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lONDON. — Mateo Kovacic and Christian Pulisic rescue Blues to a 2-2 draw, with quickfire strikes as Reds squander a two-goal lead after Sadio Mane and Mo Salah had put them ahead . . . leaving Manchester City ten points clear top of log. A great result for Manchester City, the cynics will say.

This was a great result for everybody. Those in blue, those in red, and all colours between.

We saw a great football match. Probably the best of the season; probably not to be matched.

To hand three points to one of these teams, and none to the other, would therefore be sacrilege. To give them one each seems a pretty stingy return.

If ever there was a case for splitting three points for a draw here it was. Chelsea and Liverpool entertained us all. If they were still playing, we’d still be watching.

The second half contained three of the saves of the season; two from Edouard Mendy from Mo Salah and Sadio Mane inside the space of two minutes, one from Liverpool’s stand-in Caoimhin Kelleher from Christian Pulisic.

Even in the four minutes of injury time the game was played with a relentless breathlessness. And this was the lesser of two mighty halves.

No Jurgen Klopp on the touchline for Liverpool, but a Klopp team can be spotted a mile away. Liverpool came to Stamford Bridge and never took a backward step. That’s Klopp. They were fast, furious, counter-attacking and risk-taking.

Meanwhile, Rafa is on the rocks? Everton lost at home to Brighton 2 – 3 and are stuck in 15th place in the Premier League log standings, after Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s skied penalty proves costly on another day of boos at Goodison Park.

Having lost 11 times at Goodison in 2021, Everton wanted a better start to home life in the new year than this.

They showed spirit in the second half when local youngster Anthony Gordon scored his first senior goals but it can’t hide the fact Rafa Benitez’s team stay in the bottom six following only one victory in 12.

There were predictable boos towards the struggling manager as even the return of talisman Dominic Calvert-Lewin turned sour.

Also, Aston Villa were stunned by Brentford on Steven Gerrard’s return 2 – 1 as late Mads Roerslev goal completes Bees’ comeback and secures all three points . . . moving new boys 12 points clear of the relegation zone.

Covid bounced off Steven Gerrard without so much as tickling his throat. His first day back on the sidelines? That left him feeling a little more iffy.

And no wonder, really. What an odd game, which his side led in the most delightful way through Danny Ings, and then as good as controlled for the 40 or so minutes after Yoanne Wissa had levelled.

Here are the weekend results

Arsenal    1 – 2  Manchester City

Watford   0- 1  Tottenham

Crystal Palace  2 – 3 West Ham Utd

Brentford 2 -1 Aston Villa

Everton     2 – 3 Brighton &  Hove Albion

Leeds Utd 3 – 1 Burnely

Chelsea     2 – 2 Liverpool — Dailymail.