Liverpool sit five points clear of second-placed Manchester City again after recording a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

The Reds kept up their flawless start to the season, winning their sixth successive Premier League fixtures thanks to first-half goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roberto Firmino.

N’Golo Kante made it 2-1 with 20 minutes remaining with a fabulous solo effort, but Liverpool held on to maintain their 100 per cent winning start to the season.

The Reds were given a real scare towards the end of the match when Michy Batshuayi and Mason Mount were both presented with glorious chances to equalise.

But both players were unable to stick the ball in the net and Liverpool held on to secure another precious three points.

Alexander-Arnold broke the deadlock in the 14th minute with a magnificent strike from a well-worked Liverpool free-kick.

Mohamed Salah’s backheel teed up the 20-year-old right-back, who lashed the ball past Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Chelsea thought they’d equalised just over 10 minutes later when Cesar Azpilicueta bundled home from close-range.

However, the goal was disallowed following a VAR review because Mount was marginally offside in the build-up.

Liverpool made it 2-0 moments later thanks to Firmino, who rose highest to head home Andy Robertson’s whipped in cross.

Chelsea, already left with a mountain to climb, then almost found themselves 3-0 down on 38 minutes when Salah took aim. The Egyptian’s shot was blocked by Andreas Christensen, who injured himself in the process and was replaced by Kurt Zouma.

The hosts’ afternoon had gone from bad to worse again but they had a chance to pull a goal back on the stroke of half-time through Tammy Abraham.

But the in-form striker, who has seven league goals to his name already this season, was unable to trouble Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian with a header from Azpilicueta’s cross.

Firmino came close to making it 3-0 to the Reds early in the second-half but was denied by a top save from Kepa.

The Spanish ‘keeper pulled off another fine stop minutes later from an Azpilicueta rebound, although the assistant referee had already raised his flag for offside.

Abraham and N’Golo Kante both went close to pulling a goal back for the Blues who, to their credit, refused to let their heads drop.

And Chelsea’s players were rewarded for their never-say-die attitude when Kante made it 2-1 with a moment of individual brilliance.

The indefatigable French midfielder skipped past Fabinho before unleashing an unstoppable effort past Adrian from the edge of the box.

Kante was magnificent during the closing stages of the match but it was Batshuayi and Mount who both spurned opportunities to make it 2-2 at the death.

A let-off for Liverpool, who will be mightily relieved to have escaped with maximum points.