Ex-Liverpool star and Cucurella explain how Salah helped Chelsea beat EPL champions

Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge said that Mohamed Salah was at fault for Chelsea's winner, blaming the Reds’ tactics for leaving them exposed. 

Arne Slot's side saw their second consecutive defeat of the Premier League campaign on Saturday evening, a 2-1 loss to Enzo Maresca's Chelsea. 

They came close to escaping with a point, in a game which the Blues played better; however, a sweeping counter-attacking move late in the game, finished off by Estevao, handed the Londoners a well-earned win. 

Sturridge, who represented both clubs during his playing career, noted that Chelsea capitalised on Salah’s position on the pitch, as the winger seldom tracks back. 

“Most attackers are not going to track back every single time,” he said, per the BBC. “I think every team would say that. There are times where you don't track back.

“I've played in that position as a winger, and sometimes you try to get away with one, but you might not get away with it.”

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella spoke in the mix zone after the game and admitted that they intentionally targeted Salah for the counter.

He said they analysed that the Egyptian usually takes up a high position and rarely track back and trained on capitalising. 

"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].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."