Liverpool fell to an expected defeat against Chelsea having spent the week celebrating their Premier League win.

The Reds were heavily rotated against the Blues, who celebrated their victory without a modicum of shame.

Liverpool are going to have to be better in the final three games of the campaign, but defeat at Stamford Bridge ultimately matters little.

As a sign of how meaningless the match was for Liverpool, Arne Slot made wholesale changes for the first time in a long time.

Liverpool hero Xabi Alonso breaks silence after terminating Bayer Leverkusen contract	Liverpool acting too 'slow' in race to sign £50m player, Chelsea now in the lead - journalist	Derby manager confirms he wants to sign forgotten Liverpool hero

Jarell Quansah was one of those who came in to make only his third Premier League start of the campaign.

And although it was ultimately a tough day at the office for Quansah, Liverpool coach John Heitinga was spotted doing his best to gee the youngster on.

Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images

Quansah has had a difficult second season in the first-team Liverpool squad.

His lack of game time has certainly frustrated the defender at times.

But having put him into the line-up at Stamford Bridge, Slot and the Liverpool coaching staff were clearly trying to give Quansah some confidence.

MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES

As spotted by journalist Lewis Steele on X, assistant coach Heitinga was doing his best to help the Liverpool academy graduate through the game.

“Johnny Heitinga very invested in everything Jarell Quansah does, standing up and clapping a clearance just [now],” wrote Steele.

READ MORE: Liverpool told they may have upset plenty of people after what they did against Chelsea

“They were having a long chat before the match too.

He’s played well so far.”

Although Quansah started the game in decent fashion, things slowly deteriorated with an own goal and a penalty concession significantly blotting his copybook.

Heitinga and the Liverpool staff may have been willing a good performance out of Quansah on Sunday, but they didn’t really get one.

The 22-year-old did some good things, certainly, and managed well at times against a dangerous Chelsea front line.

But when all is said and done, Quansah put through his own goal and then compounded it all by conceding a sloppy penalty right at the end.

On this kind of performance, it’s clear to see why Liverpool are looking at Dean Huijsen and other options to strengthen their back line.

Andy Robertson called Quansah an ‘unsung hero‘ of Liverpool’s title win last week, but unfortunately, the defender has gone backwards this season.
For more news relating to Chelsea, visit our sister site Chelsea Latest Live.