Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring for the Blues in just the third minute of the contest with a clinical finish.

An own goal by Jarell Quansah followed in the second period through unfortunate circumstances after he was unable to get out of the way of Virgil van Dijk's clearance.

The captain responded via a powerful header with five minutes remaining to set up a frantic finish, but it was the hosts who had the final say when Cole Palmer converted a penalty in the sixth minute of added time.

Liverpool made six changes for the trip to the capital.

Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo and Curtis Jones all started, while Diogo Jota, Kostas Tsimikas and Quansah also came into the line-up.

Alisson, Endo (Mac Allister, 69), Van Dijk, Salah, Jones, Gakpo, Elliott (Szoboszlai, 69), Jota (Nunez, 57), Tsimikas (Chiesa, 82), Alexander-Arnold (Bradley, 57), Quansah.

Kelleher, Konate, Diaz, Robertson.

The game was in just its third minute when the the hosts made the first mark on the scoresheet in the opening attack of the game.

Pedro Neto found space down the right flank and his low cross reached Fernandez inside the area, leaving the midfielder to take a touch and finish low past Alisson Becker from 10 yards out.

Jota's attempted volley from a deflected cross saw a good chance go to waste shortly after, while Cody Gakpo tested the reactions of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez with a dipping effort from the left.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was next to see a drive blocked by the retreating Marc Cucurella and at the other end Moises Caicedo saw a cross clip the top of the crossbar as the teams exchanged attacks.

The game carried on at a competitive pace though neither side were looking likely to add to the scoreline before the half-time break.

Ahead of the interval, however, Neto went closest with a shot into the side-netting from the edge of the area, while Noni Madueke had the ball in the net after rounding Alisson, but was well offside in the build-up with play already halted.

Madueke was the hosts' bright spark in the initial phases of the second period, producing two driving runs from midfield into the final third, though Liverpool were able to halt his advances on both occasions.

Shortly ahead of the hour, however, Chelsea doubled their advantage through a Quansah own goal.

Palmer worked his way into the penalty area on the right, delivering across the six-yard box, before Van Dijk's attempted clearance hit his teammate with the ball rebounding into the back of the net.

At the other end, Van Dijk headed over a Tsimikas corner as Liverpool attempted to respond to reduce the two-goal deficit.

Gakpo also saw a dangerous cross cleared away by the Chelsea defence, while substitute Darwin Nunez sent a header wide of the mark.

Tsimikas next stood up a ball to the back post, which was met by the run of Mohamed Salah, but the No.11 was unable to find the bottom corner with his own guided header.

Blues substitute Jadon Sancho tested Alisson with a low shot from a tight angle after a well-worked move forward in a rare attack for Chelsea, who were happy to concede the majority of possession to the visitors.

Palmer then hit the inside of the post after a surging run along the left byline, his low hit cannoning back away from goal to be cleared.

The Reds got on the scoresheet with five minutes of normal time remaining. Van Dijk's powerful header from substitute Alexis Mac Allister's corner kick offered Arne Slot's side a way back into the match in the closing stages.

But it was the hosts who struck last as Palmer converted a penalty deep into injury time to halt any hopes of a late Liverpool fightback.