Luis Suarez capped a controversial
afternoon by scoring a dramatic late equaliser as Liverpool ruined the former
Red’s gaffer, Rafa Benitez return to Anfield after a dramatic 2-2 draw with
Chelsea.
Eden Hazard's penalty on 57 minutes
appeared set to lift Chelsea back into third spot after Liverpool's half-time
substitute Daniel Sturridge had cancelled out Oscar's first-half header.
However, midway through the second half, Suarez appeared to bite Branislav
Ivanovic before the Uruguayan striker headed home an equaliser in the seventh
minute of added time.
The home side created the first chance on
five minutes when Suarez's clever pass slipped in Glen Johnson, but the former
Chelsea full-back could only poke his shot wide. Jordan Henderson then volleyed
over from 25 yards before Chelsea tested Pepe Reina for the first time on 20
minutes when the Liverpool keeper punched away Ramires's dipping effort
More so, the Blues went ahead on 26 minutes
when Oscar took advantage of slack defending to head Juan Mata's corner inside
the post and the lead was almost doubled three minutes later.
Suarez saw a shot beaten away by Petr Cech before
half-time and Liverpool then made a blistering start to the second half following
the introduction of Sturridge for Philippe Coutinho. Within 15 seconds of the
restart, Sturridge had slipped in Steven Gerrard, whose shot was kept out by
Cech's legs, and a minute later the former Chelsea forward rattled the post
after a smart turn and shot.
Sturridge then drew Liverpool level on 52
minutes when he was presented with a simple finish at the far post from
Suarez's superb cross after Stewart Downing had neatly flicked the ball back to
the Uruguayan.
Just
as the game was much on, Suarez then gifted Chelsea the lead again on 57
minutes when he was penalised for handball from a corner and Hazard calmly sent
Liverpool’s goal stopper, Reina the
wrong way from the spot to keep Chelsea aloft.
The most controversial moment of today’s
league actions came midway through the second half and a tangle between Suarez
and Ivanovic resulted in the Liverpool striker appearing to bite the Chelsea defender
on the arm.
Substitute Jonjo Shelvey side-footed a
great opportunity to equalise for Liverpool wide with five minutes to go and
Sturridge was fortunate to escape punishment for a challenge on Ryan Bertrand.
With Chelsea looking set to hold on for a
much needed win, Sturridge crossed from the right deep into stoppage-time and
Suarez's near-post header beat Cech as the two sides share the spoils of the
game.
