There was a bit of a surprise before kick-off when the teams were announced and Reece James’ name was in Chelsea’s first XI. The club captain last started a game 10 months ago, also on Merseyside, when he limped off against Everton.
To use him from the outset in such a big game seemed a bit of a gamble. For most of the first half, it looked like it was paying off, but it was inevitable there would be some signs of rust and his one major error proved very costly.
Chelsea were still on a high after Jackson’s equaliser in the 48th minute but Liverpool retook the lead three minutes later when Salah cross found a totally unmarked Jones.
It was initially a mystery how he could have found so much space but the replays showed James, who was covering that side of the penalty area, had rushed out in a bad effort to catch Liverpool offside.
Playing the offside line successfully requires communication and a great understanding with your team-mates. Can anyone be shocked that James got it completely wrong given the length of time he has been absent?
