Diego Costa misses late penalty as Liverpool hold Chelsea

Liverpool avoided their fourth consecutive home defeat but only just, coming back from a goal down to hold Chelsea as Diego Costa missed a late penalty for the visitors.

Despite looking tired in recent weeks, Liverpool started the game quickly, pushing Chelsea back even if they could not create any chances. But then on 24 minutes Adam Lallana was adjudged to have fouled Eden Hazard just outside the box, and while Simon Mignolet was busy organising his wall, David Luiz floated a beautiful knuckleball over the wall and into the net.

Liverpool started the second half strongly too, and on 57 minutes, Jordan Henderson's excellent pass over the top was turned back into the middle by James Milner, and Georgino Wijnaldum headed home from close range.

Though Liverpool were the better side thereafter, Costa ought to have won it for Chelsea when he won a penalty, but Mignolet saved well. And then, in injury time, Sadio Mane flipped a cross into the box, only for the unmarked Roberto Firmino to head straight at Thibaut Courtois.

Both sides will be relatively satisfied with a point, but to varying degrees: Chelsea are a step closer to the title with an eight-point lead over second-placed Spurs, while Liverpool face a fight for the top four.

Did Liverpool have a plan in the first half? Liverpool dominated the opening 20 minutes, but never looked likely to score. After half-time, they pursued a ploy of lifting aerial passes from right to left, exploiting the space between Cesar Azpilicueta and Victor Moses; had they tried that in the first half, rather than simply tried to play well, they might have scored sooner than they did,

David Luiz (Chelsea): No player especially excelled, but Luiz scored a wonderful free-kick and defended calmly and astutely.

Liverpool: Mignolet 6, Clyne 6, Lovren 6, Matip 5, Milner 7, Henderson 7, Wijnaldum 6, Can 5, Lallana 5, Firmino 5, Coutinho 5. Subs: Mane 6, Origi 6.

Chelsea: Courtois 6, Azpilicueta 6, Luiz 8, Cahill 6, Moses 6, Kante 6, Matic 5, Alonso 5, Willian 5, Hazard 5, Costa 5. Subs: Pedro 6, Fabregas 6, Batshuayi 6.

Liverpool hadn't lost four consecutive home games since 1923 ... and they still haven't

Simon Mignolet has now saved five of the last nine penalties he has faced in the Premier League

Diego Costa's penalty miss was Chelsea's first in a Premier League away fixture since Frank Lampard's effort was saved in the 2-0 loss at Manchester City on 24 February 2013

25’ - WHAT A GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Chelsea. This is brilliant! Willian is making like he's preparing to take the kick, standing by the ball and moving backward in an arc. At which point Liz bustled past him and knuckleballed a fantastic shot over the wall and into the net before Mignolet had even thought about thinking about thinking about moving.

49’ - WHAT A SITTER! Oh me! Oh my! Liverpool find their away down the left at speed, the move the ball across the pitch for Lallana, who backheels delightfully into the path of Clyne, bursting by on his inside. In slides Azpilicueta, and the ball breaks free to Firmino, who has time for a cuppa, a biscuit, a skin of War and Peace and a snout before controlling and picking his spot. But he eschews all of that, leaning back and slicing somewhere towards Kirkby.

57’ - GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea. Strangely passive defending from Chelsea, allowing Liverpool to build without molestation and allowing Henderson to curve an excellent ball over the Chelsea defence from right to left. Milner is there to meet it, knocking it back across, and when the ball takes a deflection off Moses, it arrives perfectly for Wijnaldum to head home from close range.

76' - PENALTY TO CHELSEA! Lovren over-commits, Costa shimmies past Matip, Matip upends him, and Clatts points to the spot

77’ - MIGNOLET SAVES COSTA'S PENALTY! With Hazard sat at the side, Costa accepts responsibility, and scuffs a tame effort towards the bottom-left. But it's nowhere near pacy enough, and Mignolet is down to it quickly to push behind.

90+1’ - CHANCE TO WIN IT! Mane flips a cross into the box, AND FIRMINO IS IN FRONT OF GOAL, SIX YARDS OUT! But rather than head down, he nods straight, and Courtois collects easily one he should've got nowhere near.