Victor Moses was impressive against Liverpool and showed glimpses of his old self.
Victor Moses’ season has been the reflection of Chelsea this year, without confidence and ideas but now burning with verve and vim with a faint hope of a top-four finish.
Since that demoralising 3-1 home loss to Tottenham in March, Moses and Chelsea have gradually returned to form.
For both, there has been a return of urgency, pace and confidence which have gradually crept in with a series of impressive performances.
Moses has had a few good weeks, gradually getting into that form that earned him critical applauses in Chelsea’s title-winning season of 2017.
Although he is yet to hit those heights, his display against Liverpool was very reminiscent of the 2016-2017 season when he harried that right wing in both bullish and snazzy manners.
Against Liverpool, Moses was everything Antonio Conte saw in him when he turned the unfulfilled winger into a wing-back in September 2016.
He was watchful in defence and attacked with trickery, causing all sorts of troubles for Liverpool’s defence.
With Moses, Chelsea had width and penetration from the right that stretched Liverpool. He created chances too, cutting back into the box to Olivier Giroud whose shot was blocked in the first half.
He also crossed for Tiemoue Bakayoko who could not keep his head straight at goal.
There was, however, no mistaking in the 31st minute, driving at Andrew Robertson and Sadio Mane before cutting to his left foot to curl a cross for Giroud who connected with his head to score Chelsea's winning goal.
Moses’ good form will be music to the ears of Super Eagles boss Gernot Rohr who saw his men struggle to score goals in their last friendly games in March.
One of the main foibles of the Super Eagles against Poland and Serbia was the attack and if not for Moses, Nigeria would ended those games without a single goal.
Moses was terribly off-form before those games, and he indeed struggled. But he was at least daring and full of effort. He managed to get a penalty which he converted to get a 1-0 win for the Super Eagles against Serbia.
Now he has gotten into form and with his confidence, he can sure spur the Super Eagles to great heights in Russia.