Trent Alexander-Arnold described Chelsea goalie Edouard Mendy as ‘world-class’ after Liverpool’s draw at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool and Chelsea were both hoping to make up ground on Premier League leaders Manchester City on Sunday but the spoils were shared in an eye-catching contest in west London.
The Reds were 2-0 up after just 26 minutes thanks to goals from Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, but Chelsea were back level before the break through Mateo Kovacic and Christian Pulisic.
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Despite creating a number of openings in the second half, neither team were able to find a winning goal as Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher denied Pulisic and Mendy kept out strikes from Mane and Salah.
‘It was an even second half,’ Alexander-Arnold told Liverpool’s official website. ‘They probably had a lot more of the ball than us, especially in our defensive third and in and around our box, but we defended well and didn’t give them too many chances.
‘When Caoimh was needed he’s pulled off two world-class saves in the first and second half and he’s stepped into Ali’s shoes and done really well today.
‘It’s a credit to him, but we defended well and never gave them too many chances and we had the better chances in the second half.
‘But when you are up against a world-class team with a world-class goalkeeper he makes world-class saves. So, like I said, I think a point apiece is fair.’
While Chelsea found themselves 2-0 down after 26 minutes, Thomas Tuchel’s side impressed early on with the Premier League game contested at a rapid pace.
Alexander-Arnold added: ‘We started the game well and it was what we set out to do, we had a game plan and we did that first half.
‘Probably not everything we set out to do but we scored two quite early goals. Going 2-0 up was obviously what we wanted, and then last five or 10 minutes of the first half we’ve took our foot off the gas and let them back in.
‘That first goal, no-one is in the changing room pointing fingers or anything, there’s nothing you can do about them, a world-class strike.
‘The second one, there was a couple of mistakes and it could have been prevented but they took their chances and we took ours. At the end of the day it was a fair and even point.’
When asked how Liverpool can get back into the title race, Alexander-Arnold said: ‘There’s not really much we can do except try to win as many games as we can between now and the end of the season.
‘We are just past the halfway point so a lot can happen between now and May. We make sure we focus on ourselves, make sure we stay as close to them as we can, but it will be difficult and we need teams to beat them for us.
‘But it’s about us making sure we are in a position to capitalise if they do drop points.’
