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Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia was the subject of mocking chants from the Liverpool fans as he helped his side claim a 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge. The Belgium international made only his tenth start for the Blues this season and delivered an impressive showing in midfield.
Lavia played for 78 minutes before he was withdrawn for Malo Gusto, and the Liverpool fans made sure he heard their chants as he trudged off the pitch. They taunted him with 'champions' and 'you could have signed for the champions' chants, and he responded by gesturing for them to sing louder before applauding the Chelsea fans.
Liverpool and Chelsea went head-to-head for the signature of Romeo Lavia from Southampton in the summer of 2023. The Reds initially appeared to lead the race to sign the youngster but delayed, allowing the Blues to swoop in and sign him for £58 million. They also missed out on signing Moises Caicedo despite reaching an agreement with Brighton & Hove Albion, with the midfielder prioritising a move to Stamford Bridge.
Jürgen Klopp signed Wataru Endo instead for Liverpool, and the duo of Lavia and Caicedo showed them exactly what they missed out on on Sunday. The former, in particular, needed just two minutes to show his quality, as he began the sequence from which Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring.
Romeo Lavia was targeted as the Reds sought to rebuild their midfield following the departures of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, and Naby Keita. They still rue their failure to sign him, as they remain in the market for a player in his position despite Ryan Gravenberch impressing this season.
Pundit heaps praise on Chelsea star for performance against Liverpool
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has praised Chelsea forward Cole Palmer for his display against Liverpool. The 22-year-old was on target for the first time in 19 games to help his side claim an impressive 3-1 win over the champions at home.
Neville was on commentary duty for Sky Sports when he pointed out that Palmer was the best player on the pitch by a distance. He said that Palmer was deserving of the goal he scored at the death, stating that he was a joy to watch.
"He’s the best player on the pitch by an absolute street. He’s been brilliant today, he really has. It’s been a brilliant performance from Palmer. He’s been a joy to watch. He deserved that goal because he’s been the difference. A class act on the pitch throughout."
Palmer was named Man of the Match after a top-level display against the newly-minted Premier League champions. He created four chances, won seven of nine ground duels, and attempted five shots, two of which were on target, with another hitting the woodwork.
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Sulayman Salahudeen
Sulayman is a European and international football writer at Sportskeeda covering news and transfer rumors. He has an overall experience of 4 years, having previously worked at the likes of SportsRation and ExtraTimeTalk. His tryst with the sport happened at a young age, playing it at home and watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Sulayman has a good feel for the game, which is reflected in his descriptive articles. He double checks information via multiple sources for accuracy, and only uses top-tier platforms like Transfermarkt and Opta for statistical information. His experience and exploits in the industry have led Sulayman to cover the Nigerian Professional League for three years along with games involving the Nigerian national team. He has also worked in F1, joining hands with industry veterans to provide a smooth viewing experience in Nigeria.
Sulayman hails Lionel Messi as the one true GOAT, and his brace in Argentina’s 2005 U20 FIFA World Cup final win over Nigeria left a lasting impact on him. He also supports Chelsea at club level, having followed their dominance under Jose Mourinho. Sulayman also follows other leagues with Nigerian players like Eredivisie, Saudi Pro League, Turkish Super Lig, and more. When not writing, he enjoys cooking and eating.
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