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Chelsea’s fightback against Liverpool shows they still have guts for title race – with or without axed Romelu Lukaku

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CHELSEA proved they still have the guts for a title pursuit following their fightback against Liverpool.

And they showed they can do it with or without Romelu Lukaku, who was dropped from the squad following his recent bombshell interview.

Mateo Kovacic celebrates his goalCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun

Chelsea came into the game 11 points off champions Manchester City and really needed a win to keep any sort of pressure on the runaway leaders.

And after going 2-0 down on the 26-minute mark, the Blues could have thrown in the towel on the match and their hopes of the league title.

But they didn’t, and refused to quit even when the game and grasp on the title appeared to slip.

Goals from Mateo Kovacic and then Christian Pulisic – in the space of less than five minutes – put Chelsea back level before the break.

And a chance squandered by Kai Havertz before half-time and later Pulisic on the hour mark leaves the Blues celebrating only a come-from-behind point, opposed to three.

Chelsea are now ten points adrift of City and needing help from elsewhere to keep their chances of topping the table alive.

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But today’s result at Stamford Bridge was enough to say Thomas Tuchel’s side won’t shy away from the challenge.

With big games against City and an ever-improving Tottenham to come, it’s another chance for Chelsea to show they are not giving up on their crack at adding domestic supremacy to the continental crown they won last season.

Having started the season so defensively sound, keeping clean sheets for fun, the Blues rarely needed to come back from behind.

But recent form has seen Chelsea leak goals and then struggle to turn it around.

Today, against top opposition, they did it from two goals behind and will feel they should have capped it off with a win.

And doing it without club record signing Lukaku, their most proven finisher, gives Tuchel’s side even more to feel confident about.

Chelsea manager Thomas TuchelCredit: Getty

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk

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