Liverpool stalemate as Chelsea begin life after Graham Potter

Chelsea began life after Graham Potter with a goalless draw against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge that saw them fail to score at home for the fifth time in 2023.

Interim boss Bruno Saltor, thrust into the job after Potter was abruptly sacked on Sunday, proved no more able to get the hosts firing than the man he replaced as the depths of the team's goalscoring problem were laid bare against a Liverpool side that also offered little.

It was a familiar story for an exasperated home support. Once again they witnessed their team expend bountiful energy and dominate in terms of chances created but fail to emerge with three points or reason to be optimistic.

The club began its search for Potter’s successor in earnest this week, with Luis Enrique and former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann the early front-runners. On this evidence, neither coach will relish the appointment.

Bruno’s had team started with voracious intent, determined to punish the smallest slip – and they did not have long to wait.

After five minutes, the ball was given away carelessly to Kai Havertz in Liverpool’s half and in a flash Reece James released Joao Felix, who ran at the heart of the defence. Some deft, delicate footwork took him inside Joel Matip as he entered the area, but the defender recovered to deflect the incoming shot to safety.

Chelsea had had 27 shots on goal in the defeat to Villa, and in the first 20 minutes here they bombarded Liverpool with attacks that came in waves.

First Ibrahima Konate was forced into a last-ditch slide to scoop Mateo Kovacic’s effort off the line after he had rounded Alisson, then Havertz was denied at point-blank range by the Liverpool goalkeeper when he arrived to meet Ben Chilwell’s cross.

Chelsea were flickering into