The Blues took the lead after a rapid start, hitting the home side with a counter-attacking move. Wieke Kaptein beat the defence with a determined run towards the box, before unselfishly laying the ball off for Alyssa Thompson to score.

After a fast start, the tempo of the game dropped, and Liverpool were able to take a greater foothold in the contest. And a long ball forward for Beata Olsson to chase paid dividends when the Swedish striker equalised from a one-on-one with Livia Peng.

The introduction of Aggie Beever-Jones after half-time injected some energy into the front-line, and the number 33 went close twice around the hour mark, with the Blues searching for the elusive second goal.

Liverpool gained their first point of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend, and clearly buoyed by that result, the home side defended valiantly and stifled the Blues, keeping the score at 1-1 by the time the final whistle blew.

Hannah Hampton's injury meant that Livia started in goal once more, while Millie Bright, Nathalie Bjorn, Niamh Charles and Erin Cuthbert came into the side in place of Lucy Bronze, Naomi Girma, Sandy Baltimore and Sam Kerr.

Blues captain Bright made a historic 211th league appearance, overtaking Jordan Nobbs to take the top spot in the list of all-time Women's Super League appearance makers.

Perfect start

The Blues got off to the ideal opening in St Helens, advancing rapidly on the counter from a Liverpool attack. Kaptein created the opportunity, running at the Reds' backline, before playing the pass to Thompson on the left.

The American cut inside onto her right foot and curled a sublime effort into the top corner, scoring her second goal in as many games for Chelsea with just nine minutes on the clock.

Scores level

The Reds, despite a tough start to the season so far, had enough spirit to recover and then regained some control of the game as they restricted Chelsea from adding to the scoreline in the opening 30 minutes.

Gareth Taylor's side got their reward shortly afterwards. Olsson got herself on the end of a long ball forward and used her pace to find herself one-on-one with Peng. The Swedish striker had time to compose herself before finishing beyond the Chelsea stopper.

The Blues attempted to swing the momentum back in our favour as the trio of Kaptein, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, and Catarina Macario were linking up well in the final third. The best chance came for the Chelsea number nine just before the break, but her shot from 12 yards out went just wide of the post.

Second-half battle

Bompastor made two changes after half-time as Girma replaced Bright and Beever-Jones came on for Macario. Ten minutes later, the head coach swapped Rytting Kaneryd for Baltimore.

There was to be no immediate reprieve for the Blues as Cuthbert's long-range shot was tipped round the post, and Girma's effort at the far post was just about kept out from the resulting corner.

And when Beever-Jones slotted the ball home just after the hour mark, the offside flag was quickly raised to rule the attempt out. The striker had another crack of the whip almost immediately afterwards. Chipping the ball brilliantly over the onrushing Faye Kirby, the ball bounced agonisingly wide of the right-hand post.

Liverpool were determined to hold on, and Lily Woodham almost put the home side in front when she dragged a shot from range just wide, although a diving Peng seemed to have the shot covered.

Final stages

As the fourth official indicated there would be four minutes of added time, the Reds broke forward. Cuthbert made a key intervention as she put her body on the line to charge down a Ceri Holland shot from the edge of the area with the home side looking for a winner.

Chelsea remain unbeaten in the WSL under Bompastor, but will feel that this was an opportunity missed against a side who were second from bottom of the table before the match began.

What it means...

Manchester City's win over derby rivals Manchester United has seen them open up a three-point gap at the top of the WSL to the Blues in second, with both sides having played nine matches so far.

What comes next...

Chelsea face Barcelona in the Women's Champions League at Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening, with tickets still available here.

The teams

Chelsea: Peng, Carpenter, Bright (c) (Girma 45), Bjorn (Bronze 63), Charles (James 72), Cuthbert, Walsh, Macario (Beever-Jones 45), Thompson, Kaptein, Rytting Kaneryd (Baltimore 55)
Unused subs: Spencer, Nusken, Hamano, Jean-Francois
Scorers: Thompson 9

Liverpool: Kirby, Evans, Fisk (c) Kapocs, Nagano, Olsson, Enderby, Woodham, Clark, Holland, Kerr
Unused subs: Laws, Borggrafe, Parry, Szymczak, Kiernan, Pedersen, Maclean, Bonner, Silcock
Scorers: Olsson 33
Booked: Fisk 75
Referee: Ed Duckworth