LONDON: Chelsea and Liverpool demonstrated precisely what they have become – works in progress – in a 1-1 Premier League draw at Stamford Bridge which probably left Mauricio Pochettino a happier man than Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool need to regain the rhythm of Klopp’s early years and it will be clearly be a long, difficult job. They took an early lead at Stamford Bridge but looked increasingly unhappy until the late introduction of Harvey Elliott in attack. Liverpool may score goals regularly this season but they also risk conceding plenty.

It was the seventh successive 90-minute draw between the clubs.

At least Chelsea appeared to have scored one victory over Liverpool before kickoff in winning an auction for the Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo.

On Friday Brighton accepted a bid of £111m from Liverpool which prompted Chelsea to respond with a British record offer of £115m. This is £10m more than Chelsea paid last January for Argentina’s World Cup-winning Enzo Fernandez.

Caicedo is always believed to have preferred a move to Chelsea. He had reportedly agreed personal terms with the Blues back in May for an eight-year contract with the option to extend by a further 12 months. Last season Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk also both signed similar long-term deals.

Out on the pitch both teams had a fresh, new look. Chelsea had lost or sold an entire team of senior players brought in Robert Sanchez in goal, Axel Disasi and returning Levi Colwill in the three-man back line, the Austrian/Nigerian Carney Chukwuemeka in midfield and Nicholas Jackson at centre-forward. Christopher Nkunku is expected to be missing for four months after knee surgery. New captain was Reece James, brother of the England’s Women’s World Cup star Lauren James.

Liverpool introduced new midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai pending further new signings.

Manager Jurgen Klopp’s line-up suggested a vulnerability in defence but the opening exchanges revealed Chelsea as the team with defensive problems. New manager Mauricio Pochettino saw his three-man back line exposed by Liverpool’s pace on the transition. Mo Salah provided an opening goal for Luis Diaz and was then denied a second himself by VAR for offside.

Disasi, who had been caught out by Diaz on the Liverpool goal, made amends by equalising from close range in the 37th minute after Liverpool failed to clear a corner. Two minutes later Chelsea thought they had even taken the lead but this time VAR came to Liverpool’s rescue with another offside ruling.

Chelsea looked more assured in the second half, circulating the ball neatly in midfield and creating pressure through attacking wingbacks James and Chilwell and the direct running of Jackson. Cody Gakpo was proving ineffective as an emergency midfielder for Liverpool so Klopp sought to regain control by sending on Curtis Jones in place of Diogo Jota.

It was a mark of Liverpool’s concern that Trent Alexander-Arnold was shown a yellow card for time-wasting at a throw-in.

Salah was clearly not happy when Klopp substituted him, too, after 75 minutes. For the first time the Egyptian had not scored a goal on the opening day of a Premier League season.

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