The internet reacts to brilliant, breathless and baffling 2-2 draw between Chelsea and Liverpool

In a breathless afternoon of football, Liverpool and Chelsea played out a heart-stopping 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Here’s how the internet reacted to a truly wild game.
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The drama started after just 14 seconds as Sadio Mané was booked for elbowing Cesar Azpilicueta:
Sadio Mané has been booked after 14 seconds at Stamford Bridge. 😳
— Play Squawka Selector for Free (@Squawka_Live) January 2, 2022
Some wanted more, though, and pointed out how Mané had previous for leading with his elbows:
Mane elbowed Tomiyasu is a similar fashion against Arsenal too.
Got away with a red card too.
— Tolu Taiwo (@TeeeTaiwo) January 2, 2022
Jonny Singer pointed out that had the elbow come from a certain Arsenal player then it would have been a red:
Another Xhaka red that one…
— Jonny Singer (@Jonny_Singer) January 2, 2022
After the game, Azpilicueta himself agreed it should have been a sending off:
Azpilicueta on Mane's challenge: "It's a clear red."
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) January 2, 2022
Sod’s law being what it is. Mané then opened the scoring in his last game before heading off for AFCON:
congrats on mane, scoring and getting out of the country before another round of refereeing discourse about him.
— Grace Robertson 🏳️⚧️ (@GraceOnFootball) January 2, 2022
Meanwhile the goal came because of some shocking defending from Trevoh Chalobah, which drew comparisons to some awful defenders.
Chalobah trying and failing to pull off what is technically known as "The Phil Jones"
— No Question About That (@nqatpod) January 2, 2022
https://twitter.com/jasmine_bh1/status/1477681426871033863
As the game progressed, Mohamed Salah then scored an absolute world-class goal. Melissa Reddy was effusive in her praise of the goal.
The initial pass, the run, the touch, the feint, the pace, the deftness – the feeling of helplessness from Alonso and Mendy – that was sheer Mohamed Salah
— Melissa Reddy (@MelissaReddy_) January 2, 2022
Amar Singh pointed out that Egypt fans will be looking forward to such wonders at AFCON.
Egypt fans watching that Salah goal pic.twitter.com/64TxyXQZFH
— amar singh (@amarjourno) January 2, 2022
Zito Madu harkened back to the 2018 Champions League final.
That’s why Ramos broke Salah’s shoulder. One dip of it and your defender gets turned into a statue.
— Zito (@_Zeets) January 2, 2022
Reddit was also enamoured with the shoulder feint:
While some felt Chelsea were so concerned with Salah’s usual type of goal they essentially gave him an easy chance:
But really, all you can do is watch and appreciate the genius of the goal. Words cannot do it justice. It is art.
The best in the world…🌍
Mohamed Salah does it again as #LFC extend their lead against Chelsea! 🔴 pic.twitter.com/mbuKlRoxpj
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 2, 2022
The goal meant that Salah had been directly involved in a double century of goals for Liverpool. In just 229 games. Preposterous.
Mohamed Salah has now been directly involved in TWO-HUNDRED goals for Liverpool:
◎ 229 games
◉ 148 goals
◉ 52 assistsAbsolutely sensational. 👑 pic.twitter.com/2rvxZD2xGZ
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 2, 2022
And Gary Smith exulted the weekend’s big African performers ahead of AFCON 2021.
Thomas Partey monster show vs Man City. 🇬🇭
Sadio Mane ends 9-goal drought vs Chelsea. 🇸🇳
Mo Salah goes into cheat mode vs CFC. 🇪🇬
Big boys marking 7 days to the #AFCON2021 pic.twitter.com/4NLbXNIftv
— Gary Al-Smith (@garyalsmith) January 2, 2022
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The match continued on, however. Chelsea didn’t just roll over and die despite being 0-2 down at home and quite impossibly found a way back into the game thanks to a monster of a strike from Mateo Kovacic. Or, as Grace Randolph put it:
Kovacic? *Mateo* Kovacic? That Kovacic?
— Grace Robertson 🏳️⚧️ (@GraceOnFootball) January 2, 2022
Daniel Storey was perplexed at the technique:
He's not even got his foot planted, ffs. How on earth do you get power and placement from that?
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) January 2, 2022
Zito Madu wasn’t so impressed with young Kelleher in the Liverpool goal:
Incredible Kovačić goal but that Liverpool goalkeeper doesn’t look good at all. That young man dove and barely got off the ground. He was just moving for the camera.
— Zito (@_Zeets) January 2, 2022
While Jasmine Baba was just enjoying the ludicrously stereotypical “Barclays” entertainment that goal was providing:
https://twitter.com/jasmine_bh1/status/1477690081058111502
And Reddit took a snide dig at Romelu Lukaku:
With others anointing it the goal of the season:
The Barclays only intensified five minutes later as Christian Pulisic equalised for Chelsea after being put through by N’Golo Kanté:
09': Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool
26': Chelsea 0-2 Liverpool
42': Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool
45+1': Chelsea 2-2 LiverpoolFOOT. BALL. 😍
— Play Squawka Selector for Free (@Squawka_Live) January 2, 2022
Matt Law was impressed:
Quite the turnaround and two brilliant finishes from Kovacic and Pulisic. Big celebrations from Tuchel. 2-2
— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) January 2, 2022
Matthew Stanger referenced an honestly hysterical clip from TV show Pwn Stars that had been going around social media lately:
— Matthew Stanger (@MatthewStanger) January 2, 2022
It felt like an eternity as so much had happened, but that was just the first-half!
https://twitter.com/Worville/status/1477690820765663244
Liverpool’s lack of control of a game they should have killed was palpable:
Pep Guardiola watching at home, feeling vaguely disgusted by the lack of midfield control here.
— Grace Robertson 🏳️⚧️ (@GraceOnFootball) January 2, 2022
https://twitter.com/JBlock49/status/1477693587848581120
The second was, inevitably, far more subdued. Allowing for Nubaid Haroon to reflect on how poor Jordan Henderson had been.
https://twitter.com/RamboFYI/status/1477702089950347264
Miguel Delaney remarked how the tempo was similar to last season’s game between the pair.
It's a bit like City 1-1 Liverpool last season in how a frenetic first half has given way to fatigue.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) January 2, 2022
The star of the second-half was Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and Zito is looking forward to seeing Chelsea play without him.
I can’t wait to see Chelsea when Mendy is in AFCON
— Zito (@_Zeets) January 2, 2022
And Mo Stewart reflected on the problems Diogo Jota causes Liverpool:
One of our hurdles to gaining some control is that Jota can't keep hold of it. It's a lot more noticeable in the games where he doesn't score
— Mo Stewart (@The_Mighty_Mojo) January 2, 2022
While Grace Randolph noted that Liverpool might be trying to protect their only forward not going to AFCON:
Taking Jota off is a real "we only have to worry about the fitness of one of those three in January" move.
— Grace Robertson 🏳️⚧️ (@GraceOnFootball) January 2, 2022
And Barney Ronay had a joke about Romelu Lukaku’s absence:
Chelsea really could do with a decent bit-part centre forward for moments like these. Go for Chris Wood in the window maybe
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) January 2, 2022
The game ended 2-2:
Chelsea 2-2 Liverpool FT:
xG: 1.44-1.35
Shots: 15-10
Shots on target: 6-6
Touches in opp. box: 29-17
Big Chances: 2-3
Possession: 56%-44%
Fouls: 5-13An incredible match. 🍿 pic.twitter.com/OU4KFMYt4Z
— Play Squawka Selector for Free (@Squawka_Live) January 2, 2022
The result only benefitted Manchester City, as Phil McNulty noted:
Chelsea 2 Liverpool 2 FT. Great game. Great result for Manchester City.
— Phil McNulty (@philmcnulty) January 2, 2022
Pep Guardiola’s men sit 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
53 – Man City (1st)
52
51
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49
48
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46
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43 – Chelsea (2nd)
42 – Liverpool (3rd)Ligue 1 is the only top-five European division with a larger gap between first and second (13 points) this season. 🕳 pic.twitter.com/TKJLAsIfYS
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 2, 2022
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