Seven of the most memorable Chelsea vs Liverpool games

Liverpool vs. Chelsea have grown into one of the most anticipated fixtures in English football. While the Reds endured a 30-year wait for a league title between 1990 and 2020, Chelsea’s rise to prominence during the late 2000s and 2010s coincided with their era of dominance. In recent years, however, the momentum has shifted back in Liverpool’s favour.

The rivalry has featured numerous memorable domestic and European battles, particularly in the mid-2000s when Rafael Benítez and José Mourinho went head-to-head. Between February 2005 and April 2009, the two clubs faced each other 22 times across all competitions, with high stakes often adding to the intensity.

In more recent encounters, Liverpool are currently unbeaten in their last ten games against Chelsea across all competitions. This impressive run includes seven Premier League matches and three triumphs at Wembley, where the Reds secured the FA Cup once and the EFL Cup twice against the West London side.

Historically, these two English football giants have faced off 198 times. Liverpool hold the upper hand in the head-to-head record with 87 wins, compared to Chelsea’s 65, while 46 matches have ended in draws.

Their most recent encounter came at Anfield Stadium in October 2024. Liverpool emerged victorious with a 2-1 win, thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones, which sandwiched a temporary equalizer by Nicolas Jackson.

Liverpool, who sit at the top of the Premier League table, will visit Stamford Bridge to face top-four-chasing Chelsea on Saturday, May 3rd. Chelsea vs Liverpool tickets are always in high demand with fans anticipating a fierce battle between the two old foes.

With the League slated to end that month, the game will be a decider to the shape of the League, as victory for any side will further solidify their league position.

From stunning goals to fiery managerial feuds, intense transfer sagas, and moments that shaped football history, here’s a look back at seven of the most memorable encounters between Chelsea and Liverpool.

Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool—11th May 2003

Dubbed the ‘£20m match’.

On the final day of the 2002/03 Premier League season, Chelsea and Liverpool faced off in a high-stakes battle for fourth place and a coveted spot in the Champions League. At the time, securing Champions League qualification was valued at £20 million, making the match pivotal for both clubs.

Sami Hyypia gave Liverpool an early lead in the 11th minute, but Chelsea responded swiftly, with Marcel Desailly equalising just two minutes later. The turning point came in the 26th minute when Jesper Gronkjaer curled in a decisive goal, putting the Blues ahead. This strike proved to be the winner, ensuring Chelsea’s qualification for the Champions League in what came to be known as the ‘£20m match.’

Just a month later, Roman Abramovich purchased the club from Ken Bates. Many believe this landmark acquisition might not have occurred if Chelsea had failed to secure Champions League football that season.

Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool—26th October 2008

Although José Mourinho had departed by this time, it was undoubtedly satisfying for Rafa Benitez to lead the team that ended Chelsea’s remarkable unbeaten Premier League home run.

Chelsea’s record stood at 86 matches, an all-time high, until Liverpool secured a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge, courtesy of an early own goal by José Bosingwa. This result brought an end to four-and-a-half years of dominance on home turf.

The streak began under Claudio Ranieri in March 2004, flourished under Mourinho—who never lost any of his 60 league matches at Stamford Bridge—and continued through Avram Grant’s tenure. Unfortunately for Luiz Felipe Scolari, it was under his management that Chelsea’s extraordinary run finally came to an end.

Liverpool 4-1 Chelsea—31st January 2024

The first game since Jürgen Klopp announced his farewell as Liverpool manager began in stunning fashion with a commanding 4-1 victory over Chelsea in the Premier League.

Following the surprising announcement of his departure after nine years at Anfield, Liverpool’s focus shifted to giving him the perfect send-off. On an emotional night at Anfield, the team delivered a performance worthy of the occasion, with Klopp’s signature post-match fist pumps capping off the thrilling win. This game also served as a prelude to the Carabao Cup final, which Liverpool would go on to win a month later.

The night was particularly significant for Klopp, as young full-back Conor Bradley stole the spotlight by scoring once and assisting twice. It was also a landmark moment for the German manager, who became just the seventh coach to achieve 200 Premier League wins. Only Pep Guardiola reached the milestone faster, doing so in 269 matches compared to Klopp’s 318.

Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool—3rd May 1986

“There was no way we were ever going to win that championship.”
“And yet somehow we came through and won it.” — Alan Hansen.

The 1985/86 season marked Kenny Dalglish’s debut as Liverpool’s player-manager, but the campaign initially seemed far from promising. By February 1986, following a 2-0 home defeat to Everton, Liverpool trailed their Merseyside rivals by eight points. However, Dalglish spearheaded an incredible turnaround, guiding his side to an 11-match unbeaten streak, with just one draw—a 0-0 result at Sheffield Wednesday—during that stretch.

Heading into the season’s final game, Liverpool needed a victory over Chelsea to secure their 16th league title. In the 23rd minute at Stamford Bridge, Dalglish himself delivered the decisive moment, volleying past goalkeeper Tony Godden for the match’s only goal.

Reflecting on the achievement, captain Alan Hansen expressed the improbability of their triumph, in which he gave one of the most famous motivational statements in the club’s history.

Chelsea 3-2 Liverpool—30th April 2008

Chelsea secured a crucial 1-1 draw at Anfield in the first leg of the 2008 UEFA Champions League semi-final, courtesy of Jon Arne Riise’s own goal in stoppage time. This gave the Blues a slight edge heading into the return leg at Stamford Bridge to the delight of fans with Chelsea tickets.

In London, a dramatic encounter saw Didier Drogba put Chelsea ahead, only for Fernando Torres to equalize in the second half, forcing extra time. Chelsea then seized control, with Frank Lampard converting a penalty—an emotional moment for the midfielder following the recent passing of his mother. Drogba soon added another to extend their lead. Despite a late push from Liverpool, Chelsea held firm to secure their first-ever Champions League final appearance.

Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool—14th April 2009

Liverpool faced an uphill battle in the second leg of the 2009 Champions League quarter-final after a 3-1 loss to Chelsea at Anfield. However, their spirited start at Stamford Bridge saw them race to a 2-0 lead within 28 minutes, courtesy of goals from Fabio Aurelio and Xabi Alonso. By halftime, the aggregate score was level at 3-3, but Chelsea held the advantage through away goals after a thrilling first-half display from Rafa Benitez’s team.

The second half saw Chelsea turn the tide, with Didier Drogba and Alex scoring in quick succession to reclaim control. Frank Lampard’s strike with 14 minutes left seemed to have sealed Liverpool’s fate, putting Chelsea 3-2 up on the night and 6-4 on aggregate. Yet, Liverpool refused to back down, with Lucas and Dirk Kuyt scoring in the 81st and 83rd minutes, respectively, to tie the aggregate score at 6-6. Desperately chasing a decisive fifth goal, Liverpool left themselves exposed, and Lampard capitalized in the dying minutes, curling a shot in off the post to secure Chelsea’s place in the semi-finals with a 7-5 aggregate victory.

Liverpool 0-2 Chelsea—27th April 2014

Liverpool entered their match against Chelsea at Anfield on 27th April 2014 riding an 11-game winning streak, knowing that three victories from their final three matches would deliver the club’s first Premier League title.

However, a moment of misfortune defined the game just before halftime when Steven Gerrard slipped, allowing Demba Ba to break through and score the opener. As Liverpool pushed for an equalizer deep into stoppage time, their overcommitment left them exposed, and Fernando Torres capitalized on the counterattack, unselfishly setting up Willian to score into an open net, sealing Chelsea’s 2-0 win.

José Mourinho celebrated Willian’s late goal in trademark style, sprinting down the touchline past the home fans while thumping the Chelsea badge on his chest. Liverpool ultimately finished second behind Manchester City, delaying their long-awaited Premier League triumph until the 2019/20 season.