Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane has hailed returning defender Levi Colwill as the 'best player on the pitch' following his side's 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield. The result ended Chelsea's run of six consecutive Premier League defeats, providing a much-needed boost for the struggling Blues.
Match Overview
Liverpool took an early lead through Ryan Gravenberch, who curled home a superb opener after just six minutes. However, Chelsea responded before half-time when Enzo Fernandez's cross-cum-shot found the net to level the scores. Both teams had opportunities to win the match in the second half, but neither could find a decisive goal.
McFarlane's Praise for Colwill
McFarlane, who took charge following Liam Rosenior's sacking last month, singled out Colwill for special praise after the defender impressed on his first Premier League start of the season. 'I thought Levi was probably the best player on the pitch,' McFarlane told TNT Sports. 'He allows us to defend man for man on the last line so we can be really aggressive. He also gives us a lot of balance; he did everything at a really high level today. To play like that after being out for nearly a year speaks to his character and who he is.'
Team Performance and Outlook
Discussing Chelsea's overall performance, McFarlane expressed satisfaction with the team's response to their previous defeat. 'It's good to get some momentum back,' he said. 'I thought we could have won the game because there were moments that didn't quite go our way, but it's good to recover after the Forest game and we need to build on that in the final [next weekend's FA Cup final against Manchester City] which will be a massive challenge.' He added, 'We didn't reach the standard we know we're capable of against Nottingham Forest, it was really disappointing. But there were some good signs from the team today so I'm really happy with the performance.'
League Implications
Despite the draw, Chelsea could find themselves in the bottom half of the Premier League table by the end of the weekend. Liverpool, meanwhile, remain fourth and are on course for Champions League qualification, despite another underwhelming performance from Arne Slot's reigning champions.
Liverpool Manager's Reaction
Speaking after the match, Liverpool manager Arne Slot said: 'We started off really well and got a big chance from a set-piece which was close to making it 2-0. Unfortunately, like last week, we conceded a set piece. It was such a sloppy goal. The second half I saw a completely different intensity. We went close a few times. Like so many times this season, we hit the post and bar. We were not able to control their players. They played with a lot of midfielders today.' Reacting to boos from Liverpool fans at full-time, Slot added: 'That's probably got something to do with us not winning. It completely makes sense people are disappointed if Liverpool don't win.'
