‘Polite question’ - What Virgil van Dijk said to Anthony Taylor after seeing Estevao snatch dramatic Premier League win for Chelsea over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge courtesy of Estevao’s late winning goal. The decisive moment came in the fifth minute of stoppage time, with the game seemingly heading for a draw after Cody Gakpo had cancelled out Moises Caicedo's stunning early strike. However, Estevao, the 18-year-old Brazilian substitute, latched onto a cross from Marc Cucurella and slotted the ball past Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. The goal sparked wild celebrations among the Chelsea players and fans, and even led to boss Enzo Maresca being sent off for his exuberant reaction. This late win provided a crucial boost for the Blues after two consecutive Premier League defeats, but condemned Arne Slot's side to their third consecutive loss.  

After the 2-1 defeat, Van Dijk said: "I saw the celebrations, and rightly so. But I thought the celebrations went over two minutes, so I looked at the clock when he blew his whistle - it was 98. I was thinking: 'How is that possible? I was just asking a very polite question at that point - I'm not angry or aggressive. I was just asking where the logic behind it is. But that is not where the main focus should be. We should improve. That should be the main focus. We know even more than ever and the good thing is we have opportunities to do so when we come back." 

While events at Stamford Bridge were thrilling, the rivalry between the two clubs is a relatively modern phenomenon, largely sparked by their frequent, high-stakes encounters in the mid-2000s. The arrival of Roman Abramovich, and his seemingly endless wealth, at Chelsea in 2003 propelled them into direct competition with established giants like Liverpool. The appointments of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea and Rafael Benítez at Liverpool in 2004 intensified this rivalry, as their personal feud and contrasting football philosophies fueled animosity between the clubs. In the 2005 League Cup final, won by Chelsea, Mourinho famously ‘shushed’ Liverpool fans, and there was Luis Garcia's "ghost goal" in the 2005 Champions League semi-final that sent the Reds to the final. Steven Gerrard's near transfer to Chelsea in 2005 and his infamous slip in 2014, which arguably cost Liverpool the Premier League title, are other key events that deepened the animosity between the clubs' fanbases.  

The Liverpool boss may be glad for the time to pause and consider his next move as we head into the international break. It has been a tricky couple of weeks with the three defeats to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and now Chelsea, and he’s watched Arsenal move above them at the top of the Premier League table, but he won't panic just yet. His in-tray will be overflowing, including how to get the best out of Florian Wirtz, what his best system is and the question marks remain over his defence. And what a match Liverpool face when the domestic season resumes, as they host fierce rivals Manchester United on October 19th.