It was the start of a new era for Chelsea, as new manager Mauricio Pochettino looked to get off to a winning start at Stamford Bridge - but Jürgen Klopp's side were never going to be a pushover.
The game had become somewhat overshadowed in the buildup due to the transfer battle between the 2 clubs as they both look to sign Moises Caicédo and Roméo Lavia, with both players now looking set to join The Blues.
Luis Díaz gave Liverpool an early lead after poking the ball home after Mohamed Salah delivered a stupendous ball through the middle of the home side's defence. The Egyptian thought he had given his side a second not long after, but was adjourned to be offside - keeping Chelsea in the game.
The Blues were bought level later in the half as Axel Disasi tucked the ball beyond Alisson Becker from a set piece, marking a memorable debut for the Frenchman. Just moments later newly appointed vice-captain Ben Chilwell gave the home side the lead, but his effort was ruled out for a seemingly obvious offside - keeping the sides level at halftime.
Though Pochettino's side were well on top in the second half, with their opposition unable to muster a single shot on target and conceding most of the possession, there were no goals to split the sides - with the game ending at 1-1.
But while the scoreline proved inconclusive, there were plenty of lessons to be learnt from the game - for both sides. So here are the main talking points after the game:
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Liverpool's midfield imbalance is unsustainable
It is no secret that Liverpool's midfield has been decimated during this transfer window. With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keïta departing the club upon the expiry of their contracts, and both Fabinho and former captain Jordan Henderson making big-money moves to the Saudi Pro League, Klopp's side were undeniably short in midfield.
In an attempt to rebuild their midfield, The Reds have splashed out a combined £96m on Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton, as well as young Hungarian playmaker Dominik Szoboszlai from German side RB Leipzig.
These additions both started against Chelsea but, while they created an exciting dynamic creatively, while Klopp's side were attacking, the lack of an out-and-out defensive midfielder showed. This imbalance left them notably vulnerable at times defensively - which has caused some concern among fans.
The Blues' attack is somewhat disjointed, which is largely why Liverpool were not made to pay more for this but, against stronger and more settled sides - it is completely unsustainable to get results.
Liverpool have been trying to address this issue, having been linked with a whole host of midfielders, but they have so far failed to bring the right profile in, and Chelsea have seemingly beaten them to key target Caicedo.
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Enzo Fernández proving his worth
When Chelsea spent a then British transfer record £105m on Argentine starlet Enzo Fernández, from Benfica, expectations of the 22-year-old were sky-high - and rightly so. In the 6 months that were left of the season, he by no means played badly, but didn't stand out as the talent that people expected initially.
The youngster improved as the season went on, but still had questions over his output, given his sky-high price tag (not that he could control that, obviously). But yesterday he looked a class above every other midfielder and completely controlled the midfield. With phenomenal numbers for progressive passes, duels and chance creations, he has emerged as the absolute focal point of the midfield.
With strong rumours that Caicedo, and possibly Lavia too, could join him in West London, this season could see the Argentine cement himself as one of the top midfielders in Europe.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold still needs to adapt
Trent Alexander-Arnold has claimed plenty of plaudits for his new inverted role, which sees him operating more as a midfielder than a full-back. In fact, for England's EURO 2024 qualifiers in June, the 24-year-old actually started in midfield - over the likes of Connor Gallagher and Kalvin Phillips.
While this new role has seen him offer much more creatively and in the final third, there have been a number of issues with it which he and Klopp will need to address quickly. The biggest area of concern, which has proven costly at times both during pre-season and against Chelsea, is his positioning and awareness.
At times throughout the game, he found himself closer to the left-hand touchline than Andrew Robertson, who was playing left-back, which left a huge gap in the Liverpool defence. This caused particular issues when Klopp's side needed to defend a counterattack, and Alexander-Arnold found himself in no man's land - giving space to the charging Chelsea forwards.
While the attacking output that this new position can offer The Reds is significant and very beneficial, they need to very quickly address the issues and ensure that they are resolved. They may get away with it in the short term, or against lower-quality sides, but across an entire season, it will not work in its current form - and will cost the club points.
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Nicolas Jackson can be the answer
Chelsea have long been without a top-quality striker. The likes of Timo Werner, Romelu Lukaku and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have all been and gone, with nobody making the position their own. Having spent close to £1b since Todd Boehly purchased the club, many had been asking why The Blues failed to buy a world-class striker - but maybe they did.
Nicolas Jackson joined the club this summer for £32m from Spanish outfit Villarreal, having accumulated 12 goals and 4 assists from 26 LaLiga appearances (just 16 starts) last season. Many people had expected Chelsea to sign another striker too, with Jackson to be a rotation player but, as the window draws on, this looks less likely and, importantly, less necessary.
Though the 22-year-old did not score, he got in plenty of really threatening chances and had ample opportunity to get a goal or even 2. It was his debut, and against a top side which could explain his finishing on the day but, with a little bit of refinement, he may well prove to be the answer that Chelsea have been looking for.
For just £32m he could prove to be one of the bargains of the summer and solve the club's issues upfront for a long time to come. Additions like Christopher Nkunku and Caicedo will only increase the chances that the forwards receive, which will be a further boost for Jackson and his prospects this season.
