Liverpool passed a major acid test of their Premier League title credentials to move back to the top of the table by beating Chelsea 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday.
Mohamed Salah’s spit kick and Curtis Jones’ winner made it 10 wins in 11 games for the Reds since Arne Slot took charge.
Nicolas Jackson briefly levelled for Chelsea in the second half, but they slipped to a first league defeat since losing to Manchester City on the opening weekend of the season.
Salah slammed home his 10th goal against his former club from the resulting penalty.
Moments later, Cody Gakpo slotted in at the end of a lightning Liverpool counter-attack, but Salah had strayed offside before delivering the assist.
At the other end, Jackson smashed off the angle of post and bar in the first sign that Chelsea had some punch to their possession football.
Chelsea, though, had another escape just before half-time when referee John Brooks intially pointed to the spot once more when Jones went down under a challenge from Robert Sanchez.
VAR intervened, however, as the Spanish goalkeeper got a touch on the ball before making contact with Jones.
Within three minutes of the restart for the second half, the Blues were back level as VAR played another helping hand for the visitors.
Jackson latched onto Moises Caicedo’s through ball and coolly slotted past Caoimhin Kelleher for his fifth goal in eight Premier League games.
The Senegalese striker was ruled offside on the field, but was shown to be played on by Ibrahima Konate on replay.
Liverpool took just three minutes to restore their lead as Jones timed his run perfectly to control and flick in Salah’s cross.
Chelsea forced Slot’s men to defend their lead for the final 40 minutes but struggled to create clear-cut chances for the equaliser until seven minutes of stoppage time.
Renato Vega headed over Cole Palmer’s free-kick before Christopher Nkunku failed to get a telling touch to Pedro Neto’s teasing cross.