Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea – Premiership Live Blog – 1 February 2009

Liverpool and Chelsea have faltered in recent weeks and the winners at Anfield will be the side which will offer Premiership leaders Manchester United the greatest challenge for the title this season. This is one of the most important matches of the season and Daily Soccer Blog will be on hand to report on its progress, minute by minute.

Match Preview

The days when it looked as though Liverpool were unstoppable and could run away with the league seem a lifetime ago. Rafa Benitez was again criticised for his substitutions during the midweek draw against Wigan Athletic, in which both Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres were replaced.

It has been reported that Benitez dismissed claims his flagging side are under pressure ahead of Sunday’s clash against Chelsea, but the simple fact is, they are. His side have won five and drawn seven in the Premiership since they last tasted defeat, a 2-1 reverse at Spurs in November, but the main criticism is they are dropping points against teams they should be beating. Stoke, Fulham, West Ham and Hull have all left Anfield with a point this season.

Liverpool have the edge going into this fixture, having beaten Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in October, a result which brought Phil Scolari’s team’s amazing home record to an end. The Blues go into the match in decent form, winning their last four matches in all competitions, but they have won just four of their last 10 in the league.

Gerrard and Torres must start for Liverpool this afternoon, while Xabi Alonso, Dirk Kuyt and Albert Riera are also expected feature. Robbie Keane is unlikely to feature in the matchday squad, fuelling the speculation his future lies away from Anfield. Salomon Kalou, who netted twice against Middlesbrough in the week, is expected to shake off a knock but Ricardo Carvalho is still missing with a hamstring injury.

Line Ups

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio, Kuyt, Alonso, Mascherano, Riera, Gerrard, Torres.
Subs: Cavalieri, Dossena, Agger, Benayoun, Babel, Leiva Lucas, Ngog.

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Mikel, Lampard, Kalou, Anelka, Malouda.
Subs: Hilario, Ivanovic, Drogba, Ferreira, Deco, Mancienne, Stoch.

Goals

Liverpool: Torres (87′, 90+4′)

Live Blog

90+5′ Torres gets the standing ovation he rightly deserves when he is replaced by David N’Gog. Liverpool fans won’t mind Benitez taking him off when the match is already won.

90+4′ Goal! Liverpool 2 Chelsea 0. It’s that man Fernando Torres again who tucks away a loose ball from 12 yards after Benayoun was tackled by Cole. Peter Cech had no chance against Torres who is finally showing some of those predatory instincts he was famous for last season.

90+2′ Bosingwa attempts a shot from about 30 yards but it’s well wide.

90+1′ The Liverpool fans are incensed by Boswingwa who shoved Benayoun, studs-up in the back, who was trying to shield the ball in the far corner. Nothing was given for this usually instant sending off despite the assistant referee looking straight at the incident.

90′ Perhaps Liverpool are not finished yet. Gerrard half volleys from the edge of the box, forcing Cech to turn the ball over his crossbar for a corner. The tannoy announces five minutes of injury time much to the crowds annoyance.

87′ Goal! Liverpool 1 Chelsea 0. Gerrard, at the heart of everything this afternoon, plays a one-two with Aurelio, who crosses in for Fernando Torres to head in at the near post from six yards. It’s his first goal at Anfield for the season and it could not have come at a more important time.

87′ Auerlio delivers the ball into the box and Kuyt volleys it with his back to goal, but scoops the ball over the crossbar. No more than a half chance.

85′ Miroslav Stoch, who I have never heard of, comes on for Salomon Kalou as Scolari’s third and final substitution of the match.

83′ Perennial substitute Ryan Babel replaces Javier Mascherano as Rafa Benitez desperately tries to prevent a fifth goalless draw for Liverpool this season.

82′ Benayoun delivers an even more spectacular volley from the edge of the box after Terry’s headed clearance lands invitingly into his path. The ball goes just over the bar and I am not convinced Cech would have got it this time.

80′ Benayoun unleashes a shot from 20 yards which was bending into the far corner but Cech just bats it away for a corner. Spectacular looking but comfortably dealt with.

79′ Torres attempts an acrobatic volley from a Benayoun cross but Cech is alert and smothers it. Kuyt was waiting in the wings to gobble up the rebound like a hungry child at fat camp but the Czech Republic goalkeeper has been in fine form this match.

76′ Another penalty shout for Liverpool as Terry appears to nudge Torres away when the Spaniard leaps to meet a Gerrard cross. Riley is having none of it despite the protests from the Anfield faithful.

75′ Kalou, after scoring twice in midweek against Middlesbrough, tries to curl one in from the edge of the box but the underworked Liverpool goalkeeper Reina catches it easily.

74′ Riera comes off to give Yossi Benayoun a taste of the action. At least Benitez hasn’t taken off Gerrard or Torres. But, there are still 15 minutes left for him to do so.

72′ Torres misses a glorious chance for the Reds after he plucked a Gerrard corner from air and had time to take a second touch but his strike on goal was diverted behind by Mikel.

70′ Gerrard is booked for a dive on the edge of the box after going to ground from a non-challenge from Kalou.

69′ At last, Scolari makes some changes. Malouda and Anelka are replaced by Deco and Drogba.

67′ It’s all hands to the pump for Chelsea. Liverpool have a penalty decision turned down and moments later Alex hurls himself in front of an effort from Alonso which loops up and comes back off the crossbar. It may only be a matter of time now before Liverpool make a breakthrough.

65′ Lampard is said to be “angry and bemused” by the referee’s decision but there’s nothing he can do about it now. Liverpool pile on the pressure with an Alonso free kick, which Terry blocks and clears.

61′ We are now 15 minutes into the second half, usually about the time a manager makes changes. Chelsea have offered nothing in attack this half and now Lampard has been sent off, Scolari simply has to make some changes. Perhaps having a man extra will inspire Rafa Benitez to be a bit more adventurous too.

60′ Frank Lampard receives a straight red card for a studs-up tackle on Alonso. It looked a poor decision because Lampard appeared to win the ball first. John Terry, making his 250th career league start, gets booked for hounding the referee.

56′ Kuyt thinks he should have a penalty but Terry appeared to win the ball. Arbeloa shoots the loose ball towards goal but it’s easily gathered by Cech.

53′ Mikel adds his name to Mike Riley’s naughty list after a foul on Arbeloa. Mascherano pings the ball forward, Gerrard heads it on to Torres who sees an effort on goal blocked. This is better from Liverpool who are trying to take the game to Chelsea now.

52′ Gerrard frees Kuyt on the right and the Dutchman puts in a poor cross with nobody in the box. Boswinga, unbelievably, chests it out for a corner. Gerrard swings it in, Alex misjudges the header and Kuyt can only volley it wide. A let off for Chelsea who may not get so lucky next time.

50′ The Anfield crowd are getting restless. Gerrard surges forward but plays the ball back and while Liverpool play pretty passes in the middle of the park, they are not going anywhere.

47′ Both pundits in the TV studio make great points about both sets of managers attitudes toward the game. It’s as though both are afraid of losing this match rather than wanting to try and win it. A draw isn’t really good for either side as it would both leave them four points behind Manchester United. Rudd Gullit, a former Chelsea player and manager, doesn’t think either side look like title contenders.

46′ It’s a case of “as you were” for the second half as neither manager makes any changes during the break and Liverpool kick off. Alonso gets booked before 60 seconds are registered for a foul on Salomon Kalou.

Half Time. Peter Cech has been the busier of the two goalkeepers and has dealt with three shots from distance quite comfortably. Chelsea haven’t even managed to get a shot on target yet. Both sides have been cagey and the play scrappy for the majority of the first half. It’s been a game of the proverbial cat-and-mouse and something needs to happen in the second half to open the game up a bit. A sending off, a penalty, an own goal, anything to prevent this game from slipping into a nil nil snoozefest.

45′+1 A strange decision from Riera when played in by Gerrard, who at last tries to assert some authority onto the game. Instead of taking a shot on goal Riera decided to try an ambitious back-heel one-two with the England international which failed spectacularly.

44′ Some handbags between Mikel and Torres after the Spaniard had the nerve to chase after his opponent and try to tackle him. For goodness sake, why are footballers so precious these days? Hopefully we’ll get some meaty tackles in the second half because this one has been quite tame so far.

42′ Ashley Cole almost put into his own net after Riera unleashed a shot which Cech could only parry into the path of his own defender. I doubt Cole knew too much about it, but stabbed it wide of his post for a corner. It could just as easily have been an own goal and an horrific way to mark his 350th career appearance.

38′ Liverpool continue to have the better posession but Anelka fashioned a half-chance for Chelsea when he snapped at a volley inside the box. Skrtel blocked and Mike Riley was having none of the half-hearted appeals for a hand ball.

33′ Chelsea’s first real chance comes to captain John Terry who heads over the bar from a corner. A this rate it’s heading into predictable 0-0 draw territory.

31′ Cech gets lucky when trying to play the ball out of the penalty area. If Torres had been a little closer he may have been able to nick the ball off him and have an open Chelsea goal at his mercy. Torres has another chance, lines up a half volley but a lunging block from Alex clears the danger.

26′ Gerrard and Torres try to combine following a quick free kick from Alonso but a mixture of desperate defending and quick thinking from Cech sees a goal scoring chance peter out to nothing.

25′ Ballack whips in a cross but it’s headed confidently away by Jamie Carragher. Nicolas Anelka is a good striker but not the imposing target man figure that Didier Drogba brings to the game.

22′ Ashley Cole becomes the second player to be booked after he floors Kuyt. The Dutchman looked to turn the full back and start a breakaway attack for the Reds.

20′ Mascherano does get a booking this time, for introducing his studs to the shin of Jon Obi Mikel. He has been a bit hot headed so far this game and needs to calm down before he gets sent off.

18′ Mascherano unleashes a howitzer from 25 yards which Cech can only parry about five yards in front of him. Nobody was following up for Liverpool, where on earth was Fernando Torres who is supposed to eat such goal scoring chances for breakfast… or early afternoon tea in this case?

17′ It’s very scrappy at the moment, both teams are cancelling eachother out. Neither Gerrard or Lampard have been able to stamp their authority on the game. Mascherano appears to dig Ballack in the ribs off the ball. Credit to the German international for not going down like he had been shot.

13′ A casual clearance from Terry allows Kuyt to burst out wide but his attempted cross is poor and goes out for a goal kick.

11′ Alonso announces his return to the side with a shot from 20 yards heading into the top corner. Cech is up to the task and tips it over for a corner, which comes to nothing.

10′ The match is very stop start in the early stages with it being exceptionally congested in midfield and players going down for the slightest of touches.

7′ Gerrard has the first shot in anger for Liverpool but it doesn’t cause Peter Cech any problems.

5′ The Anfield crowd disapprove of Mike Riley awarding Chelsea a free kick after Steven Gerrard’s boot makes its acquaintance with the head of John Terry. He’s certainly putting himself about in the early stages is our Stevo.

3′ Liverpool make the early inroads. The snow appears to be coming down a lot heavier. Riera fouls Boswinga and Gerrard drives the ball into the Portuguese defender as he lays sprawled on the ground. That has to sting on a day like today!

1′ Chelsea kick off the biggest match of the weekend as the snow begins to fall at Anfield. It was highlighted both managers, Benitez and Scolari have been suffering with kidney stones. It’s unlikely today’s match, with so much riding on it, is likely to improve their situations health-wise.

0′ Hatsumi’s bile-filled tirade is not finished there. Oh no, he (or perhaps she?) also “hopes Chelsea stuff them (Liverpool)”. So there.

0′ Daily Soccer Blog reader Hatsumi is obviously appalled at Keane’s ommission, branding Benitez as “the biggest f*****g idiot in football ever”. Of course, an unbiased journalist such as myself would never describe an experienced, professional Premiership manager in that manner. But, some of his recent decisions have left an awful lot to be desired, all stemming from that Keegan-esque rant at Alex Ferguson a few weeks ago.

0′ As first thought, Robbie Keane is nowhere to be seen in Rafa Benitez’s matchday squad. Perhaps he will rejoin Spurs before the transfer window shuts tomorrow at 5pm, but what sort of fee will be involved? If the Jermain Defoe debacle is anything to go by, Liverpool could see a handsome profit on a player already bought for a vastly inflated fee of £20 million just last summer.

Reaction

A stonewall nil nil sparked into life in the closing minutes when Fernando Torres showed exactly why Rafa Benitez signed him for almost £30 million 18 months ago. Torres, who had a quiet game, scored two relatively easy goals – a header and sidefooted effort, but it was his instincts a striker and desire to score the goals which proved the difference between the two sides on the night. Chelsea simply weren’t in the match today and rarely troubled Jose Reina’s goal. As it stands, it will be Liverpool who challenge Manchester United for the title and the win today sets up the “title decider” on 14 March when the Reds visit Old Trafford.

Man of the Match

With five minutes to go, I was going to award it to Steven Gerrard, as he was involved in everything good about Liverpool today and grabbed the game by the scruff of its neck after Lampard was sent off for Chelsea. However, with two goals out of the blue, I have to award it to Fernando Torres. Ultimately he was the difference between the two sides on the night and displayed the sort of finishing the likes of Anelka and Drogba never looked like producing. Hats off too, to manager Benitez, who remembered football matches last for 90 minutes and managed to keep his best players on until the end.