Moises Caicedo’s shadow looms large as Chelsea and Liverpool hold each

It is a great pity that the actual matches of football that are supposed to herald the dawn of a new season have, as seemingly happens every year, been subsumed into the transfer industrial complex. A big victory on the opening day is not about kicking off the campaign with a bang but vindicating the business you have done in the market. Winning points is one thing, winning the window is the real quiz though.

This should not be a normal state of affairs, and yet it was impossible to escape the looming shadow that Moises Caicedo cast over a 1-1 draw between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, a match that was invigorating in spite of the qualities these two showed, rather than because of it. It will be the hosts who conclude this week’s on and off field tussles feeling much the happier, partly because they look the best placed to secure Caicedo, who is understood to have indicated he favors a move to London over Merseyside and who could be joined by Southampton’s Romeo Lavia as well, but also for the way they battled back from an exceptionally loose first 25 minutes to claim a point to begin Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure.

Had Mohamed Salah not drifted a step or two offside moments after…