Summary
Consecutive home defeats for Chelsea leave a dent in our title aspirations. A late goal from former Blue Glen Johnson did the damage after Daniel Sturridge had equalised Maxi Rodriguez's opener.
After a first-half that saw few chances for either side, we started the second spell brightly and were quickly rewarded with substitute Sturridge's equaliser. We should have kicked on from there but wasted chances meant a price to pay with Liverpool's winner coming against the run of play.
Best Moment
Unfortunately, it doesn't mean much in the wake of the result, but Sturridge's equaliser so soon after his introduction, temporarily at least, gave Chelsea fans hope. Sadly, however, we were unable to push on from what could have been a defining moment of the game.
Team News
In central defence David Luiz was given the nod to partner John Terry at the expense of Alex, while in midfield, Ramires, Mikel and Lampard kept their places from the win at Blackburn. Up front, Didier Drogba came in for Daniel Sturridge. Both Fernando Torres and Raul Meireles started on the bench against their former club.
Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel started at the heart of the Liverpool defence. In midfield there were starts for both Dirk Kuyt and Maxi. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish opted for pace up front, with Craig Bellamy playing behind Luis Suarez.
First Half
In a lively opening, Chelsea were almost exposed as early as the second minute when a Craig Bellamy through ball came close to releasing Luis Suarez, but John Terry was on hand to cover.
The Blues were looking to utilise Juan Mata and Didier Drogba early on but Liverpool were defending well.
Maxi almost got in behind the Blues' defence again in the fifth minute with the high defence line in question and a good battle was shaping up between David Luiz and Suarez. At times it looked as though fireworks were only seconds away.
In midfield it almost boiled over as well, Ramires and Adam clashing on a couple of occasions.
Chelsea's first sight of goal came in the ninth minute when Mata arrived at the far post to get on the end of a Florent Malouda cross, but his effort rolled across the danger zone before being cleared.
A minute later John Mikel Obi hit a rasping effort from outside of the box, but it flew just over the bar as Pepe Reina was rooted to the spot.
Liverpool continuously caused the Chelsea defence problems on the break, and Craig Bellamy's cross was well cleared in the 12th minute for a corner. Minutes later, Glen Johnson was allowed to run and run, and should have done better with his final delivery. That was a warning for what was to come late in the game.
The Blues' best chance until that point came in the 19th minute when Drogba's free kick sailed narrowly past the post with Reina stranded.
After a brief spell of pressure, Liverpool took the lead in the 33rd minute. A careless Cech pass put Mikel in trouble, and as the midfielder lost the ball, Bellamy released Maxi just inside the penalty area, and the Argentinian finished cooly.
It wasn't the first time Liverpool had looked dangerous, and it almost happened again just before the break, but Suarez's effort was diverted behind for a corner, which Chelsea cleared easily.
Second Half
Daniel Sturridge replaced Mikel at the interval in an attacking switch by Andre Villas-Boas, and the move paid off nine minutes later when Malouda was allowed to roam, before firing across goal; the Liverpool defence failed to clear the danger and Sturridge prodded home from close range.
Chelsea were almost in front a minute later when Ivanovic's header from Lampard's free kick was well saved. The game was bubbling nicely with Chelsea on the front foot, and it certainly helped the atmosphere inside the ground.
Suarez then should have done better when he found himself in space on the edge of the box, but his effort was weak and aimless.
Chelsea were dominating in terms of possession, but the visitors were still causing problems, particularly on the counter attack.
Kuyt then saw yellow for pulling back Malouda on the halfway line as the game was reaching boiling point.
Ashley Cole fizzed a great ball across the Liverpool box but to no avail as the Blues continually looked to utilise the left-hand side, and our left-back was becoming a real threat.
Malouda was seeing more of the ball, and almost scored a brilliant acrobatic goal when he chested down a Mata knock-on and sent his overhead kick just past the post.
Kenny Dalglish appeared to be content to play for a draw as he reshuffled his side, bringing Jordan Henderson on for the dangerous Bellamy in the 65th minute and leaving Suarez up front on his own.
The visitors, who had looked dangerous at times in the first half, were offering very little in attack in the second period as the host sought the upper hand.
Chelsea could have gone in front in the 74th minute when Malouda volleyed an Ivanovic cross across the danger zone, but again, nobody reacted quickly enough.
Dalglish was quick to realise the need for fresh blood, and immediately replaced the goalscorer Maxi with Stewart Downing in an attempt to inject some much-needed creativity.
The high-profile introduction of Fernando Torres came in the 83rd minute when he and another former Liverpool man, Raul Meireles, came on for Drogba and Ramires.
Henderson skipped past both Cole and Terry brilliantly and crossed for Suarez, but the Uruguayan teed up Kuyt who could only fire wide when he should have at least tested Cech.
Against the run of play Liverpool took the lead with only three minutes remaining, when Glen Johnson was allowed to skip past two defenders and cut into the Chelsea penalty area before expertly sliding past Cech.
As the clock ran down, Chelsea's last chance of a leveller was wasted when Meireles blasted over from distance.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, David Luiz, Terry (c), Cole; Ramires (Meireles 83), Mikel (Sturridge h-t), Lampard; Mata, Drogba (Torres 83), Malouda.
Unused subs Turnbull, Bosingwa, Romeu, Anelka.
Scorer Sturridge 54.
Booked David Luiz 40, Ramires 61, Ivanovic 78.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina (c); Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Jose Enrique; Lucas, Adam; Kuyt, Bellamy (Henderson 66), Maxi Rodriguez (Downing 77); Suarez (Carroll 89).
Unused subs Doni, Spearing, Carragher, Kelly.
Scorers Rodriguez 34, Johnson 87.
Booked Lucas 29, Kuyt 63.
Referee Lee Probert
Crowd 41,820.
