Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool, Premier League: Estevao's Stoppage-Time Winner Lands Another Blow For Champions

Late drama continues to follow Liverpool after the Premier League champions went down 2-1 to Chelsea in second-half stoppage time on Saturday.

Liverpool lost to Crystal Palace by the same scoreline last week, with Eddie Nketiah netting in the 97th minute, and on this occasion at Stamford Bridge, it was Chelsea substitute Estevao who wrote the headlines.

Estevao turned home from point-blank range to win it for the injury-ravaged Blues, who were without talisman Cole Palmer and a glut of key defenders.

Chelsea had gone ahead through Moises Caicedo's blistering 14th-minute strike – a finish that gave Premier League debutant Giorgi Mamardashvili no chance.

Alejandro Garnacho hit the post and had a penalty appeal turned down before the break, but after some attacking changes from Arne Slot, Liverpool restored parity when Cody Gakpo poked in from Alexander Isak's cushioned touch.

Yet Chelsea regained control, and after Enzo Fernandez's header against the woodwork seemed to have let Liverpool off the hook, there was one final twist.

Fernandez played in Marc Cucurella, whose low centre was diverted in by Estevao in the 95th minute to cap a dramatic victory for the Blues, as Liverpool dropped to second place in the standings after a week in which their indifferent performances seem to have caught up with them.

Data Debrief: London no happy hunting ground for Liverpool

Liverpool have now lost each of their last four Premier League trips to London, their longest such run in the capital since another four-game streak between October 2009 and November 2010, which also included a loss at Stamford Bridge (0-2).

Slot, meanwhile, has lost three games in a row in all competitions for the first time in his coaching career.

While Liverpool were largely second best, they did create some high-quality chances, accumulating 1.89 expected goals to Chelsea's 0.88.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have beaten the reigning Premier League champions for the first time since a 1-0 win against Liverpool at Anfield in March 2021.

Their matchwinner Estevao became the second-youngest Brazilian to score in the Premier League, after Rafael for Manchester United in November 2008 (18y 122d).