Michael Owen says Chelsea ‘got lucky’ with the timing of their Premier League clash with newly crowned champions Liverpool.
Chelsea boosted their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League with a well-deserved 3-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday.
Enzo Fernandez put the Blues ahead after just three minutes and Chelsea doubled their lead when Virgil van Dijk’s attempted clearance struck Jarell Quansah and rebounded into his own net.
Liverpool, who won their 20th English league title last weekend, got a goal back through Van Dijk but Cole Palmer capped a superb performance with an injury-time penalty to seal the victory.
The win could turn out to be of huge importance as Chelsea look to secure Champions League qualification and Owen felt the Blues ‘deserved’ the victory on the balance of play.
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However, the ex-England striker believes Chelsea ‘got lucky’ playing Liverpool just a week after they celebrated a record-equalling Premier League title win.
Liverpool could have travelled to Stamford Bridge needing a result to boost or secure the title but impressively and surprisingly – given how tight recent title races have been – got the job done with four games to spare.
With the title already wrapped up, Slot was able to rotate his squad in west London and opted to bench Ibrahima Konate, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz.
‘Liverpool played quite well,’ Owen said on Premier League Productions. ‘They made a good game of the second half after going 2-0 down.
‘They brought the big guns off the bench and they were pushing for an equaliser.
‘Chelsea got lucky that they were playing Liverpool the game after they won the league.
‘Chelsea deserved to win but Liverpool put up a performance, you can see they’re champions through their attitude today.
‘Cole Palmer was very good today, he deserved to be on the winning side.’
Ex-Chelsea midfielder Andy Townsend added: ‘Chelsea have deserved it today.
‘They started the game really well and they finish it with a big moment, as Chelsea need Cole Palmer back among the goals.
‘He’s played really well today and it’s the big thing for Chelsea to have him scoring again, because they’ve got some big games still to go.’
Chelsea are fifth in the Premier League with three games remaining, three points above Nottingham Forest, who now have a game in hand.
Newcastle United, Manchester City, Arsenal and of course Liverpool all sit above Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea.
Rating Chelsea’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League, former Blues winger Pat Nevin told BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘It was a good performance from various players.
‘Madueke was brilliant, the two central defenders were fabulous but you have to caveat it slightly – this was not Liverpool at their very best.
‘It was low power Liverpool until 70 minutes, and then you saw the real Liverpool turning up.
‘Chelsea had a difficult time around Christmas and New Year, they fell away from it, got themselves on a good run and now have got it absolutely in their own hands.
‘If they get just as good as this out of Cole Palmer, more from Nicolas Jackson, also from Lavia, who was magnificent today, Chelsea will look strong.
‘If they can get to the Champions League, get the money from that they can look forward to next season. But everything relies on that top five.’
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