An injury-time equaliser from Christian Benteke overshadowed what was a dazzling Eden Hazard performance in a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
Hazard scored a beautiful individual effort half an hour in, but compatriot and substitute Christian Benteke was on hand to head into an empty net after Asmir Begovic dropped a cross.
The Belgian winger scored a beautiful individual strike after half an hour, beating most of the Liverpool defence and coolly finishing past Mignolet.
The draw saw Liverpool, who made eight changes to the side that beat Watford on Sunday, maintain their 10-point lead over the Blues in tenth.
The game began with a feisty atmosphere, despite its meaninglessness. Bertrand Traore, starting in the place of the injured Diego Costa, had the first real chance of the game on eight minutes, cutting inside and beating two defenders but his eventual finish deflected into the path of Mignolet.
Mignolet’s counterpart, Asmir Begovic, was called into action just minutes later, having to get down low to deny an onrushing Roberto Firmino from close range.
Eden Hazard terrorised the home defence for the entirety of the 90 minutes, but it was the 32nd minute that defined his inspired recent form. The 25-year-old picked up the ball on the byline, toying with the Liverpool defenders, before accelerating at frightening speed, cutting through the back four and sliding the ball beyond Mignolet and in at the far post.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool looked to hit back immediately, twice drawing Begovic into big saves, through Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge, respectively. Up at the other end, Bertrand Traore came agonisingly close to a second when the Burkinabe forward curled one round the outrushing Mignolet, but the teenager slipped at the vital moment, and the ball went over.
The Blues had other respective big chances, from Cesc Fabregas and Hazard, but ultimately couldn’t add to their tally despite the stunning counter attacks that had torn apart the Anfield defence for the majority of the game. Hazard continued to show signs of nostalgia, attacking his prey over and over again, reminiscent of last season, when he was awarded the PFA Player of the Year.
Despite Liverpool’s late flurry of pressure, it looked to be a sweet victory for Guus Hiddink’s side over their bitter rivals, until the third minute of second-half injury time, when substitute Sheyi Ojo’s cross was fumbled by Asmir Begovic and troubled stalwart Christian Benteke was in the right place at the right time to head home and send Anfield moderately crazy.
The points were shared in the last ever game at Anfield as we know it, in the second emotional goodbye in as many nights, after West Ham’s proud farewell to the Boleyn Ground last night.
Chelsea can now prepare for their last game of the season, a home fixture against newly-crowned fairytale Premier League winners, Leicester, at 3PM on Saturday.
