As we said on the weekly Premier League preview podcast on Thursday, a Chelsea-Liverpool draw on Sunday, as odds-defying as it might be, would yield a winner- Manchester City. The Reds and Blues splitting the spoils, as they in fact did, would mean the City lead at the top of the table increases to 10, as it now has.
Given how we’re into the New Year now, it feels the like the Premier League title race will soon be over, with Manchester City set to retain the trophy. Both Liverpool and Chelsea needed a W today, in order to somehow stay in the hunt.
.@cpulisic_10 WITH THE LEFT ???
— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) January 2, 2022
It didn’t happen, obviously, but there were still some major moments for several players involved, on both sides, including Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic. The American got the start, in the attacking third on the left flank, and netted the equalizer for the hosts in first half stoppage time.
You can see the Pulisic goal and the celebration after in the video above.
“It was an incredible first half,” Pulisic said to the BBC in post match.
“You feel after we got the momentum and get back 2-2 it’s a bit frustrating not to get the winner but probably a fair result in the end.”
Chelsea are now ten points behind City while Liverpool are 11 back, but still have a game in hand. For the visitors, this result was especially damaging, as they’ll now be without the services of Sadio Mane and Mo Salah, their two goal scorers today, for the next two games, due to the Africa Cup of Nations.
The other goal scorer for Chelsea today was Mateo Kovacic, who netted three minutes before Pulisic. Up next for Chelsea is the first of the two legs against Tottenham Hotspur in the semifinals of the Carabao Cup.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.