All but the most absurdly optimistic Chelsea fan knew that win, lose or draw, the team were in for a difficult ride at Anfield once the team news was announced. José Mourinho was under no illusions either.

 

The boost that came from the return of the balaclava-clad Petr Cech in goal was tempered considerably when Ricardo Carvalho, the only fit centre-back in the squad, was struck down by fever in the team hotel during the night before.

 

'We did our work in the week, working on our ideas for the game. We were trying tobuild our defensive line around Ricardo's leadership,' explained Mourinho, who had planned to pair Michael Essien with Carvalho in a repeat of the pairing that had kept a clean sheet against Wigan last weekend.

 

'This morning we knew he cannot play. I saw the faces of my players and it was easy to understand what was going on inside my their souls.'

 

So it was Paulo Ferreira who was once again asked to take on unfamiliar centre-back duties, this time alongside redeployed midfielder Essien. The cause wasn't helped by the absence of suspended Claude Makelele from that area of the pitch either.

 

'Problems would always arrive in the game but I was wishing we could play the first 15 to 20 minutes without conceding. That would bring confidence and self-belief to the team,' said Mourinho.

 

'But when you concede a goal so soon, it is difficult, especially against Liverpool because they defend well.'

 

As it turned out, Chelsea kept the Merseysiders out for a mere three minutes before a long ball was capitalised on by Dirk Kuyt. A goal resulting from mistakes by people not used to playing in central defence was how the Chelsea manager analysed it.

 

'Rafa is not stupid and I am not a magician. He is not stupid so he plays with Crouch and Kuyt up front and not with Bellamy because Ferreira and Essien can cope with Bellamy.

 

'We could not cope with Crouch and Kuyt. Crouch is too tall and he can flick the ball all the time. Kuyt is too strong, he can hold the ball on his chest and wait for support. So I never had any doubt they would play Crouch and Kuyt.

 

'It is not normal to loose three central defenders at the same time. It is incredible. I had 16 players, all could have been ill but the only one that was ill was the only central defender we had.

 

'You can play without central defenders in the Champions League, it is a different style of play - faster people with movement.

 

'In the Premiership it is impossible. There are tall people, target men, who are used to playing with back to goal and a long ball build-up.

 

'After the first goal, Liverpool had the game in their hands and they controlled it,' admitted Mourinho.

 

'In the second-half, mentally the reaction was positive because the team kept some faith. If we scored a goal, we could have caused them problems but they defended well and deserved their victory.'

 

Chelsea left Anfield midway through Saturday afternoon minus the three points the team had come for - but the true damage to the title chances won't be known until just before 6pm on Sunday when the result of Arsenal v Man United will be known.

 

'If Man United win tomorrow, then nine points is gap. Of course it is not finished but it is a gap,' began the Mourinho assessment. 'If they draw or lose then six or seven points behind, I'd be very confident we can still do it.'