Liverpool’s Champions League chances drop again after Chelsea frustration

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Liverpool are still overwhelming favourites to qualify for next season’s Champions League, but the numbers are starting to trend in the wrong direction after another frustrating result at Anfield.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYFollowing the disappointing 1-1 draw with Chelsea, Opta Analyst now gives us a “97.34%” chance of securing Champions League football for next season.That remains comfortably ahead of Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Brighton, but it is still another small drop after recent setbacks.Just last weekend, following defeat to Manchester United, Liverpool’s probability stood at 97.15%.After Chelsea then lost heavily to Nottingham Forest, those chances rose again to 98.35%.Now, after failing to beat a Chelsea side that arrived at Anfield on a six-game losing streak, the percentage has dipped once more.Liverpool performances are becoming the bigger concernThe bigger issue right now probably isn’t the table itself.It’s the direction of the performances.Liverpool started brightly against Chelsea and looked dangerous through Rio Ngumoha early on, with Ryan Gravenberch opening the scoring after just six minutes.But once Chelsea equalised through Enzo Fernandez’s bizarre free-kick, the energy disappeared again.The pressing became passive, the intensity dropped and the side looked increasingly nervous both on and off the ball.That’s becoming a recurring theme under Arne Slot during this difficult run.Supporters can accept poor results when the effort and identity are clear, but at the moment there are growing concerns about both.Liverpool still control their own destinyDespite the frustration, qualification is still firmly in our hands.Liverpool remain fourth in the table on 59 points, one point ahead of Aston Villa with two matches remaining.However, the mood around Anfield is shifting quickly because performances are not improving.Chelsea arrived badly out of form, yet Liverpool still managed just 0.51 expected goals, their lowest Premier League xG total at home since another poor display against the Blues back in March 2021 (Opta).With Aston Villa up next on Friday night, there is now real pressure on Slot and his players to stop the slide before the situation becomes even more uncomfortable.