon It's not so much the major blunders which everyone remembers it's also the fact that Liverpool -- both under Slot and under Jurgen Klopp -- often had to make adjustments when he was on the pitch freeing up Slot to further grow this team from a tactical perspective play1:59How would Trent fit in at Real Madrid with Alonso in charge?Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens discuss how Trent Alexander-Arnold might fit in at Real Madrid if Xabi Alonso is named as Carlo Ancelotti's replacement I'm not going to crown them just yet because stranger things have happened but it's pretty evident that Napoli have one hand (and three or four fingers of the other) on the Serie A title Manager Antonio Conte is now talking openly about it: "If we finish second nobody will remember us and the season we had Gabriele Marcotti and Julien Laurens dive into the latest news and gossip, analyze matches with special guests, and give their perspective on the world of football. Stream now always and everywhere; he'll also be talking about how the pressure is off their opponents and every single one is a major banana skin and that they need to be vigilant and risk nothing That's how he works and that's what got him this far -- fair enough (Conte haters will point out that he also had the luxury of no European football: sure but most teams have that luxury and they don't go on to finish top of the league.) The other is that he has forged a very clear defensive identity Napoli have the stingiest defense in Europe's Big Five leagues and they've yet to concede a set piece goal They're comfortable taking a lead -- often through their physicality -- and then playing on the counter That's kinda how they beat Lecce. Jack Raspadori's free kick put them ahead in the first half, they battened down the hatches, endured Kialonda Gaspar hitting the woodwork and then slowed the game to a crawl It may not be a style to everyone's taste -- and as I've noted before it's riskier than some people think -- but few will remember that if Napoli win their second Serie A title in three years play1:26Has Harry Kane finally silenced the doubters with first trophy?Luis Miguel Echegaray reacts to Harry Kane winning the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich partly because it had taken on an air of inevitability and partly because waiting for the blessing of arithmetic in front of the TV is not quite the same as winning a title on the pitch Then there's the fact that they could -- and should -- have won it the day before but somehow conceded the 3-3 equalizer in the fifth minute of injury time Dan Thomas is joined by Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop and others to bring you the latest highlights and debate the biggest storylines. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only). backstabbers and "Game of Thrones" wannabes that earned this club the nickname "FC Hollywood." not many in the current squad are the sort you build the future around Kompany showed he can do the man-management side of the job There's room for improvement everywhere else though -- you hope the club both realize this and support him in the journey Because for all the bitterness of what went wrong this season -- starting with the elimination from the Champions League (with a final in Munich no less) at the hands of Inter -- it might have been far worse without Kompany at the helm as Borussia Dortmund are on track for a Champions League spot after the Wolfsburg win: When Nico Kovac was appointed manager back on Feb with Borussia Dortmund lying 11th in the Bundesliga I made the point that a Champions League spot had to be the expectation otherwise there was no point in bringing him in Some thought it was excessive; others thought I was being mean to Kovac (I admit I've been very critical of him in the past) goal and it was time folks were held to account at Dortmund this is the club with the second-highest wage bill in the league and was in the Champions League final less than a year ago just one point behind fourth place Freiburg with two games to go play2:35What's allowed Antony to find form at Betis?The "ESPN FC" crew discuss what has allowed Antony to flourish for Real Betis where he previously struggled at Manchester United two assists and just the sort of performances that prompted Erik ten Hag to chuck €100m at Ajax to secure him a few years ago Betis are already joking about starting crowdfunding or even kidnapping him to keep him around The reality is that given the size of his fee and amortization it's highly unlikely that Manchester United will be able to shift him in the summer but another loan makes sense for everyone -- possibly with an obligation to make permanent if certain goals are met The win is just enough to keep the pressure on Napoli without the extra minutes for Raphinha and Yamal but you're not going to blame Flick for wanting to make sure play2:10Should Arteta have rotated his Arsenal side before facing PSG?Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens wonder if Mikel Arteta made the right call in playing all of his stars in Arsenal's 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth before facing PSG on Wednesday both of whom are likely starters in midweek anyway Arteta said after the game he was hoping to build momentum for the second leg in Paris; instead they'll have to channel their frustration at the defeat but it does tell you a lot about the mindset The other three teams clearly prioritized injury avoidance and rest ahead of the confidence that comes from a win at the weekend it won't matter at all come Wednesday night It only reinforces the notion that this is the B-team play1:48Why Mbappe will have a 'decisive role' in El ClasicoReal Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Kylian Mbappe will play a "decisive role" in the El Clasico against Barcelona The gap with table-topping Barcelona is four points so arithmetic -- and history -- say they're still alive.. But what we saw in the last half hour doesn't bode well for next weekend's Clásico Amorim sent out a very young side -- the third youngest in the history of the Premier League to be precise -- and the 4-3 defeat (and it could have been worse two of United's goals came late) was more a function of lack of tactical execution than lack of talent But if it looked like many of the players were unfamiliar with what's required to make Amorim's 3-4-2-1 tick Wayne Rooney said the club's under-21 side doesn't play the formation If that's the case -- and I'm assuming he would know -- then it makes little sense The U-21 side exists solely to develop players for the first team especially when the first team's is so different and so tricky to metabolize It's hard enough to turn this club around without all the self-inflicted damage.. play1:18Leboeuf says Man United players should be 'ashamed' after Brentford lossFrank Leboeuf rips into Manchester United following their 4-3 defeat at Brentford in the Premier League Alavés and Atlético Madrid set new records of futility in scoreless draw: This isn't really about Alavés They aren't safe from relegation yet: a point at home to Atlético is a good result and once they figured out the opposition wasn't going to attack It boggles the mind -- for all the stereotyping of Diego Simeone and hunger and intensity -- how this team could only muster their first shot in the 57th minute with Alavés edging the xG 0.03 to 0.00.) I mean This is a team whose resources are dwarfed by Real Madrid and Barcelona but who also dwarf everybody else in the league which explains why they finished top three in 11 of the past 12 seasons Once it became evident they were finishing third and had no cup competitions to stay sharp for they ended up settling for days like these I like to think Simeone had a good rant about it because pride isn't something you should be turning on and off The youngster has bagged eight goals in 30 Bundesliga matches and four more in the Champions League in what has been his best campaign so far Football.London report that talks with rival side Chelsea have already started, but he is said to prefer a move to North London under manager Mikel Arteta due to the better possibility for minutes on the pitch in a smaller squad Dortmund are said to be asking around £43 million for the talented winger who could rival Gabriel Martinelli in the left winger position Arteta's men are on course to finish second for the third successive season but could still challenge for the Champions League as they prepare to face Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain this week Gittens will be watching both Chelsea and Arsenal in action over the next few days as he makes a decision on his future which is looking brighter than ever as top sides enter the race for his signature playWhat has happened to 'invisible' Cole Palmer (2:28)Steve Nicol reacts to Cole Palmer's performance in Chelsea's 1-0 win vs DAMAC Properties will be Chelsea's front-of-shirt sponsor for the rest of the season, the Premier League club confirmed on Wednesday Chelsea have spent the majority of the 2024-25 campaign with a blank space on the front of their jerseys after Infinite Athlete only sponsored their preseason fixtures But DAMAC -- a Dubai-based property development company -- will sponsor the west London side's final four Premier League games of the season, as well as their remaining Europa Conference League fixtures. Chelsea take on Djurgården in a semifinal first leg on Thursday in Stockholm DAMAC Properties will develop "first-of-its-kind football-themed branded residences" in Dubai Chelsea said in a statement that "Chelsea Residences by DAMAC is a unique project that will consist of 1,400+ residential units Each residence will have incredible seafront views along with access to the exclusive Chelsea-branded amenities that place health fitness and wellbeing at the heart of its offering." whether DAMAC will feature on the front of Chelsea's shirts for the Club World Cup which runs from June 14 through to July 13 Magpies remain fourth ahead of crucial St James’ Park clash despite the two clubs now sharing an identical points tally and goal difference Sport | Football featuring team news and expert analysis from Malik Ouzia I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice The crowded race for a top-five finish in the Premier League looks set to go right down to the wire With Liverpool wrapping up the title with four games to spare and all three relegated teams confirmed weeks in advance a fierce battle for Champions League qualification next term is taking centre stage in the final weeks of a memorable season Normally it’s only the top-four finishers in the Premier League that book a position among Europe’s elite though fifth place will also be enough in this campaign thanks to Arsenal’s quarter-final first-leg win over Real Madrid that sealed England a top-two slot in UEFA's association club coefficient rankings and led to a coveted European Performance Spot (EPS) English football could still have as many as 10 representatives across the three European competitions next season depending on how things work out in the coming weeks and in the various continental finals and FA Cup showpiece at Wembley Aimee Lou Wood says she criticised SNL sketch to not ‘spiral inwardly’ Eberechi Eze on target again as Crystal Palace made to settle for a point Neville hails Chelsea star with Ronaldo comparison: 'In same sentence' How Give Your Best aims to solve clothing poverty in the UK It’s a truly fascinating battle with so many caveats not least the fact that Chelsea still have to play both Newcastle and Forest before the end of the season Newcastle left it late to claim a share of the spoils after a lively second half against Brighton with top scorer Alexander Isak netting an 89th-minute equaliser from the spot in a 1-1 draw after Yasin Ayari’s handball from a Fabian Schar free-kick having trailed to a first-half effort from ex-Toon player Yankuba Minteh and seen two other penalty awards overturned by VAR That was followed by arguably Chelsea’s biggest win of the season at home to a Liverpool side who made six changes with the title already clinched with Cole Palmer also stepping up with a last-gasp penalty after Jarell Quansah had fouled Moises Caicedo with seconds to go in stoppage time to finally end his long drought of 18 games without a goal across all competitions dating back to mid-January Enzo Fernandez had finished off a fine move to give Chelsea a third-minute lead with the earliest league goal netted at Stamford Bridge since 2017 before Virgil van Dijk’s late header from a cornet set up a nervy finish after his earlier clearance had bounced in for an own goal off the unfortunate Quansah A third straight win for the likely Conference League finalists brought Chelsea level on points with Newcastle after they dropped two at the Amex Stadium while a two-goal swing also saw them equal their rivals’ goal difference of +21 Newcastle remain ahead of Chelsea leading up to Sunday’s pivotal meeting on Tyneside due to the fact that they have scored more goals than their next opponents as things stand - 66 to 62 Overall goal difference and goals scored are the primary tiebreakers in that order in the Premier League if points are level It is worth noting that Forest’s goal difference is currently +12 so they would not have leapfrogged Chelsea or Newcastle if they won at Selhurst Park on Monday Nuno Espirito Santo’s surprise package have also scored far fewer than both of those rivals with 54 - one fewer than Aston Villa whose goal difference is worse still at +6 Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin David Beckham extends olive branch to son Brooklyn amid 'family feud' Pregnant Jesy Nelson reveals plans for future in message from her hospital bed after surgery Pregnant Jesy Nelson reveals plans for future in message from hospital Chelsea boosted their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League with a 3-1 victory over champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge ending a four-month goal drought when netting a 96th-minute penalty Chelsea remain fifth but now have a three-point cushion over sixth-place Nottingham Forest, who play Crystal Palace on Monday Chelsea are also level on points with fourth-placed Newcastle United whom they play at St James' Park next weekend The Blues opened the scoring after just three minutes. Palmer led a swift counter before finding Pedro Neto whose low cross was neatly controlled and finished by Fernandez Liverpool looked to respond, with Cody Gakpo calling Robert Sanchez into action from a tight angle while Neto hit the side-netting at the other end Chelsea thought they had doubled their lead just before half-time when Noni Madueke rounded Alisson and slotted home. However, the joy was short-lived with Nicolas Jackson penalised for offside during the build-up The hosts did get their second goal in fortuitous circumstances 11 minutes after the restart as Van Dijk’s attempted clearance from a Palmer cross ricocheted off Quansah and back into the net Palmer struck a post from a tight angle, before Liverpool’s late pressure at the other end eventually culminated in Van Dijk powering home from Alexis Mac Allister’s corner But Liverpool's hopes of averting only their third league defeat of the season faded deep into stoppage time, when Palmer slotted home from the spot after Quansah felled Moises Caicedo Seeking a third straight Premier League win, Enzo Maresca named an unchanged starting XI for the first time since November, against Manchester United After giving the new champions a "Guard of Honour", the Blues’ confidence was evident as they were quick out of the blocks and soon ahead through Fernandez. Timed at two minutes and 47 seconds, it was their earliest league goal since Antonio Rudiger netted just 14 seconds earlier against Stoke City in December 2017 they eventually gained breathing space through Quansah’s own goal The hosts’ concentration levels were tested as Liverpool increased the pressure in search for a way back into the game Chelsea never really looked like surrendering it and put the contest to bed with virtually the last kick of the game as Palmer capped a fine individual performance by ending his 18-match goal drought Attention now turns to the second leg of the Conference League semi-final against Djurgarden, before their Champions League qualification quest resumes at St James’ Park against top-five rivals Newcastle United Fresh from securing their second Premier League title last weekend, Arne Slot’s much-changed side received a guard of honour as they made their way onto the Stamford Bridge turf We explain history behind the guard of honour as the 2024/25 title-winners receive one at Stamford Bridge There were six alterations in all and the Reds were slow to settle with Chelsea punishing them by striking inside just three minutes Liverpool struggled to generate a decent attacking threat over the remainder of the first half Slot’s side were much-improved after falling 2-0 behind, with Van Dijk and Darwin Nunez off target from headers Their pressure eventually told when Van Dijk made no mistake five minutes from time it was too late to avert a third defeat in four visits to London A disappointing afternoon for Quansah continued when he caught Caicedo late allowing Palmer to seal the points for the hosts Slot will be eager for his side to finish the season with improvement, starting next weekend against second-place Arsenal at Anfield Chelsea report | Liverpool report Enzo Maresca: "Very important three points, especially at this stage in the season. We planned the game to be aggressive, playing the way we want and they forced us to use a different plan. The players adapted quite well. For the amount of chances that we created, we deserved to win the game. Chelsea has to fight for Champions League and hopefully in the future we can fight for something more important. In this moment we are there and hopefully we can finish there." Arne Slot: "For many things I didn't see a drop off. Today, we could see why we have won this league - we brought the ball out from the back really well. We came back after being 2-0 down and we didn't give up, but I have said before margins are small. In some moments a few percentages were not there." Liverpool are only the fourth team to lose their first league match after they were crowned Premier League champions after Arsenal in 1997/98 (vs Liverpool), Chelsea in 2005/06 (vs Blackburn) and the Reds themselves in 2019/20 (vs Manchester City). Chelsea recorded a victory over Liverpool for the first time since March 2021, ending a run of 10 matches without a win against the Reds in all competitions (D7 L3). Only John Terry (19) and Dion Dublin (14) have scored more headed goals from corners in Premier League history than Van Dijk (13). The Liverpool captain is the top scoring defender in the competition since his first full season with the Reds in 2018/19 (21). Palmer ended a run of 1,162 minutes without a goal in the Premier League – he had the most shots (5), created the most chances (4), made the joint-most passes ending in the final third (13), and had the joint-most touches in the opposition box (8) of any Chelsea player in today’s win over Liverpool. Michael Owen and Steve Cooper discuss the top-five race and who they think will be in the competition next season Your entry has been submitted successfully. You have already submitted an entry. Please check your email for further information. Chief football writer at Stamford BridgePublished4 May 2025Cole Palmer's talent is worthy of the highest Champions League stage so it was fitting he was back to his brilliant best to push Chelsea closer to a return to Europe's elite tournament The stunning form that inspired the Blues early in the season making them title dark horses at one point deserted him as he went 18 games in all competitions without a goal leaving them with a fight on their hands to reach the top five But when Chelsea and head coach Enzo Maresca needed him Palmer was the inspiration behind their 3-1 win against newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge carried an air of lethargy following the emotional high of securing their 20th title in front of an ecstatic Anfield last weekend but Chelsea still needed to take advantage and their lavishly gifted 22-year-old was the catalyst a hive of industry and creation that illustrated exactly why he is central to all of his side's hopes for success His dip in form has become a widespread topic of conversation but he insists his own feelings and attitude have never changed – along with his refusal to study any social media opinions with a run through the centre before sending a sweeping pass out to Pedro Neto to set up Enzo Fernandez's third-minute opener Palmer then produced a brilliant run to beat Kostas Tsimikas in the 56th minute his low cross a source of such chaos in Liverpool's defence that captain Virgil van Dijk lashed his a clearance against team-mate Jarell Quansah and into his own net He was unfortunate not to end his goal drought earlier than he did when another superb incursion into the area ended with a shot from a tight angle that beat Liverpool keeper Alisson but hit the post Palmer's dry spell ended with almost the last kick of the game a penalty in the sixth minute of added time and dispatched with confidence to end that worrying sequence stretching back to a 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth on 14 January The wait for a goal was over after 1,162 minutes Chelsea beat champions Liverpool to bolster top-five hopes Chelsea win 'important' in Champions League race - but who will prevail How 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool These were Palmer's big moments but he had an overall impact on a game that was so crucial to Chelsea who are now only behind fourth-placed Newcastle United on goals scored – 62 against 66 – with the same goal difference of plus-21 It perfectly sets up their visit to Tyneside on Sunday This was a complete performance from Palmer made the joint-most passes ending in the final third (13) and had the joint-most touches in the opposition box (eight) of any Chelsea player His worth is further underlined by the fact that he now has 37 goals in 67 league games for Chelsea - putting him 10th on the club's all-time league top scorers list "I just felt normal," said Palmer I went three months without scoring but it just gives me more fight and motivation to do more for myself and for the team it feels like you're letting your team down I feel pride in helping the team and if I'm not doing that "Social media nowadays is full of idiots but it's only one and I've got to keep improving and try to reach new levels." Head coach Maresca never doubted his key man as he added: "We see him day to day on the training ground and he is always the same "He is unhappy when he is not scoring because he is someone who only wants to help the team and the club." who was brought down by Quansah for Chelsea's late penalty joined the chorus of praise as he said: "He deserves it He helps us a lot even when he didn't score He's a great guy and deserves everything." The scale of the celebrations at Stamford Bridge among fans and players showed how much this victory meant Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez ran the length of the pitch to join in the scenes of elation as the forward disappeared under a collection of blue shirts If this does prove to be the day when Palmer finally rediscovered his golden touch it came with perfect timing for the Londoners A place in the Champions League will make life a lot easier for Maresca and everyone at Chelsea as they contemplate defining fixtures against those fighting with them for those precious places to end their season they will visit Nottingham Forest - currently three points behind in sixth place - on 25 May These days will shape Chelsea's destiny for next season And with Palmer in the sort of form that tormented Liverpool his side will feel they are approaching the final fences in good shape Get Chelsea news sent straight to your phone Top storiesLive Champions League updates: Calafiori back training for Arsenal before PSG semi-final Stunning stats and 'Ronaldo behaviour' - is Yamal cut out to rival Messi Real seek to sign Alexander-Arnold for Club World Cup A gritty crime saga set in Liverpool starring Sean Bean Stacey Dooley explores Britain’s shoplifting epidemic Who has made Troy's Premier League team of the week Is the risk that Mercedes took with Antonelli paying off Trailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China 'Calamity keeper' or 'human wall' - which Donnarumma will Arsenal face Zhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights VideoZhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights Alexander-Arnold leaves as modern Liverpool great - but fans will feel hurt 'Scheffler and DeChambeau wins further raise US PGA excitement levels' Match-fixing scandal to Crucible champion - fall and rise of Zhao 'We need to take a look at ourselves' - Arsenal stalling at wrong time Europa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney VideoEuropa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney Ask Me Anything the new BBC Sport service designed to serve you Bayern's 'James Bond' - how Kane clinched his first trophy Nine bolters with a shot of making the Lions squad VideoHow 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool Solskjaer on Besiktas Saints 'punch' favourites Leinster in game for the ages VideoVardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer Poppy's tears Elton John & Happy Gilmore - McIlroy on Jimmy Fallon show Copyright © 2025 BBC. 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In what was one of his standout appearances in a Chelsea shirt so far helping control the midfield battle while boasting a flawless passing display not misplacing a single pass during his time on the pitch against the Reds Supporters on the Chelsea Official App also voted him second for the Player of the Match prize, only missing out to Cole Palmer, while the midfielder received praise from head coach Enzo Maresca as the Italian explained that the Blues are a ‘better team’ with Romeo involved Speaking after the game, the Belgian midfielder was quick to credit the team with goals from Enzo Fernandez handing the Blues all three crucial points ‘It’s a great result,’ the 21-year-old opened ‘We have been very focused on what we have to do so it was good to see that the plan we had worked out well ‘My goal for the whole season was to be with the team and help them as much as I can I’m pleased I’ve been able to do it [against Liverpool] I take it game by game and I’m enjoying every moment control and composure in midfield allowed attacking players like Cole Palmer to be extremely effective against Liverpool and the Belgian was keen to praise the talent exhibited by our No so you can’t really see a difference on his face,’ he laughed Lavia acknowledged that the win marks another step forward for the Blues with Maresca’s side now unbeaten in the Premier League since the start of April but he added that the squad will remain grounded in our quest for Champions League qualification and we have another big one on Thursday [against Djurgarden],’ he said but I think we just have to focus on each game Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player It was the moment all Chelsea fans must have felt that Cole Palmer is well and truly back Palmer’s injury-time penalty was significant It not only secured all three points for Chelsea against Liverpool but also ended a personal goal drought lasting four months since the game on January 14 against Bournemouth But it was his bit of magic in the 81st minute that had people off their seats and believing again There seemed to be very little on when Palmer had the ball on the touchline at the Liverpool end The 22-year-old ran towards Liverpool’s goal you just thought he was trying to invite a challenge to win a corner a penalty or would look to pass to a team-mate especially as Palmer’s eyes deliberately darted to the right (Alisson’s left) The Brazil international left the tiniest gap at the near post But surely the angle was too tight to shoot Palmer fooled everybody by trying to score instead but the ball rebounded off the far post and came out perhaps Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca was the only other person in the ground not to be taken completely unawares When asked if he thought Palmer would attempt such an effort at that moment he replied with a smile: “Cole is that kind of player They (people like Palmer) are different players I expect anything because he can do anything.” Such brilliance used to seemingly come with the match ticket in the first 18 months of Palmer’s Chelsea career But his self-belief has visibly drained since January as he failed to find the net Even the regular supply of assists dried up That has provoked a lot of scorn to be aimed in his direction from those who love to tear people down on social media As much as footballers say they pay no attention to it when going through a lean spell Palmer essentially admitted that his downturn had taken some kind of toll but only because of the impact it was having on the team “I went three (four) months without scoring but it just gives me more fight and motivation to do more for myself and for the team,” he said but it’s only one and I’ve got to keep improving and try to reach new levels it feels like you’re letting your team down This was Palmer sparking fear in opponents once more — and the new champions no less Palmer’s bit of trickery with nine minutes remaining was not his only moment to remember from a pulsating encounter it was his perfectly-weighted pass to Pedro Neto who crossed for Enzo Fernandez to score in the third minute which showed he was in the mood to make a difference Liverpool players would try to close him down Palmer would also be working hard to try to win it back One instinctive ball over the top for Nicolas Jackson to run onto in the 16th minute was also a reminder of the vision he possesses He led Kostas Tsimikas a merry dance in the build-up to Chelsea’s second goal and his quick feet must have bewitched Virgil van Dijk too because he hit a panicked clearance against team-mate Jarell Quansah and the ball rebounded into the net Some statistics that emerged post-match further emphasised what we had just witnessed Palmer came out on top for most passes in the final third (13) shots on target (two) and for fouls won (two) Scoring the penalty kick in added time capped things off It also brought the loudest roar from the Chelsea fans celebrating seeing him find the net again as much as the team restoring their two-goal lead His fellow Chelsea players made a show of marking the moment with their team-mate “He deserves it,” Moises Caicedo said to Sky Sports He helps us a lot even when he didn’t score.” it means Palmer has had a huge weight lifted off his shoulders ahead of the tough run-in to secure a top-five place and the target of Champions League football next season Away games at fellow challengers Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest await with a home match against Manchester United sandwiched in between But Maresca can see the significance of Palmer looking more like his old self and being back on the scoresheet Pressed on the significance and the timing of what he produced against Liverpool with such huge fixtures to come I said if we want to reach the (top five of the) Premier League we needed goals from Cole and Nico (Jackson) “Nico scored against Everton and gave us three points (1:25)Mark Donaldson and Don Hutchinson question Mikel Arteta's selection vs Transfers homepage | Done deals | Men's January grades | Women's January grades but -- with a £50m release clause written into his contract -- appears to be headed for one of Europe's elite clubs once the transfer window opens Antony could bolster Mikel Arteta's wide options and United are willing to let him go to help reduce their wage bill it is suggested that the novelty of playing abroad "has worn off" for the 23-year-old The disgraced former Manchester United player has recently been criticised by coach Roberto De Zerbi and OM's fans play2:21Would Kevin De Bruyne thrive in the MLS?The ESPN FC crew discuss which club would suit Kevin De Bruyne the most when he leaves Manchester City - Chelsea, Arsenal and Aston Villa are all holding internal talks about making a move to sign free agent Kevin De Bruyne. The 33-year-old is finishing the season strongly having announced that he will leave Manchester City. (TBR) - Oleksandr Zinchenko looks set to leave Arsenal in the summer with Borussia Dortmund increasingly confident of getting a deal over the line. (Football Insider) - Villa are stepping up their interest in FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa as they look unlikely to trigger the clause to make Marcus Rashford's loan from Manchester United permanent, claims . Villa have been watching 20-year-old Aghehowa since he moved from Atlético Madrid in the summer. (The Sun) - Villa are also looking at Atlético Madrid's Rodrigo De Paul. The Argentina international, 30, only has one year left on his contract with Atletico Madrid, who are open to offers. AC Milan are an alternative destination for the World Cup-winning midfielder. (Birmingham Mail) - Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Axel Tape is open to joining Bayer Leverkusen as a free agent, with the Bundesliga club seeing the 17-year-old as a top player for the future. This comes despite Premier League interest. (Florian Plettenberg) - Victor Osimhen has suggested he could stay at Galatasaray beyond this season. The Nigeria striker, 26, is on loan in Turkey from Napoli and has scored 33 goals in 37 matches for the Istanbul giants. Heavily linked with Manchester United and Chelsea, Osimhen has said he "wants to continue to make [the Galatasaray fans] proud". (Daily Mirror) - Real Madrid is looking to move on David Alaba this summer. The Austria international is now 32 and has struggled with injuries over the last two seasons. The Club World Cup could be his last involvement with the Spanish giants. (Estadio Deportivo) - Newcastle and Aston Villa are both keen on Bilal El Khannous. Despite being relegated with Leicester, the Morocco attacking midielder, 20, is coveted by the Champions League-chasing pair. El Khannous has scored three goals and made five assists in 34 appearances since joining the Foxes from Belgian club Genk last summer. (Caught Offside) - Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers, Brighton forward Joao Pedro and Ipswich striker Liam Delap are not on Arne Slot's shortlist for Liverpool signings this summer, contrary to other reports. (Daily Mail) - Newly promoted Leeds United have been given the green light by Newcastle to make a move for Sean Longstaff. The 27-year-old central midfielder has become a peripheral figure at St James' Park and Daniel Farke is looking to add Premier League experience to his squad. (Shields Gazette) - Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, 22, could leave Arsenal for FC Copenhagen this summer. With the Gunners looking to bring in new forwards, the striker has been deemed surplus to requirements at the Emirates after just two appearances this season. (Football Insider) Liverpool’s eighth and biggest defeat of the season also tightened Chelsea’s grip on that precious fifth Champions League spot and if we glimpsed anything here it was perhaps the growing ability of Enzo Maresca’s side to ride out the tough periods and make their moments of supremacy matter A very early goal by Enzo Fernández set the tone; a deeply comical own goal by Jarell Quansah doubled their lead and Cole Palmer’s penalty with almost the final kick made the points safe Liverpool had 65% possession and beyond Virgil van Dijk’s valedictory late header it’s hard to recall a single thing they did with it Arne Slot rotated heavily and in the process reminded us why he doesn’t rotate more often It is rare for a champion team to be met with the resounding consensus that it needs to be broken up and rebuilt as soon as possible as Liverpool’s second-string midfield returned Chelsea’s guard of honour with one of their own There is of course partial mitigation to be found in the weird post-title vibes stacked in the wrong place and faintly flecked with steak sauce All season Liverpool have been laser-locked on this one singular objective so what happens when you suddenly take it away Enzo Fernández (far right) gives Chelsea the lead precision has long been one of Chelsea’s main issues the wasted chances and wasted potential reflecting those wasted millions off the pitch And if there is at least a shape and a solidity to them now two hard-working banks of four off the ball then what Maresca has given in backbone he has taken in flair and fun The upshot is that it only really takes a moment for the entire mood of the stadium to turn Nobody ever really seems to be having a good time The body language on the pitch is still awful Neto needlessly headed the ball out for a corner and the crowd pretty much screeched in frustration The good news for Chelsea was that Liverpool were more than happy to do the job for them having long since given up on Neto outside him simply dribbled past his team-mate on the right wing and squared it for Madueke Wataru Endo made the initial tackle but Van Dijk’s rushed clearance smacked Quansah on the thigh and rebounded in: truly Free daily newsletterKick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football The last half hour passed in something of a blur Darwin Núñez and Mohamed Salah both missed simple headers to cut the deficit; Palmer and Jadon Sancho could easily have added a third goal and even if Van Dijk’s late header from Alexis Mac Allister’s corner summoned up a little basic species pride finally released from his right-back prison by the arrival of Reece James one of the three right-backs on the Chelsea bench Quansah wearily lunged in and brought him down Palmer’s penalty seemed unduly freighted with tension But he slotted the ball home safely enough to end an 18-match scoring drought a welcome hit of confidence ahead of big tests at home and in Europe These last four games – and we can safely write off the second leg against Djurgarden – will define Maresca’s first season at Chelsea a season that has seen genuine changes to the style and organisation of play And even if this is still a team prone to bizarre fits and outbursts even if much of the Stamford Bridge crowd remains largely unsold on it Premier League tradition was not well received by many of the home faithful at Stamford Bridge Arne Slot insists he did not hear Chelsea fans booing the guard of honour given to his Liverpool players as he hinted at potential new signings for the champions this summer Chelsea abided by established Premier League tradition at Stamford Bridge as their players lined up to applaud their Reds counterparts as they came out of the tunnel ahead of Sunday’s game, with the visitors having wrapped up the title with four games to spare by coming from behind to thrash Tottenham 5-1 at Anfield last weekend Clubs are under no obligation to perform what is an entirely voluntary gesture, though Blues boss Enzo Maresca and defender Marc Cucurella had both publicly confirmed in the days leading up to the game that they would give Liverpool the guard of honour that they said they deserved - with title rivals Arsenal Brighton and Crystal Palace all expected to follow suit over the coming weeks There were loud boos from the home fans as the guard of honour was performed on Sunday, but Slot was more focused on the non-stop title party that continued in the away end at the Bridge despite travel difficulties and a 3-1 defeat for his side “I only heard our fans during almost the whole game I just heard that they couldn't come here on trains But they were on time and they were loud throughout the whole game I haven't heard anyone booing - I only heard our fans singing.” Slot followed through on his promise to rotate his squad against Chelsea with the title already clinched making six changes from the thumping win over Spurs 'A machine': Palmer reveals Chelsea's best player after Liverpool win Maresca reveals possible '15-day' Chelsea injury blow before big games Chelsea have real belief as Liverpool lack intensity after title party Enter the AXA Startup Angel competition to win £25,000 However, Cole Palmer, having already hit the post, then stepped up in the closing seconds of stoppage time to coolly dispatch a penalty beyond Alisson after Quansah had fouled Moises Caicedo, finally ending his run of 18 matches without a goal across all competitions. Such a defeat with a largely second-string side in many areas will only add to calls that Liverpool need to strengthen their squad this summer in a bid to successfully defend their title, with Georgia international goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili already set to arrive from LaLiga outfit Valencia in a £35million deal agreed last September. Asked if he felt there was a big summer ahead in terms of recruitment, Slot told Sky Sports: “It’s already a big summer because we extended Virgil and Mo [Salah’s contracts]. For large parts of the season I don’t think everybody expected that, so for us to keep them is already a big thing. “We will see what the summer will bring but I’ve said many times, I’m really happy with the squad we have but it is also true that it’s the second year in a row these players are together. “Sometimes it can be good to bring some fresh energy as well, but last year we decided just to keep them all. So we will just see what we will do, but it’s already been a big summer. We won the league and we kept Virgil and Mo.” On potentially adding to a winning team and “striking while the iron is hot” in the transfer market, he added: “Yeah, but only if we see a chance in the market or if we can see someone who can improve us. “It’s not so easy to improve this team because it’s already a team that won the Premier League, that was so, so good against Paris Saint-Germain at home [in the Champions League last 16] but unfortunately we lost that on penalties.” Federico Chiesa is the only player to have joined Liverpool during Slot’s tenure so far, but has been a peripheral figure on Merseyside since arriving from Juventus in a cut-price deal worth around £12.5m last summer. He is expected to be given a chance to prove himself in the final weeks of the season, but was restricted to a late substitute’s role against Chelsea despite the Reds trailing as he eventually replaced left-back Kostas Tsimikas in the 82nd minute to make a fifth league appearance of the season that will guarantee him a winners’ medal. Many fans were disappointed not to see Chiesa given more of a runout at Stamford Bridge, with Slot explaining when asked why he took so long to introduce the Italian: “Because I decided to bring other players in first, because I already brought Darwin [Nunez] in so that wasn't a position I could bring him in. “Then Cody Gakpo, I liked him a lot today, he played a really good game and I've changed him and took him out in the last few weeks many times already. Mo is always a player that can score a goal, so that's why I first made different substitutions. “In the end, I would almost say what people expect from me over here is we take an extra risk, so get a defender out, bring Federico in. That also led to us scoring the goal, but not enough time left for him to make the difference, unfortunately.” VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Lady Victoria Starmer Maresca praise for 16-year-old Chelsea debutant Walsh BBC Sport football news reporter at 3Arena in StockholmPublished2 May 2025Chelsea have been so dominant throughout this year's Europa Conference League that while sweeping aside just about every team in front of them they have also been able to use the competition to blood a number of youngsters The Blues have one foot in the final after a comfortable 4-1 win over Djurgarden in their semi-final first leg on Thursday - and this time it was 16-year-old Reggie Walsh's turn to be introduced on the global stage he is unable to sign a professional contract until his 17th birthday in October But Walsh is now Chelsea's third youngest ever player behind only midfielder Ian Hamilton and goalkeeper Kingsley Whiffen - who made their debuts in 1967 - having entered the pitch at 3Arena six months and 11 days after his 16th birthday When asked by BBC Sport why he chose to bring on Walsh who almost scored from the edge of the box with his first touch he needs to work hard and he needs to grow for sure they just said to me that we gave eight debuts this season from the academy On whether Walsh now needs to focus on his GCSEs Maresca added: "This is the most important thing for him at this moment Walsh is a technically gifted midfield and has played mostly for the under-18s this season registering four goals and two assists in 15 games while also making two appearances for the under-21 side He joined Chelsea at the age of seven and progressed through the age groups at Cobham from the under-15s through to the under-17s Maresca was pictured whispering in his ear as Walsh prepared to come on later revealing that he told the teenager to "enjoy the moment be happy and play the way he's training with us every day" "He's so good because he makes everything easy," said the Italian also said of Walsh on TNT Sports: "He's a very good player I'm very happy for him to make his debut I hope [there's] more to come for him and I am very happy for him." Jackson's double gives Chelsea control in Djurgarden How teenager George broke through Chelsea's £1bn squad Antony volley hands Betis first-leg lead over Fiorentina More on this storyLatest Chelsea news Jonathan Wilson and Dan Bardell as Chelsea secure a vital win over Liverpool in the race for Champions League football next season On the podcast today; Chelsea inflict a third defeat of the season on Liverpool to help them in the race for fifth place Cole Palmer returning to form and Roméo Lavia back in the centre might just be enough to get them over the line Arsenal field a strong side and lose to Bournemouth Manchester United and Spurs opt to heavily rotate in their games against Brentford and West Ham respectively before Europa League games on Thursday night final day across the EFL and your questions answered Support the Guardian here You can also find Football Weekly on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at Leigh Sports VillagePublished1 May 2025466 CommentsWhen former manager Emma Hayes announced her departure from Chelsea a seed of doubt was planted - was this the end of their dominance Who could possibly replace the woman who had led them to five successive Women's Super League titles and 14 major trophies in 12 years an invitation for their rivals and a new challenge for Chelsea to navigate when celebrations broke out at Leigh Sports Village after Chelsea's 1-0 win over Manchester United confirmed them as league champions again Hayes' successor Sonia Bompastor turned around then unwrapped a flag to give to her players to celebrate with The ease in which she has taken on Hayes' legacy has been just as impressive as Chelsea's unbeaten run and will only strike fear into those hoping to topple them WSL highlights: Manchester United 0-1 Chelsea There was an air of inevitability as Chelsea rocked up in Manchester on Wednesday night To say they were preparing to win their sixth successive WSL title would be wrong Bompastor admitted they had not entertained the idea that Arsenal would drop points at Aston Villa still bruised from their Champions League semi-final humiliation on Sunday and keen to put it right When word of Arsenal's 5-2 defeat at Aston Villa eventually spread through the stands at Leigh Sports Village acting as if they had no indication what was happening elsewhere It was a stark contrast to the outpouring of emotion that came from the stands 90 minutes later when they were crowned champions again Supporters were so sure of victory when Lucy Bronze headed in the game's only goal in the 74th minute left it late to break the deadlock but did what needed to be done even when they were not playing their best "Mentality monsters" has been their tag in recent times and they leant on that numerous times again this season 33% of them came in the final 15 minutes of matches - more than any other WSL team They also picked up eight points after coming from behind in games - only Manchester City have earned more from losing positions it was always Chelsea's title to lose - they had won the previous five WSL trophies had the biggest budget in the league and invested further in the transfer window Their spending has been unmatched - but that is why they are champions Chelsea recruited one of the best coaches in Europe snatching Bompastor from French giants Lyon When they were pushed to the brink last season by Manchester City winning their fifth successive title on goal difference they responded by signing Champions League winners Bronze and Keira Walsh from Barcelona They bounced back from a defeat at Manchester City in the Champions League to beat them days later in the league and scored a stoppage-time winner against Liverpool to book their place in the Women's FA Cup final They have built a squad capable of challenging on all domestic fronts and they remain on course to win the Treble this season Is the gap widening between Chelsea and everybody else in the WSL Their points tally and unbeaten season suggests it is Arsenal and Manchester United showed their credentials in spells But the difference has always been that Chelsea still win when they are vulnerable Chelsea secure sixth successive WSL title at Man Utd The numbers behind Chelsea's latest WSL title Chelsea eye records after sealing another title Bompastor - proud of WSL title winners Chelsea Chelsea's mentality has played a "massive part" in their success but her leadership is another key component Bompastor has always remained calm and never looked out of place As Liverpool's men celebrated lifting the Premier League trophy just days before - Arne Slot triumphing in the glory of Jurgen Klopp's well-laid foundations - similarities could be seen in Bompastor and Hayes The Frenchwoman arrived in London knowing she had a squad full of talent 'Perfection' and 'the ideal' are words Bompastor has used consistently throughout the season but she knows that will take time she spoke about craving perfection and wanting to develop a true identity next season she can have no complaints about their success in England even if the disappointment of their Champions League exit weighs heavily Bompastor has made tactical tweaks - encouraging more possession a more aggressive press and a less direct approach on the ball turned winger Sandy Baltimore into a full-back and given responsibility to 19-year-old midfielder Wieke Kaptein Perhaps the biggest contrast to the Hayes' era is Bompastor's personality kept people on their toes and used her platform to challenge norms - Bompastor is sometimes understated Her title celebrations appeared to be subdued she is a "simple person" and will enjoy precious moments with family back in London A "little bit" of champage and some chocolate may be on the cards but Bompastor already has her eye on the Treble She was conscious of her achievements but humble enough to acknowledge Hayes' involvement taking time to thank her in her post-match media conference It was a mark of respect as Bompastor began not only reflecting on Chelsea's past achievements but on what could still come in the future This may be the first title win under Bompastor but if this is a far cry from the perfection she craves Head here to get involved Get the latest WSL news on our dedicated page To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser View comments | 466Top storiesLive Attacker was a captive spirit on the right and he delivered unprescribed moments of quality despite Maresca’s rigid system With 84 minutes gone at Stamford Bridge Cole Palmer did something off-grid skittering past Conor Bradley near the corner flag veering inside with that surprising gangly turn of speed and shooting from a fine angle and going inside Alisson as he came for the cross The ball curved away just enough to hit the post and bounce away from goal. Chelsea were 2-0 up at the time. Maybe he won’t get told off too much. two minutes into stoppage time Chelsea were awarded a penalty including Robert Sánchez who ran the length of the pitch just to make it quite clear this was also about him It was Palmer’s first goal since 14 January his first in 19 games to go with two assists in that time Chelsea have been on an upturn in results in the last few weeks But this is clearly not the greatest use of Cole Palmer and another note in the lingering bad taste around this place at times even have a full-back whose name translates as “Bad Taste”) In his TV interview after the game Palmer talked about the “idiots and trolls” of social media remains an unanswered theme of Enzo Maresca’s management This was an excellent afternoon for Chelsea. Victory makes it four in a row at just the right time They still need to go to Newcastle and Nottingham Forest but look in a good position not to be standing when the music stops Perhaps the stars are even aligning a little The Club World Cup is already a massive windfall Chelsea will get £70m or so just for getting through the group stage Chuck in £100m-odd from Uefa just for finishing in the top six Chelsea can earn a huge amount this season for not doing very much very well They were lucky here to come up against a Liverpool team that was basically half asleep At times it felt like there were three entities on the pitch Liverpool pretending to be Liverpool for the day This mannered Chelsea team playing to save its mannered season even if watching him in this Chelsea team can feel a bit like watching Salvador Dalí pretend to be an accountant and all the while secretly painting a cup of fur under his desk John Kerry was in the very expensive seats the 81-year-old one-time US secretary of state watching on as a sputtering superpower with a confused sense of mission tried to assert itself on the world and yes insert your own home-from-home punchline here Cole Palmer celebrates after ending his goal drought. Photograph: Robin Jones/Getty ImagesChelsea scored with three minutes gone, the move made by Palmer’s swift pass out to Pedro Neto, whose cross was expertly finished by Enzo Fernández. And from the start Palmer played a little deeper on the right than you might have wanted him. For long periods his entire game was curling a pass into the run of Nicolas Jackson and watching, vaguely interested, as a kind of random ricochet ball took place, the chaos dribble theory. But Palmer made Chelsea’s second goal by doing another unusual thing, easing away from Kostas Tsimikas and crossing into a messy penalty area where the ball was hacked and scuffed and blootered about until eventually it went in off Jarell Quansah. That was pretty much that. For Liverpool, Darwin Núñez came on and bullocked about like a riderless horse in a jumps race. Roméo Lavia was excellent in the Chelsea midfield. And by the end Stamford Bridge was a happy place, even Maresca allowing himself a contained, controlled little caper on the touchline. He is an amazing figure, able to sustain at all times that air of long-suffering calm, the look of a manager for whom every turn, every disappointment is just another masterful feint in the unknowable masterplan of Enzo Maresca. At times it has looked a strange match-up. Buy all these young creative players. Then hire a systems manager who will turns them into units of telematic flesh, anti-adverts for themselves. There was a glimpse of something here. Whether it’s enough remains to be seen. BBC Sport women’s football news reporterPublished1 May 2025168 CommentsChelsea's dominance on English women's football continues as they wrapped up a sixth successive Women's Super League title on Wednesday With some of the best players in the world on their books Chelsea showed they remain a class above the rest in manager Sonia Bompastor's first season in charge Superstar players have taken centre stage in their title win - but who has gone under the radar in another memorable WSL campaign Here are five unsung heroes of Chelsea's title win Summer signing Sandy Baltimore arrived in London from Paris St-Germain with bags of experience in the French league and in Europe But few could have predicted just how impressive the 25-year-old's debut season at Chelsea would be Bompastor raised eyebrows when she played Baltimore as a left wing-back starting 13 and contributing to four goals in her last four games in the WSL She told BBC Sport in January: "I have more responsibility defensively to dribble and to make runs towards their goal But I am enjoying it because it's football." Baltimore's impressive form and consistency kept England left-back Niamh Charles out of the team but can also help the team move forward to create opportunities in the box It's really nice to have a player like her," said Bompastor "I know different players are competing for that left-back position she's really performing and helping the team "She is having success and it's not just in the last few weeks it was almost from the beginning of the season." Chelsea broke the world record transfer fee to sign USA centre-back Naomi Girma in January But that only seemed to provide motivation for Nathalie Bjorn who must have known her position in the team was under threat Bjorn has provided stability to Chelsea's defence with only Manchester United conceding fewer goals throughout the campaign Asked if she had gone under the radar this season She's been incredible for us and is a vital part of the changing room "She keeps everyone together and sometimes that goes unnoticed a little bit as well She has had a fantastic season and is so easy to play alongside She is such a team player and as long as the team performs and wins Chelsea signed Wieke Kaptein from FC Twente in 2023 and she returned there on loan for the 2023-24 season One of Chelsea's brightest youngsters is Wieke Kaptein who signed from FC Twente in 2023 and returned there for a season on loan The 19-year-old has been a surprise standout under Bompastor often praised for her work off the ball and how she reads the game She has been trusted in the big matches and given responsibility starting in key games against Manchester United Bompastor said: "I am so happy to have her in my squad She has a lot of energy as a person and as a player "She is someone who always wants to have some advice from the staff and the coaches she already has a lot of experience as a player." One of the biggest changes to the Chelsea side under Bompastor is a consistent number one Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton has stepped up to the task performing when it matters and picking up the Player of the Match award in their title-winning match against Manchester United Bompastor has encouraged her side to play out from the back and adopt a less direct approach and Hampton's distribution has proven to be vital in that "Hampton is probably the best keeper with the ball at her feet Technically she starts off a lot of Chelsea's attacking play," said former England striker Natasha Dowie on BBC Radio 5 Live Ex-Scotland defender Jen Beattie added: "She's been huge You have all the history of Chelsea winning but it's Hannah Hampton's first season of success It's a big jersey to fill but she has been awesome for this team." Scotland midfielder Erin Cuthbert does not always get the spotlight but she remains a crucial member of the squad The 26-year-old has been involved in all six of Chelsea's successive title wins and has made almost 150 appearances for the club She has a habit of popping up in the big moments - scoring in their Women's FA Cup semi-final victory over Liverpool and providing the stoppage-time winner that sealed a 2-1 result at Manchester City in March Her experience and leadership has been evident again this season and she was soaking up their success after Wednesday's latest title win when they lost at Liverpool and they thought they had thrown the league title away I remember seeing Cuthbert on the pitch crying," said Dowie "You saw how much it meant to her to win this title even though they had already won it for four years in a row How Chelsea extended dynasty with latest WSL title View comments | 168Top storiesLive New Premier League champions Liverpool were given a "guard of honour" by Chelsea on Sunday in the Reds' first match since winning the 2024/25 title A guard of honour is the informal ceremony that takes place when a team plays a match after already securing the Premier League title The players of the winning club - in this case Liverpool - walk between two parallel lines of opposition players who stand and applaud A guard of honour can take place regardless of whether the champions are playing at home or away There is no obligation or anything in the regulations that requires Premier League teams to provide a guard of honour It is purely a voluntary show of respect for the achievements of their fellow professionals at another club The only time that the tradition was slightly different came when Liverpool won the 2019/20 Premier League title with seven matches to spare during the pandemic-hit season, with all games played behind closed doors. Each of Liverpool’s last seven opponents gave Jurgen Klopp's side a guard of honour Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United team are thought to be the first Premier League side to receive a guard of honour, at Goodison Park in May 2003. It was offered by their opponents Everton as the Red Devils had already been confirmed as champions prior to the match There have been 11 subsequent seasons when a guard of honour has taken place – with some champions enjoying the accolade on multiple occasions. Leicester City were provided with one by both Everton and Chelsea in the final matches of the Foxes' fairytale 2015/16 title-winning campaign Manchester City walked out to a guard of honour four times following their 2017/18 title success gave Liverpool a guard of honour in that campaign There have been some highly memorable – and sometimes awkward – guards of honour over the years In 2004/05, Man Utd, champions in the previous season, applauded Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea on to the pitch following their first-ever Premier League title success There was little love lost between these two rivals and to rub salt into the wounds Chelsea came from behind to win the match 3-1 at Old Trafford but there were boos aplenty from the home fans the Dutchman scored a penalty for Man Utd to secure a 1-1 draw 2003 - Everton for Man Utd2005 - Man Utd for Chelsea’s first Premier League title 2007 - Chelsea for Man Utd2011 - Blackpool for Man Utd2013 - Arsenal for Man Utd 2015 - Liverpool for Chelsea 2016 - Everton and Chelsea for Leicester 2017 - Watford and Sunderland for Chelsea 2018 - Swansea Huddersfield and Brighton for Man City 2020 - Man City Chelsea and Newcastle for Liverpool 2021 - Newcastle and Everton for Man City 2023 - Chelsea for Man City While a guard of honour is usually reserved for Premier League champions there have been rare occasions when individuals have been honoured this way after bringing the curtain down on a glittering career at Old Trafford on his last home match in charge of Liverpool in 2024 On the playing side, both Chelsea and Sunderland gave the Blues’ captain John Terry a guard of honour to mark his final game for the club in 2017 before joining Aston Villa Chelsea then gave him a second guard of honour in the middle of the match itself when he was subbed off after 26 minutes Your entry has been submitted successfully Please check your email for further information HEALTH and Wolfe have united for the new single “MEAN.” “MEAN” is not a Taylor Swift cover it’s a billowing cloud of gracefully dark vocals and throbbing keyboard ooze It’s the type of song that won’t truly sound right until you hear it in a place where green lasers are pulsing through dry-ice fog in time with the beat The most important stories and least important memes The Blues got off to a great start when Enzo Fernandez put us in front after just three minutes and we never looked like surrendering our lead An own-goal from Jarrell Quansah early in the second period was just reward for Chelsea and despite Virgil Van Dijk setting up a nervy finish with a header five minutes from time, Cole Palmer rounded off a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon at the Bridge from the penalty spot deep into injury-time Enzo Maresca reverted to the same XI that beat Everton in the Premier League last weekend with eight alterations to the side that defeated Djurgarden on Thursday night Robert Sanchez's return to fitness meant he started and Moises Caicedo was at right-back once more, alongside Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella Romeo Lavia was in the XI again, alongside Fernandez, with Palmer in the more advanced role, Pedro Neto on the right and Noni Madueke on the left. Nicolas Jackson fresh from making it three goals in two games midweek as Sanchez had to dive to claim an early cross but it was Chelsea who scored the game's opening goal after just three minutes Palmer released Neto on the right flank and after driving past Kostas Tsimikas his low cross was well controlled by Fernandez close to the penalty area and he coolly slotted into the bottom right corner for 1-0 Chelsea were attacking with pace and Madueke saw a low shot go wide of the post after a dangerous counter while at the other end Sanchez did well to hold on to Cody Gakpo's curled shot There were several nearly moments for the Blues before Neto had a blocked volley from close range following Liverpool's failure to clear a Fernandez corner good skill from Madueke saw him play a one-two with Cucurella deep inside the Reds' box and the winger's toe-poke towards goal was accidentally blocked by Jackson The ball fell to Caicedo and his cross from the byline bounced off the top of the crossbar Some of the Chelsea fans inside Stamford Bridge thought we had a second goal shortly before half-time when a counter-attack ended with Neto cutting inside and hitting the side-netting with a low drive towards the near post Madueke did have the ball inside the net a minute later after being slipped through by Jackson and rounding Alisson but the striker had strayed offside in the build-up with Jackson having a relatively tame shot saved and we extended our advantage 11 minutes into the second half Good dribbling from Palmer on the right flank saw him get to the byline and square across the six-yard box Madueke's sliding effort was blocked by the diving defender but when Virgil Van Dijk attempted to clear the ball rebounded off Quansah and into the net for 2-0 Jackson's work rate then created a chance but his shot from a tight angle was easily saved before the visitors enjoyed a period of pressure without truly troubling Sanchez in our goal Van Dijk and Salah did head over and wide respectively though The Blues continued to carry a threat on the counter-attack, though. Alisson needed to make a good save from substitute Jadon Sancho after Madueke had a goal-bound effort blocked It wasn't long until Palmer beat his man wide left and hit a shot from a tight angle which struck the far post and rebounded across the face of goal Liverpool set up a nervy finish by pulling a goal back with five minutes of normal time remaining But it was Chelsea who looked most like scoring another Neto fired over following good build-up play and we guaranteed the win deep into injury-time Jackson was bundled over in the penalty area leaving Palmer to step up and score his first goal since mid-January With Newcastle United drawing to Brighton earlier in the day plus Aston Villa and Man City winning in recent days it means just seven points separate Nottingham Forest and Villa in sixth and seventh and the Gunners in third three points above Nottingham Forest who play Crystal Palace tomorrow in their game in hand but they have an inferior goal difference We are level on points - and goal difference - with Newcastle United above us and only one point below Manchester City in third We are now just four points off Arsenal in second The Blues' focus now turns to Thursday's Conference League semi-final second leg against Djurgarden with us enjoying a 4-1 lead heading into the game at Stamford Bridge We will then be back in Premier League action next Sunday Madueke; Jackson (Sancho 72)Substitutes not used: Jorgensen Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Bradley 57) Tsimikas (Chiesa 82); Endo (Mac Allister 69) Jones The Blues' serene pursuit of Conference League glory continued in the week as they cruised to a 4-1 victory at Swedish outfit Djurgården in the first leg of their semifinal However, arguably a more important goal for Chelsea is securing Champions League football via a top-five Premier League finish The Blues edged a tight encounter with Everton last week and would've been thrilled to see Nottingham Forest lose at home to Brentford on Thursday night Chelsea currently occupy fifth with four games to go but challenging away days at Newcastle and Forest beckon Liverpool, meanwhile, can enjoy the campaign's finale after they were confirmed as champions last weekend It's been a stroll at the summit for the Reds due to the lack of a distinct challenger with Arsenal struggling to take advantage of any slip-ups over the spring Arne Slot's side have won three on the bounce including last week's 5-1 dismantling of Tottenham Hotspur and they're now aiming to finish the campaign with as big a points total as possible Here is Sports Illustrated's guide Sunday's standout Premier League clash Robert Sanchez is a doubt for Liverpool's visit / IMAGO / Action PlusMaresca once again shuffled his pack in midweek as his team took a big step towards the Conference League final Trevoh Chalobah and Moises Caicedo all appeared off the bench in Sweden and will be back in the XI this weekend Levi Colwill and Pedro Neto were unused subsititutes on Thursday The boss has said that both Robert Sanchez and Christopher Nkunku will be assessed ahead of the game due to the knocks they've recently sustained Filip Jorgensen will retain his place between the posts if Sanchez isn't deemed fit The Blues have lost Wesley Fofana for the season Chelsea predicted lineup vs Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Caicedo Harvey Elliott will be given a chance to impress on Sunday / IMAGO / Propaganda PhotoSlot has said that he will rotate his starting XI during Liverpool's final four outings of the season offering minutes to those who have only played sporadic roles in the club's title triumph While we shouldn't expect an array of changes on Sunday Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott could both get chances to impress in attack Mohamed Salah certainly won't be coming out of the side as he aims to break the Premier League's single-season goal involvements record while Joe Gomez remains out of action for the visitors Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold Chelsea's form looks positive on paper and this game undeniably means more to them after Liverpool wrapped up the title last weekend the Blues cannot think that the visitors will be taking their foot off the gas on Sunday haven't been all that convincing as of late despite enjoying a prolonged unbeaten domestic run Stamford Bridge has hardly been a fortress this term with Ipswich Town the latest team to steal points off the Blues in west London despite the changes Slot could make to his team are well-placed to take advantage of what can often appear an insipid Chelsea outfit hindering the hosts' top-five challenge JAMES CORMACK Nottingham Forest have won just one of their past five Premier League matches Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has said the race to secure a Champions League place will go "all the way" this season After their top-five hopes suffered a blow in a defeat by Brentford on Thursday Forest dropped more points on Monday in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace Forest failed to move level on points with Newcastle and Chelsea - in fourth and fifth respectively - but Nuno is confident his side can catch up It's for sure [going to go] all the way," Nuno told Sky Sports A top-five finish remains in Forest's hands with favourable fixtures against relegated Leicester and 17th-placed West Ham before a potentially decisive meeting with Chelsea at the City Ground on 25 May "This last few games are going to be like this everybody is fighting for something," Nuno added on BBC Match of the Day "It's up to us to react and read the moments of the game better and make better decisions playing with all this noise around us so the boys can settle down again and play." Opta are less positive on Forest's prospects with the stats experts predicting Newcastle and Chelsea will finish above Nuno's team while Arsenal and Manchester City are expected to occupy second and third Just four points separate Manchester City in third place from Aston Villa in seventh with the Premier League's top five guaranteed a spot in the Champions League next season There will be at least eight Premier league teams competing in Europe next season - up from the usual seven - but things could change in the final weeks of the campaign Twelfth-placed Crystal Palace, who beat Villa in the FA Cup semi-finals last weekend could still end up qualifying for Europe by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final this month BBC Sport looks at how many teams could qualify for each of the continental competitions: the Champions League Forest still in top-five race after draw at Palace Liverpool: Arsenal (H); Brighton (A); Crystal Palace (H) Arsenal: Liverpool (A); Newcastle (H); Southampton (A) Newcastle: Chelsea (H); Arsenal (A); Everton (H) Nottingham Forest: Leicester (H); West Ham (A); Chelsea (H) Manchester City: Southampton (A); Bournemouth (H); Fulham (A) Chelsea: Newcastle (A); Manchester United (H); Nottingham Forest (A) Aston Villa: Bournemouth (A); Tottenham (H); Manchester United (A) Bournemouth: Aston Villa (H); Manchester City (A); Leicester (H) Brentford: Ipswich (A); Fulham (H); Wolves (A) Brighton: Wolves (A); Liverpool (H); Tottenham (A) Fulham: Everton (H); Brentford (A); Manchester City (H) What information do we collect from this quiz?Follow your Premier League club and get news Depending on how things pan out this season there will be between eight and 11 teams from the Premier League taking part in Europe next season At least five of those will be in the Champions League because of England's improved performance in Uefa's coefficient rankings That number could rise to six should Arsenal win the Champions League and finish outside the top five - an unlikely prospect - or even seven if that happens and Manchester United or Tottenham win the Europa League Man Utd and Spurs both stole a march on their opponents in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final ties beating Athletic Club 3-0 and Bodo/Glimt 3-1 respectively How many teams could qualify for the Europa League?The maximum of three Premier League teams could be competing in the Europa League next season Two places will likely go to the team who finish sixth and the FA Cup winners if the cup winners have already secured a European place it will then go to the next highest placed side who have not qualified for Europe A third place could be awarded if Chelsea win the Conference League and fail to qualify for the Champions League The Blues' hopes of lifting that trophy were boosted on Thursday thanks to a 4-1 win at Djurgarden in the first-leg of their semi-final What about the Conference League?There will be one Conference League place awarded to a Premier League team As things stand that will go to Carabao Cup winners Newcastle but that could change if Eddie Howe's side qualify for the Champions League or the Europa League As Newcastle currently sit inside the top four Even a ninth or 10th-place finish could realistically be enough to secure a spot in next season's Conference League It would require Arsenal to win the Champions League Manchester United or Tottenham to win the Europa League and Chelsea to lift the Conference League trophy and all three winners to finish outside the top six Arsenal are second in the Premier League and unlikely to finish outside the top five Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast Get football news sent straight to your phone Gary Neville reckons it won’t be long before Harry Kane is back in the Premier League with Chelsea and Liverpool looking for a striker this summer The England international left Tottenham in the summer of 2023 in search of his first trophy win after years of disappointment at Spurs But Kane was denied in his first season at Bayern Munich with the Bavarians failing to win the Bundesliga title for the first time in 12 campaigns Bayer Leverkusen were brilliant last term but Bayern could not be stopped this season as Xabi Alonso’s side’s 2-2 draw against Freiburg on Sunday confirmed Kane’s first every piece of silverware Kane has scored 60 goals in the Bundesliga in his first two seasons at Bayern Munich and Neville reckons clubs like Liverpool and Chelsea will be hoping he fancies a return to the Premier League in the summer Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast: “Harry Kane is one of the greatest strikers England has ever produced He’s a brilliant professional and I wish we were watching him in the Premier League every singe week “We miss him – his quality and class. You think of these two teams today (Chelsea and Liverpool) “Every team in the Premier League would Manchester City have Erling Haaland but some teams are really lacking a top centre-forward “Liverpool will be looking at a centre-forward Manchester United will be looking at a centre-forward Chelsea will be looking at a centre-forward “Arsenal we know are desperate for a centre-forward Neville was happy to see Kane finally end his trophy drought in Germany and the former Manchester United defender insists that the England striker deserves to enjoy his moment The former Premier League defender added: “To win the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich I know they’ve won a lot of Bundesligas and last season it became a situation where he was mocked for going over there and not winning… but he’ll be happy tonight “He’s someone that doesn’t get carried away by things like this – it’s what he expected – but he’ll feel a real warmth in the sense that he wanted to win trophies “It’s why he was edging towards wanting to go to City a few seasons ago because he was desperate to be part of a successful team “He’s England’s record goalscorer but he didn’t want to get to end of his career without having trophies and medals to show for it © Planet Sport Limited 2025 • All Rights Reserved as they aim to end the weekend still in the Premier League's top-five The Blues have continental glory in the form of the Conference League to pursue, but securing a spot in next season's Champions League is perhaps the club's primary goal during the final month of the season Here's how Chelsea could line up for Liverpool's visit this weekend Nicolas Jackson ended his goal drought last week against the Toffees / IMAGO / PRiME Media ImagesGK: Robert Sanchez— Sanchez is an injury doubt for Sunday and Maresca has said the Spaniard will be assessed ahead of kick-off the Italian may well risk him as he was brilliant in the 1-0 win over Everton last Saturday RB: Moises Caicedo— We saw Roberto De Zerbi use Caicedo at right-back during his time at Brighton and Maresca has done something similar this season The Ecuadorian is good enough one-on-on defensively to compete with wide players and will tuck into central areas when Chelsea have the ball CB: Trevoh Chalobah— The English centre-back has cemented his spot as a Premier League starter after Wesley Fofana suffered a season-ending muscle injury Chalobah was key in Chelsea's slender win last week CB: Levi Colwill— Colwill was again rested in the week as the Blues took a big leap towards the Conference League final. He'll be back in the side for Liverpool's visit Cucurella has been a constant in Chelsea's Premier League XI this term and he'll lock horns with Mohamed Salah on Sunday CM: Romeo Lavia— Once a Liverpool transfer target Lavia is back from injury and set to play a crucial role during the final month of the season CM: Enzo Fernandez— There's a neat balance between craft and brawn in Chelsea's midfield with Fernandez undoubtedly supplying the former RW: Pedro Neto— Neto's goal at Fulham may well have reignited Chelsea's Champions League push two weeks ago with much of his joy this season arriving off the right flank AM: Cole Palmer— Still without a goal since mid-January Maresca hasn't lost faith in his creative talisman yet and Blues supporters must be hopeful that last season's hero has something special up his sleeve for the run-in LW: Noni Madueke— While heavily left-footed and more comfortable on the opposite flank Maresca seemed to get something out of Madueke down the left last week and we could see the England international continue on his 'natural' flank against the champions ST: Nicolas Jackson— Jackson's goal drought came to an end last week and his strike proved decisive against Everton The striker followed that up with a brace on Thursday suggesting that he may well have rediscovered his groove at a crucial point The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Freelance Sports ReporterPublished: Invalid Date CHELSEA fans loved seeing the players' wild dressing celebrations after the win over Liverpool The Blues stormed to a 3-1 win over the newly-crowned Premier League champions at Stamford Bridge on Sunday Enzo Fernandez fired the hosts into the lead before Jarell Quansah put through his own net Virgil van Dijk got one back for Liverpool before Cole Palmer put the result to bed with a 96th-minute penalty The victory for Chelsea is a significant boost to their Champions League qualification hopes The players were clearly overjoyed with the result as they celebrated in the dressing room The video showed Enzo Fernandez shirtless and dancing before Noni Madueke took centre stage. The winger sprang up from his seat to dance in front of the whole squad, who all cheered him on. Fans loved seeing the players in a buoyant mood as they reacted on social media. One posted: "I love these fools." A second wrote: "Missed these vibes." A third commented: "They finally found their happiness." A fourth said: "Most likeable Chelsea squad in a long time The win puts the Blues fifth in the Premier League, level on points with fourth-placed Newcastle Enzo Maresca's squad take on the Magpies on Sunday in what could be a crucial match in the race for the Champions League Chelsea then finish the season with matches against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ Arsenal could also be dragged into the mix The race for Champions League football next season continues to be too tough to call after another pivotal set of results in the Premier League Ahead of Nottingham Forest’s trip to Crystal Palace on Monday night, Chelsea, Manchester City and Aston Villa all recorded important wins... but Newcastle again dropped points In an interesting turn of events, Arsenal’s home defeat to Bournemouth means they are also not yet guaranteed a top-five finish needing five more points from their final three games With that in mind, here is the state of the race to finish in the top five... Manchester City now have a 97.69 per cent chance of finishing in the top five appear set to return to Europe’s top table The same cannot be said of Nottingham Forest who have lost three of their last four games Opta gave them a whopping 80% of securing a first-ever qualification for the Champions League but their chances are now almost halved to 44.32% Newcastle United appear to have benefited most from Forest’s slump Despite being thumped 4-1 by Aston Villa and then scrapping a 1-1 draw at Brighton Newcastle still have a 77.89% chance of finishing in the top five Palmer ends long goal drought as Chelsea beat champions Liverpool Chelsea vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League latest score and updates Potter explains why Paqueta burst into tears when shown a yellow card Chelsea have impressed the most during the run-in a last-gap win over Fulham was followed by a narrow victory over Everton and on Sunday they beat champions Liverpool Those three wins have been the Blues’ chances climb from 29.73% to 66.52% TEAMtalk can reveal Chelsea have offered Dean Huijsen a slightly better financial package than Liverpool as both clubs make a strong push to sign the Bournemouth star Chelsea and Liverpool face an anxious wait after each making Huijsen a key defensive target as the centre-back is currently weighing up his next move The two Premier League giants have been in talks with Huijsen and his camp and sources state that they will find out his choice very soon Chelsea have been working very hard on winning the race and are considered to be in a strong position by many sources TEAMtalk understands Enzo Maresca’s side has sold the project to the 20-year-old and he is very interested in joining the club Of course, sources close to or within Chelsea will state they are in a good position, but we can confirm that there have indeed been very positive conversations. Chelsea have given Huijsen a great pitch with their project and their plans to use him as a crucial player in their squad next season which is described as extremely competitive and will only grow in value as time goes on It would also improve if the Blues have success and win major trophies in the coming years TEAMtalk can confirm Liverpool have been speaking with Huijsen’s camp for the same period of time and want the Spaniard to partner Virgil van Dijk at the heart of their defence next term They see the balance of Van Dijk’s experience and the talent of Huijsen as a great combination Liverpool’s contract proposal is also very strong but Chelsea have offered a better upfront financial package if Chelsea secure Champions League football for next season it could make it difficult for Liverpool to win the race A source who is close to Real Madrid’s scouting network has stated they are still monitoring Huijsen too and pose a threat to any deal Chelsea or Liverpool are aiming to close Decision reached as Chelsea star quits and £100m replacement lined up Liverpool get final Alexander-Arnold revenge on Real Madrid as Ornstein confirms contract length, arrival date are waiting to see which competitions clubs will be playing in next season before coming to a final decision meaning teams face an anxious wait to see if they have landed their key targets We revealed on April 18 that Chelsea are confident about beating Liverpool to Huijsen’s capture despite the lure of playing for the reigning Premier League champions Huijsen has a £50million (€59m / $66m) release clause in his Bournemouth contract which both Chelsea and Liverpool are prepared to meet as it is viewed as a fantastic price in the industry Interested clubs were given a boost on April 29 as sources confirmed to TEAMtalk that Bournemouth have landed on a possible replacement for Huijsen Liverpool have also made Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez their No 1 target left-back target to replace Andy Robertson, though the Reds will face competition from Manchester City for him Meanwhile, Chelsea have also held talks over another Liverpool-linked defender Liverpool will play without homegrown star Trent Alexander-Arnold next season as he has announced he will leave Anfield this summer His agreement to join Real Madrid on a free transfer has been confirmed By Samuel Bannister ➡️ Huijsen was born in Amsterdam in April 2005 and he played for Costa Unida CF de Marbella ➡️ Malaga signed him for their academy in 2015 he was promoted to Juventus’ Next Gen (U23) team enabling him to play among professionals in Serie C ➡️ Huijsen earned his senior debut for Juventus in October 2023 coming on as a substitute in a Serie A game ➡️ Roma took Huijsen on loan in January 2024 at the express wish of Jose Mourinho (who was sacked that same month) ➡️ He scored his first Serie A goal in February 2024 – and then another later that month after carrying the ball out from defence and shooting from distance he committed his international future to Spain ➡️ He made his last appearance for Roma in April 2024 and was an unused sub in their last five Serie A games of the season ➡️ Bournemouth bought Huijsen from Juventus in the summer of 2024 ➡️ He made his Premier League debut in the first game of the season lasting all 90 minutes against Nottingham Forest ➡️ He headed in his first goal for Bournemouth in December 2024 after returning to the starting lineup – which he has consistently remained in ever since Huijsen received his first call-up to the Spain senior squad and made his debut as a first-half substitute in the Nations League quarter-final clash against the Netherlands His second cap followed a few days later in the return leg providing an assist for Lamine Yamal during extra time ➡️ With a £50m (€58.5m) exit clause in his Bournemouth deal the Cherries face a huge fight to keep the player at the Vitality Stadium with a summer move a strong possibility Maresca rotated his squad for the Blues' trip to Djurgarden so it comes as no surprise to see several players return for this afternoon's clash at Stamford Bridge naming the same XI which beat Everton last weekend Robert Sanchez is back from injury in goal and Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill return in the heart of the defence. Marc Cucurella retains his place on the left, while Moises Caicedo is expected to begin at right-back once more That means Romeo Lavia is back in the XI after being left out of the trip to Sweden, alongside captain Enzo Fernandez, with Cole Palmer starting in the more advanced position Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke line up on the flanks, with Nicolas Jackson leading the line Make sure to get your predictions in for the game before kick-off! Having defeated Everton at Stamford Bridge last week the second of our double-header against Merseyside opposition sees Arne Slot's Liverpool visit west London The Blues were edged out 2-1 in the reverse fixture at Anfield in early October. Nicolas Jackson struck for Chelsea that day and the Senegal international has rediscovered his goalscoring touch after netting against Everton and grabbing a brace in our Conference League semi-final first leg against Djurgarden European football remains on the mind for Liverpool's visit as the Blues continue in our quest to secure a top-five finish that would guarantee Champions League football for next season We head into the encounter at the Bridge unbeaten in five league outings and with the right results elsewhere this weekend a victory over the Reds could lift Maresca's side to fourth in the Premier League table with three matches to play this is the Blues’ sixth prime-time Sunday slot of the campaign and our first since the thrilling 4-3 victory at Tottenham in December The Blues head coach confirmed in his pre-match press conference that long-term absentees Marc Guiu and Aaron Anselmino remain unavailable for Liverpool's visit Robert Sanchez and Christopher Nkunku were both absent from the squad for our Conference League clash in Stockholm on Thursday and Maresca said both would be assessed ahead of tomorrow's encounter ‘Christo Nkunku has a small problem,' the Italian said on Thursday the medical staff will tell me how he is and what his status is ‘It is exactly the same for Robert Sanchez too although he is working on the pitch so compared to Christo He wasn’t with us in Sweden either and we will see and assess them both before Sunday.’ Matches between Chelsea and Liverpool at this stage of the season are often loaded with importance beyond the perennially fierce rivalry Perhaps the most famous example came at Stamford Bridge on 11 May 2003 fourth ahead of the visiting Reds in fifth hosted an end-of-season Champions League qualification decider worth an estimated £20 million to the winners so Marcel Desailly's leveller from Jesper Gronkjær’s cross Gronkjær soon steered in Chelsea’s second and Steven Gerrard was cheered off after his second bookable offence in six second-half minutes Each side has formed a guard of honour for the other in recent years A week after Jose Mourinho steered the Londoners to a fifth Premier League crown the Reds applauded the new champions onto the pitch at the Bridge behind Anfield’s closed doors because of the lockdown the visiting Blues did the same for Jurgen Klopp’s side Chelsea’s current winless run of ten games against Liverpool is the longest since 11 between 1985 and 1990 a Chelsea victory broke that sequence at the Bridge in glorious fashion: two classic Kerry Dixon headers a Dennis Wise penalty and a well-worked fourth for Gordon Durie Former Blue David Speedie was among the visitors’ scorers in a famous 4-2 and Graeme Souness’s first defeat since returning to Anfield as manager ended the Reds’ hopes of pipping Arsenal to the league title Following last Saturday’s victory in which he gathered six Everton crosses Sanchez has the fourth-most high claims (39) in the Premier League season No player over the age of 27 has featured in any of Chelsea’s 34 Premier League matches so far The previous record was six matches in April/May 2000 by Liverpool Cobham graduate Reggie Walsh became the Blues’ third-youngest ever debutant when he came on as a substitute in the 4-1 win at Djurgarden on Thursday The Reds’ last league defeat in May was a 1-0 win for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2018 A guard of honour to applaud the English league champions onto the field was first performed by Manchester United for Ted Drake’s Chelsea at Old Trafford on 30 April 1955 Women’s Super League champions Chelsea continued their push towards an invincible season with their latest win over Tottenham Hotspur The only goal came from a penalty by Catarina Macario for the visitors at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium The Blues are now one game away from becoming invincible Chelsea are also still yet to lose to Spurs who has wrapped up Chelsea’s sixth consecutive WSL title in her maiden season in charge spoke to the media about their chances of ended the campaign unbeaten “I think being invincible during the season won’t bring us any trophy but I think it’s more like showing mentality The right mentality we have as competitors — we want to stay unbeaten.” Chelsea’s latest win over Spurs came after they were crowned WSL champions with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United running down the side with a cross into the box that Charlotte Grant could not touch leading to Hannah Hampton collecting the ball Tottenham created some other chances in the first half but it was a penalty just after the half hour mark that sealed the deal for their opponents A foul from Ash Neville handed Chelsea their spot-kick which Macario dispatched with ease after sending Lize Kop the wrong way The final action of the half came after Charlotte Grant was left alone with just her and Hampton in the 42nd minute Grant released the ball but the Chelsea shot-stopper denied the equaliser with a trailing leg as she threw herself towards the threat Macario gave away a free-kick with a foul on Olivia Holdt just minutes after the Spurs player was shown a yellow card Eveliina Summanen took the set piece and went straight towards the goal and from the Spurs fans’ perspective Kop was on-hand to make a super double save to deny Chelsea the chance to extend their lead late on The Dutch star thwarted Ashley Lawrence’s attempt and then Sjoeke Nüsken on the rebound Before the match, Bompastor spoke to her players about their potential invincible season. If Chelsea win their final match against Liverpool, they will rack up 60 points, beating their current record of 58 set in the 2022/23 season. “I know later it will probably be part of the history. It’s always lovely to be part of history in women’s football,” the Blues manager said. Tottenham boss Robert Vilahamn attributed this looming milestone to a lack of confidence on his team’s part. “I’ve seen Charlotte Grant score many goals in training, and when you get it on a big stage, she is not so used to that. I think it’s a little bit with the pressure there, too. But then I also think we still have an excellent build-up — we have some really good attacks, but we’re not reaching that last third with the power and quality we need. So I think it comes down to quality as well, but we have players who should develop to that level.” Chelsea will play out their last WSL game against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, while Spurs are away to fellow Merseyside club Everton. The Blues will lift the WSL trophy a week before their FA Cup final clash against Manchester United.  Ireland icon Louise Quinn retires after influential career WSL: History-making Brighton on hunt for record finish soar past Arsenal 116 CommentsWhen it comes to the Women's Super League Chelsea are playing against themselves as much as any other side A 1-0 victory at Manchester United on Wednesday night secured the Blues' sixth successive WSL crown and their first under new manager Sonia Bompastor Such regularity may have played a part in the rather muted celebrations at full-time - handshakes and hugs the holy grail for which Chelsea still search This title was secured three days after the Blues' attempts to win a first European title were ended, for the third successive season, by Barcelona - and, 8-2 on aggregate So how do Chelsea ensure this title win stands out among the six and that this season - which could end in a domestic treble of WSL League Cup and FA Cup - is somehow not categorised as a disappointment "We wanted to be unbeaten," Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze told Sky Sports after scoring the winner at Leigh Sports Village "The fortunate thing for us this season is that we have stayed unbeaten so we knew there were still two things to play for We knew before the game Arsenal had got beat and we knew what we needed "Although we have won the league tonight we have two games left and we want to win those too We want to be unbeaten for the whole season." Only in three previous completed seasons has the WSL been won by an unbeaten side - Arsenal in 2012 Manchester City in 2016 and Chelsea themselves in 2018 But it has never been done over the current format of a 22-game season If Chelsea avoid defeat against Tottenham next Sunday then at home to Liverpool on 10 May Bompastor will have to deal with the repercussions of such a disappointing Champions League exit - but registering perhaps the most comprehensive WSL title of all time will go some way to making up for it they will set a new WSL points record - beating their own tally of 58 in 2022-23 Victory in their remaining fixtures will make the Blues the first side to record 60 points in a campaign Sonia Bompastor has added the WSL title to the three French leagues she won with Lyon "I always look for perfection and the ideal," Bompastor told her post-match media conference at Leigh Sports Village "I told my players out of position and defensively I want to keep a clean sheet We spoke about how we managed the depth and how we needed to be compact Even when we win I am already focused on the treble and the other finals." Bompastor has become the first manager to lead a side to the WSL title in their maiden season since Laura Harvey took Arsenal to the top of the inaugural league in 2011 She admitted she had worried about the pressure when she made her much-vaunted move from Lyon to London and filling the shoes of predecessor Emma Hayes who she praised fulsomely after beating Man Utd "When you come to Chelsea everyone expects you to win the league," she said "It was the same in Lyon but here the competition is higher To be able to achieve it for six years in a row for Chelsea and in my first season "I heard some noise about the fact it is too easy for Chelsea but it is not I don't know how people can think that It's a great achievement and a lot of work every day I am sure she is really happy tonight with our title She left the club in a great place to build on the legacy." Chelsea have not always blown sides away this campaign - they have scored fewer goals than second-placed Arsenal while no player has netted double figures in the league Wednesday night encapsulated their league campaign and a very solid shout for a penalty before half-time when Millie Bright appeared to trip Grace Clinton Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton made five saves and was named player of the match "Coming to this club I always wanted to achieve trophies," Hampton told the BBC "The fact that I can say that in the two seasons I have been here we have won the title both times it is surreal Chelsea's season now has three games to run - the two league fixtures then the FA Cup final against Manchester United To end it unbeaten domestically would be a remarkable achievement "It's what dreams are made of for Sonia Bompastor," former England defender Izzy Christiansen told Sky Sports the new players and the existing players that have done this before They don't care where they do it or how they do it as long as they do it." View comments | 116Top storiesLive Cole Palmer brought his goal drought to an end in Chelsea’s 3–1 win over Liverpool on Sunday and accidentally dropped an expletive live on Sky Sports in the process who hadn’t scored in over three months before tucking away a late penalty to seal victory over the champions gave an honest and relieved post-match interview… with a bit more honesty than expected “I just felt normal,” Palmer said when asked how it felt to score again s*** happens.” Palmer was quick to recognise his mistake and issued an instant apology The accidental profanity aside, it was a big moment for Chelsea’s top scorer who admitted the frustration of missing chances in recent weeks had weighed heavily on him READ: 16 Conclusions on Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool: Brilliant Cole Palmer exploits half-hearted Liverpool I’ve scored today and I’m happy but it’s only one and I’ve got to keep improving and try and reach new levels.” Palmer had cut a frustrated figure at times since his last goal in February and spoke about the pressure that comes with being a key man for Chelsea it feels like you’re letting your team down,” he admitted But there were no signs of nerves against Liverpool, and Palmer was one of the best players on the pitch, once again looking every inch a player capable of carrying Chelsea into the European spots under Enzo Maresca He also reserved special praise for Moises Caicedo who delivered a commanding midfield performance in the win The penalty takes Palmer to 15 Premier League goals this season which isn’t a bad return for someone who hasn’t scored in three months and spends his spare time reading social media comments mocking his decline Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca insists Cole Palmer’s goal drought is down to a ‘mental’ issue and nothing to do with him or his tactics as the Blues’ ‘improvement is clear’ Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano says there is a “clear feeling” that Christopher Nkunku will “leave Chelsea in the summer transfer window.” Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that Nkunku was a genuine candidate to leave in January However, a move never came close due to Chelsea’s reluctance to accept a loan and the player’s preference for a permanent deal “There was a possibility for Christopher Nkunku to go on a permanent transfer in January,” Romano said “Then all the approaches were for a loan deal Romano also revealed that Man Utd, managed by Ruben Amorim explored a potential swap deal during the winter window “There was some interest from Bayern in January With Chelsea now under Enzo Maresca and preparing for another summer overhaul Romano believes there’s now a clear path for Nkunku to depart Surprise reports linking him with a move to champions Liverpool emerged last week. “The story for Christopher Nkunku will be different [this summer]… the clear feeling of all parties involved is for Christopher Nkunku to leave Chelsea in the summer transfer window,” he said. Nkunku, who joined from RB Leipzig in 2023 for over £50m, has struggled to find form or fitness since arriving in West London. Having missed large chunks of his first season at the club, the Frenchman has struggled to find regular minutes this term, scoring just three goals in 27 Premier League appearances. “Nkunku is not finding the space he wants,” Romano explained. “Also, probably in terms of skills, Nkunku is not exactly the kind of player needed for Enzo Maresca’s vision and idea. Nkunku wants to play on a regular basis, and at Chelsea, this is not happening. “Apart from the Conference League. But it’s about Premier League football, the crucial games, and Nkunku wants to play.” Romano also confirmed Nkunku has picked up yet another injury and will miss the next 10 to 15 days, further fuelling expectations of a summer exit. “My expectation is not to see Christopher Nkunku in a Chelsea shirt next season. “I told you that in March and in April, and I confirm that also now in May.” Chelsea are understood to be open to offers and would prefer a permanent transfer over another season of uncertainty. Clubs in Germany, Italy and Spain are also said to be monitoring the situation. It remains to be seen if Utd are open to returning for Nkunku when the window opens on June 1, but their January preference for a swap deal hints at the financial restrictions the club may have to work around. 33 CommentsYet another Women's Super League trophy is coming Chelsea's way The Blues wrapped up their sixth successive league title with two games to spare when they beat Manchester United on Wednesday night It is the first time in five seasons the title race has not been decided on the final day But have Chelsea really been that dominant And how does their latest triumph compare to the previous five Chelsea established themselves as the dominant force in England's top division and Sonia Bompastor has continued that legacy The club have now won six WSL titles in a row and nine overall - three times as many titles as any other side Bompastor has hit the ground running since joining the Blues with her side going unbeaten in 20 league games this term - a new record for the longest unbeaten streak in a single WSL season Excluding the inaugural WSL season in 2011 Bompastor becomes the first manager to win the title in her first season in the competition Only once in the past five seasons have Chelsea gone unbeaten in the WSL That was during the 2019-20 campaign when the season was suspended early because of the the coronavirus pandemic Chelsea had only played 15 games at that point and they were named WSL winners based on a points-per-game ratio If the Blues avoid defeat against Tottenham and Liverpool in their remaining two games they will become the first team to have completed an 'invincible' season twice Manchester City (2016) and Arsenal (2012) are the only other teams to have gone unbeaten in a WSL season but that was when each team played just 16 games and 14 games respectively Two more victories would also see Chelsea reach 60 points and overtake the 58 set by Hayes' Blues in 2022-23 for the highest points total in WSL history While 54 goals in 20 games might seem like a decent goals-to-game ratio Chelsea haven't been as prolific in front of the posts compared to other seasons Unless the Blues can score eight more goals in their last two games it will be their lowest goal tally since the Covid-disrupted season when they scored 47 Chelsea have become used to blowing teams away but they've often had to slog out results this time around they won 13 games by a margin of three or more goals just six of their wins have been by three or more goals Bompastor's side have won eight games by just one goal while only two of their 18 wins under Hayes last season were decided by a single goal they've left it late on plenty of occasions Almost a third of their goals this season have come in the final 15 minutes of matches - compared to 9% in the opening 15 minutes with the Blues winning eight points from losing positions - second only to Manchester City (10 points) View comments | 33Top storiesLive Signs have been pointing towards the departure of Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens for some time Local publication Ruhr Nachrichten now reports that the 20-year-old has already informed the club of his desire to leave and has even hinted at a summer departure within the BVB dressing room Gittens is reportedly eyeing a move to England with Arsenal currently leading London rivals Chelsea in the race for his signature Dortmund are said to be open to selling the highly rated winger for a fee in the region of €50–60 million Gittens has contributed 12 goals and five assists in 46 appearances for Dortmund The ceremony was held shortly after our Women's team beat Tottenham Hotspur in the WSL and the Men's team were victorious over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League with seven awards handed out throughout the evening They included our Men's Player of the Season the Players' Player of the Season honours for both sides and awards for those in our Academy You can see the full list of award winners below The PFA Community Champion award highlights the contribution of players on our Men's and Women's teams who have gone above and beyond in their work with the Chelsea Foundation ‘It’s about being a genuine person and caring about the community,' said Bright 'Giving back is a massive part of my values and being a Chelsea player as well.’ Lola Brown is the Chelsea Women's Academy Player of the Year having broken into the first team squad this season and made her debut for the senior team The midfielder signed a three-year professional contract shortly after turning 17 Two days later she made her first senior appearance as a late sub in a big home win over Celtic in the Champions League and has gained valuable experience by regularly training with the first team Tyrique George was named Men’s Academy Player of the Year following a fantastic breakout campaign at Stamford Bridge George has played 22 times for our senior team so far this term with Maresca deploying the youngster on either flank and as the central striker He has impressed with his direct running and confidence in possession has established himself as a valuable member of Maresca’s squad He has featured in all 11 of our UEFA Conference League fixtures to date He notched his first senior goal in the win away to Legia Warsaw and followed that up later in April with his debut Premier League strike the well-taken equaliser at Fulham that kickstarted a vital comeback The Blues Women's team chose Nathalie Bjorn as their Players’ Player of the Year The Swede has been a rock in the heart of our defence, forging a formidable partnership with Millie Bright She has delivered countless blocks and tackles to help preserve clean sheets and shown her technical quality by starting attacks with pinpoint passes out from the back The 27-year-old also started the comeback of the season in the second leg of our Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City with a fine header Moises' team-mates have recognised his invaluable contribution to the side this season Caicedo leads the way for us in terms of successful tackles and interceptions and ranks in the top ten of the Premier League for both He has chipped in with a goal and three assists earning us a point away to Manchester United with a superb volley Caicedo’s reliability and all-action midfield play has been a key factor in our season and he has skippered the side on occasion further demonstrating his leadership qualities The prize has gone to Erin Cuthbert for the second time in her illustrious Chelsea career The Scot has been an integral presence in Sonia Bompastor’s midfield showcasing her customary consistency in a season in which she brought up the landmark of 250 Blues appearances Cuthbert marked the occasion by scoring against West Ham The 26-year-old also delivered a crucial moment in the title race in late March She put her head in where it hurts to dramatically win our WSL game at Man City and help us take a big step towards our sixth straight league crown Cuthbert received her trophy from Bompastor who did not look surprised Blues fans had voted her midfielder as their outstanding performer this season Caicedo was also voted the Chelsea Player of the Year by Blues supporters after a wonderful second season at Stamford Bridge The Ecuadorian has fulfilled a vital role in Enzo Maresca’s midfield and proven equally adept when deployed at right-back and asked to advance from that role Caicedo has started every Premier League game for us so far and regularly had the Stamford Bridge faithful roaring in appreciation after a well-timed challenge Moises joins the likes of Eden Hazard, Thiago Silva and his team-mate Cole Palmer as Chelsea players who have won both the Players’ Player and Player of the Year award in the same season