Chelsea’s 2–1 victory over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge was more than just a statement of intent — it was a tactical masterclass, and Marc Cucurella has lifted the lid on one of the key strategies that led to the win.

Speaking after the game, the Spaniard revealed that Liverpool’s talisman Mohamed Salah’s reluctance to track back was something Chelsea deliberately planned to exploit.

“We know that Salah is always ready for the counter attack so we practiced that and the manager said that the space might be there [on the right side of Liverpool],” Cucurella told Sky Sports.

That awareness paid off in dramatic fashion. Deep into stoppage time, with the score level, Cucurella surged forward on the left flank, received a pass from Enzo Fernández, and whipped in a precise cross for Estevao Willian — the teenage sensation — to seal the win.

He said: “We saw that it was the last minute but we kept attacking. I tried to give my last effort and Enzo gave me the ball and I crossed for Estevao.”
The assist capped off a brilliant display from the 26-year-old, who continues to thrive under Enzo Maresca’s system. But Cucurella was also quick to acknowledge that there’s room for improvement despite the euphoric result.

He added: “I think we deserve it. We started the game very well and then the second-half we started not in the right way again – we need to improve these things.

“But in general I think we deserve this win. We came through some tough weeks, this moment was amazing and we go into the break with three points, so we are very happy.”
It’s been a rollercoaster few weeks for Chelsea, but the Spaniard insists the team’s resilience is beginning to show as they head into the international break with renewed confidence.