Assured: £85k p/w Ace Was Liverpool’s Only Positive vs Chelsea
Arne Slot and Liverpool suffered their third loss on the trot on Saturday evening after Chelsea and Brazil youngster Estevao popped up at the backstick to notch past Giorgi Mamardashvili in dramatic circumstances. In what was a reality check for the Reds, they departed Stamford Bridge emptyhanded and with very little to show for.
Enzo Maresca’s men, however, walked away with all three points after late drama included the Italian tactician getting sent off for his wild celebrations. And the Anfield faithful, in the wake of defeat, are all making the same point about one star in particular.
Despite winning the Premier League at a canter in 2024/25, recent performances have suggested that Slot and his men have plenty of work to do if they are to retain their status as champions – and that’s despite spending north of £400 million on the likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, whom are both still finding their feet since arriving in the summer.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Chelsea have now won back-to-back Premier League games against Liverpool for the first time since 2014 when Jose Mourinho was in charge.
In the 14th minute, Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate did very little to prevent Moises Caicedo having a free shot on goal and the Colombian midfielder loaded up and unleashed a perfectly-placed howitzer. Cody Gakpo gave his side some hope in the second half but Estevao’s 95th-minute winner will be the headline-grabber for the rest of the week.
Liverpool Faithful Come Together to Praise Mamardashvili

Regrettably, for Slot and his entourage at least, there were very few Liverpool players who covered themselves in glory in west London: they were second best to most balls, the Blues were the much hungrier of the two and Estevao’s last-gasp goal was thoroughly deserved. But Mamardashvili, in place of the absent Alisson Becker, can hold his head high after his display.
It’s not an easy task coming in to replace the aforementioned Brazilian, who is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the history of the Premier League history, but Mamardashvili – who moved from La Liga outfit Valencia in the summer of 2025 – impressed.
Chelsea’s abundance of shots kept the Georgian busy; he made four saves – two of which were from shots inside his box – made two high claims, ran out to win possession of the ball successfully on two occasions and enjoyed a pass success rate of 79% (33/42).
Mamardashvili Stats vs Chelsea
Minutes
90
Touches
63
Saves
4
Diving save
3
High claim
2
Accurate passes
33/42 (79%)
Recoveries
13
It was a rather calm and comforting performance given the chaos that ensued in front of him and Slot will be thankful given that Alisson could spend up to six weeks on the sidelines. With Caoimhin Kelleher no longer in the Anfield picture, Mamardashvili is the club’s go-to deputy inbetween the sticks.
Should he continue to perform like he did against Chelsea, despite conceding two goals, Liverpool will be (quite literally!) in safe hands. Shadowed over by shinier additions, Mamardashvili’s arrival could possibly be Liverpool’s smartest business of the window.

Liverpool fans, who didn’t have much to sing and dance about following their 2-1 defeat, sung the praises of Mamardashvili. In fact, they are all signing from the same hymn sheet by claiming the 25-year-old’s display was the only shining light from their trip to Stamford Bridge. “One positive today, Mamardashvili looks like a very capable keeper,” one said as another added:
“There were many poor things from today, but Mamardashvili was not one of them. I thought he played an excellent game overall.”
“Only positive I take from today is Mamardashvili, he looked steady,” a third fan wrote as they came to terms with the fact that Arsenal have leapfrogged them in the Premier League standings. The Reds will have the chance to right their wrongs after the October international break as they welcome Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United to Anfield.
LIVERPOOL10 months ago