The Times

Liverpool left on ropes by Hiddink's mastery
Liverpool 1 Chelsea 3

Oliver Kay Football Correspondent

The resident disc jockey opted for a Beatles classic at the final
whistle. We Can Work It Out sounded like wishful thinking on
Liverpool’s part at the end of an evening when the fortress of Anfield
was not just stormed but ransacked, but, to put it in another context,
who can possibly work out the remarkable transformation that Guus
Hiddink has managed in only two months in charge of Chelsea?

It cannot be rocket science, just a case of restoring some much-needed
confidence and tactical discipline to a team who had lost their way
under Luiz Felipe Scolari. Given the way that Chelsea capitulated at
the same venue just before his arrival, though, the Hiddink effect is
looking like something close to alchemy. Only not alchemy, since
Chelsea, after crowning a superb performance with two goals from
Branislav Ivanovic and one from Didier Drogba, are dreaming not of
gold but of silver and, specifically, the European Cup that has proved
elusive during the Roman Abramovich era.

Hiddink called Chelsea’s performance “perfect”, at least after they
had recovered from the blow of conceding a sixth-minute goal to
Fernando Torres. At that point it seemed as though Liverpool’s
momentum was propelling them towards yet another Champions League
semi-final, but as Michael Essien began to relish his man-marking
assignment against Steven Gerrard and, as Frank Lampard, Michael
Ballack, Drogba and the rest warmed to their task, it became a quite
outstanding Chelsea display on an evening when they finally cast aside
the caution of the José Mourinho era.

Chelsea’s performance contained certain parallels with Liverpool’s
tactical masterclass in winning 4-1 away to Manchester United last
month, a result that stripped the losers of their aura of
invincibility. It remains to be seen whether this result will have
such a demoralising effect on Liverpool in their bid for the Barclays
Premier League title, but, as Drogba tormented Martin Skrtel and Jamie
Carragher much as Torres had given the runaround to Rio Ferdinand and
Nemanja Vidic, it was easy to see why Sir Alex Ferguson had suggested
that the winners of this tie would pose a far greater threat to United
on the domestic front than the losers.

With three away goals to his team’s name, Hiddink was even asked
afterwards whether John Terry’s suspension for the second leg, after
he was booked for an overzealous challenge on José Manuel Reina, might
now be regarded as a blessing in that it would free him up for a
semi-final against, one presumes, Barcelona. Hiddink was not too keen
to follow that particular line of inquiry, but, given the manner in
which Terry exchanged barbs with Gerrard, his England team-mate, in
the heat of the battle, the Chelsea captain might just be able to see
the logic behind that argument.

It was a glorious night for Terry and his team-mates. They have
suffered at Liverpool’s hands in the Champions League in recent years,
as well as tasting two defeats in the Premier League this season, but
they dealt with everything that Rafael Benítez’s team could throw at
them. By the end, Gerrard and Torres looked frustrated and the fervour
of the home crowd had been reduced to a whimper — a far cry from the
opening minutes, when Torres seemed to have lit the fuse for another
of those Anfield glory nights.

Hiddink had identified Gerrard as the main threat to Chelsea, but the
Liverpool captain had only a fleeting involvement in the goal that
gave his team the lead. It was his lung-busting run into the penalty
area that forced Alex into a wild clearance, but then came a
surprisingly deft piece of control from Dirk Kuyt and an even better
reverse pass into the path of Álvaro Arbeloa on the overlap. Arbeloa
surged into the penalty area and picked out Torres, who, neglected by
Alex, had the time and the space to steer a cool shot past Petr Cech.

For Chelsea, it was the nightmare start, but their recovery was almost
immediate. Within 60 seconds Salomon Kalou harried Fábio Aurélio into
a mistake and set up Drogba, who should have scored but shot straight
at the advancing Reina.

Drogba then squandered an even better chance on the half-hour,
shooting high into the Kop after a perfect first touch, from Ballack’s
cross, had taken him away from Jamie Carragher in the penalty area.
Drogba’s moment would arrive, but first came not one but two goals
from a player who could not get close to the Chelsea teamsheet 12
months ago, let alone the scoresheet.

For the first eight months of his Chelsea career, after his arrival
from Lokomotiv Moscow in January 2008, Ivanovic looked destined to go
down as the new Winston Bogarde, but his contribution last night will
not be forgotten. Five minutes before half-time Florent Malouda swung
in a corner from the right and the Serbia defender escaped the
attentions of Xabi Alonso and then rose between Skrtel and Albert
Riera to beat Reina with a firm header. In the 62nd minute he repeated
the act, this time getting between Gerrard and Arbeloa to score again.

Questions will be asked about Liverpool’s zonal marking from
set-pieces, as they are on every occasion that they concede from such
situations, but Benítez will be more concerned by the way that Chelsea
outmuscled and outplayed his team. The third goal was a classic,
Ballack releasing Malouda, who hit a superb cross into the six-yard
box, where Drogba, attacking the ball ahead of Carragher and Sktel,
slammed the ball past Reina.

The closing stages were played out to near-silence until the home
supporters responded to questions about the atmosphere by asking
“where’s your European Cups?” — note the plural. The Chelsea fans had
no answer, but more of this and their players may soon be able to
provide the perfect riposte, Barcelona notwithstanding.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): J M Reina — Á Arbeloa, M Skrtel, J Carragher, F
Aurélio (sub: A Dossena, 75min) — X Alonso, Lucas Leiva (sub: R Babel,
80) — D Kuyt, S Gerrard, A Riera (sub: Y Benayoun, 68) — F Torres.
Substitutes not used: D Cavalieri, S Hyypia, D Agger, D Ngog. Booked:
Aurélio.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): P Cech — B Ivanovic, Alex, J Terry, A Cole — M
Ballack, M Essien, — S Kalou, F Lampard, F Malouda — D Drogba (sub: N
Anelka, 80). Substitutes not used: Hilário, R Carvalho, M Mancienne, J
Belletti, J O Mikel, Deco. Booked: Kalou, Terry.

Referee: C B Larsen (Denmark)



-------------------------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:


Branislav Ivanovic heads Chelsea towards last four

A dream start descended into the darkest of nightmares for Liverpool
on Wednesday night.
Fernando Torres’ early strike had asked real questions of Chelsea’s
character and they answered them in emphatic fashion. Goals from
Branislav Ivanovic, twice, and Didier Drogba pushed Chelsea to within
touching distance of the Champions League semi-finals where they
should meet Barcelona.

By Henry Winter at Anfield

None of Chelsea’s starting XI had ever won the European Cup, a
contrast to their bench that contained four men who possess winner’s
medals, and the craving of Guus Hiddink’s chosen ones was inescapable.
Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Michael Essien bossed midfield.

Essien’s marking job on Steven Gerrard drained the life out of
Liverpool while Martin Skrtel chose the worst moment to have a shocker
in defence. Rafa Benitez’s zonal marking system was also ripped to
shreds. The only down side for Chelsea was the booking for their
captain John Terry, which rules him out of next Tuesday’s meeting at
the Bridge. A tie that had begun so promisingly for Liverpool now
looks set for disappointment.

Chelsea back into second place after victory over Manchester CityThe
Champions League anthem never stood a chance before kick-off, the Kop
launching into the 12-inch version of "You’ll Never Walk Alone", and
nor did Alex and John Terry when Gerrard and Torres, Liverpool’s big
noises on the pitch, came calling after only four minutes.

Riddled with panic as Gerrard lurked, Alex skied a clearance over
Chelsea’s box. Anfield sensed early blood. Dirk Kuyt was first to the
loose ball, initially running away from Petr Cech’s area before
brilliantly reversing the direction, sending the ball spinning down
the inside-right channel for the overlapping Alvaro Arbeloa.

Those Liverpool supporters not already standing leapt to their feet in
anticipation. Chelsea’s defence was ragged, the famed organisation
patently absent. Vulnerability was in the air, and Liverpool had
emerged from the tunnel in merciless mood.

Liverpool’s prominence in recent weeks has partly been rooted in the
buccaneering spirit of their full-backs, Arbeloa and Fabio Aurelio.
Arbeloa’s response was superb, drilling the ball to Torres, whose
finish was perfection, the ball struck hard and fast and sent flying
past Cech. Chelsea’s keeper had no chance. His defence had let him
down. And when presented with a chance in front of goal, Torres rarely
lets Liverpool down.

The tie remained evenly balanced, Chelsea knowing that an equaliser
immediately secured them the initiative. A classic game unfolded,
Chelsea opening up and pouring forward. Opportunity started knocking
in front of a concerned Kop.

Didier Drogba, the spearhead of Hiddink’s 4-1-2-2-1 formation,
squandered two good chances to level before the break. When Salomon
Kalou ushered Drogba through, Pepe Reina stood firm, making a good
save. Then when Michael Ballack swept the ball in from the left,
Drogba lost Jamie Carragher but his finish was poor, hammered into a
relieved Kop.

The waves of blue rolled with increasing frequency towards Reina’s
goal. Ballack started to reveal his true class, although he was
deceived by a wonderful piece of skill from Alonso, who needed only a
cape and a shout of "ole’’ to complete the matador’s touch. Behind
Alonso, Martin Skrtel rose to the aerial challenge.

Until seven minutes from the break, Liverpool repelled everything that
came their way. Chelsea would not be denied. When Gerrard slid in to
block a cross from Kalou, Chelsea had a corner and their big guns
moved up. All eyes were on Terry and Alex, Ballack and Drogba.
Mistake.

No Liverpool player paid enough attention to Ivanovic. As Florent
Malouda’s corner swirled in, Ivanovic made his move, brushing aside
Alonso and jumping between Skytel and Albert Riera. Muscling opponents
out of the way, the Serbian had eyes only for the ball, which he sent
powering past Reina.

Liverpool rallied. Roared on by fans who made this another
unforgettable European night at Anfield, Liverpool stormed forward,
looking to regain the lead. Kuyt went close as the half concluded, his
strong shot pushed away by Cech.

Now attacking the Kop in the second half, Liverpool still had to
escape the assorted traps Hiddink had set them, notably Michael Essien
shadowing Gerrard. As Chelsea gained in confidence, the bouts of abuse
towards Lampard and Terry quickened. Lampard’s weight, Terry’s mother:
the merits of both were discussed at length.

Chelsea took the barbs in their stride, not losing their composure,
rarely giving away possession. Lampard, wearing a tribute to his
mother stitched into his boots, a remembrance of the anniversary of
her tragic death, delivered a superb display in front of his proud
father, who sat in the directors’ box admiring his son’s work-rate.

Lampard was everywhere, clearing in front of his defence one moment,
then powering forward to send Drogba through on goal. Having beaten
Skrtel, Drogba placed his shot past Reina but there was the
indefatigable Carragher covering back to clear off the line.

Chelsea were seeing more of the ball, Liverpool being restricted to
counter-attacks. In the Kop, a large banner reading "FEARLESS" was
raised. Yet the fears were found in Liverpool’s defence, Skrtel
enduring a particularly awkward evening.

On the hour, Reina was caught by Terry, hardly maliciously but deeply
unnecessarily as the Liverpool keeper clearly had the ball safely in
his clutches before Chelsea’s captain came wading in. Claus Bo Larsen,
the Danish referee, brandished a yellow card that triggered outrage in
the blue ranks as it ruled Terry out of the second leg.

Anger swept through Hiddink in particular. Chelsea’s coach charged
down the line to protest, a rare display of dissent from a manager who
has seen it all before in a long, distinguished career. The sense of
injustice stirred something deep within Chelsea, something that
triggered an astonishing reaction.

Within seven minutes they were leading 3-1. Liverpool had failed to
learn from Chelsea’s corners. Again their zonal marking was vulnerable
to runners arriving late, as Ivanovic did again. Speeding on to a
Lampard corner, the mystery man of Chelsea FC really made a name for
himself with another emphatic header.

Liverpool were stunned, their defence a shambles when the ball was
whipped in from the flanks. Three minutes later, Ballack teased a fine
pass down the inside-left channel and Malouda was off and running,
hurtling towards the byeline before crossing. Drogba, sliding in ahead
of Carragher, made it 3-1. Anfield was momentarily silenced, all the
noise now coming from Chelsea throats. Crowing was not the least of
it.



-------------------------------------------------------------------



Indy:

Hiddink stifles Gerrard in the storming of Anfield

Liverpool 1 Chelsea 3

Sam Wallace, Football Correspondent

In the tightly controlled, meticulously planned, strategy-obsessed
world which Rafael Benitez inhabits, this was an utter meltdown for
his team. The great Liverpool dynasty created by Benitez, the team
that refuses to be beaten however mighty the opposition, met their
match in a coach every bit as crafty as the famous bearded Spaniard.

That, of course, was Guus Hiddink who last night appeared to have
unlocked the secrets to a Liverpool team that have overachieved in
Europe ever since they embarked on that unlikely journey to the
Champions League final in 2005. Branislav Ivanovic scored the two
goals that put his side on their way, but it was Hiddink whose tactics
dealt with the threat of Steven Gerrard and Hiddink's tactics that
exploited Liverpool's confusion at set pieces.

The epitaph to Liverpool's Champions League campaign should it end, as
expected, at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday will read simply: they marked
zonally. It was the spectre of zonal marking that haunted the old Luiz
Felipe Scolari regime at Chelsea earlier this season and it proved
just as debilitating to Liverpool last night when at corners they
twice lost Ivanovic, the hitherto uncelebrated Serb, who scored two
identical goals for Chelsea.

To compound Benitez's frustration, Michael Essien, the brilliantly
athletic midfielder, followed Gerrard around all night, hustling and
dispossessing English football's most in-form player. When Hiddink
described the job he had asked Essien to do upon Gerrard he spoke
about the necessity of Chelsea "disarming" Liverpool's "main weapon"
and so for one night at least the gunpowder was removed from a team
that have rampaged through English football of late.

Although it will be of scant consolation to Anfield, this game was by
much more absorbing than the eight Champions League encounters that
have preceded it between these two teams in the last five seasons.
Fernando Torres opened the scoring in the third minute and when it
looked like Liverpool might run amok on another famous reputation,
Chelsea found it in their deep reserves to come back and change the
course of the game.

The scoreline equalled Liverpool's heaviest home defeat in European
competition, the 3-1 margin by which Barcelona triumphed in 2001. In
terms of the Benitez years' low points, it was just as demoralising as
the FA Cup defeat away at Burnley in 2005, Chelsea's 4-1 win at
Anfield later that year and any one of a few defeats to Manchester
United. It reminded the home crowd of something they have not had to
witness all season: the vulnerability of Benitez's teams.

Chief among those having a dreadful night was Martin Skrtel, bullied
out of it by Didier Drogba, who scored the third. The defender would
have had an even worse time had Jamie Carragher not kicked another one
of the Chelsea striker's shots off the line. At corners Skrtel –
off-colour since he featured in Slovakia's collapse to England at
Wembley – had to shoulder most of the blame for Ivanovic running free.

There was no Roman Abramovich among the Chelsea entourage, although it
is difficult to imagine what could possibly be more important to do on
a night such as this, even for a Russian oligarch. Installing Hiddink
as manager was Abramovich's masterstroke, so why he does not show up
to enjoy the results is a mystery. There would have been many more
goals had Drogba been on the kind of finishing form he has been in
previous seasons.

John Terry's booking in the second half means that he will be
suspended for the game in London, but even so it is hard to see
Chelsea making a mess of this one. For the first time in a long while
they have two in-form wingers in Salomon Kalou and Florent Malouda,
who were effective last night. They could also afford to leave
England's top goalscorer, Nicolas Anelka, on the bench until the
closing stages.

There was some needle in this game too, notably from Gerrard when
Terry chose a break in play to complain about his booking to the
Danish referee Claus Bo Larsen. For those without allegiance it added
up to first-class entertainment wherever you looked.

Torres' goal was an unusual one, in the sense that Chelsea's defence
gave him 10 times as much space as he usually needs to score a goal.
They had not recovered their positions from an earlier phase of play
when Alex had done well to clear the ball off the toe of Gerrard. From
there Dirk Kuyt did wonderfully well to control the ball and set
Alvaro Arbeloa free from whose cross Torres scored.

Very soon it was the away side who had taken the game by the throat
and, had it not been for Drogba's hopeless finishing, they would have
reached half-time in the lead. Clean through five minutes after
Liverpool's goal, Drogba hit his shot straight at Pepe Reina. When he
shot over after Michael Ballack had played him in on 29 minutes,
Eugene Tenenbaum, Abramovich's closest lieutenant, buried his face in
his hands.

Ivanovic's first goal was a simple affair as he twisted and turned in
the area to lose Xabi Alonso before meeting Malouda's corner firmly.
Liverpool went in for half-time facing a stark choice. They either had
to settle for taking a 1-1 drawn to Stamford Bridge, where they would
have to score at the very least, or try to improve their position.
Benitez opted for the latter and Liverpool were taken apart.

Carragher cleared off the line from Drogba; Torres missed the target
when Gerrard cushioned a header down into his path and then shortly
after the hour, Liverpool collapsed. The second Chelsea goal was
preposterously similar to their first: a corner, this time from Frank
Lampard, and Ivanovic met the ball firmly but under no pressure from
any Chelsea marker.

Chelsea's third goal came four minutes later. Malouda was released
down the left and when he hit his cross into the centre, Drogba
muscled Skrtel out of the way to score from close range. The
substitutes at Benitez's disposal – Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel –
made no difference while Chelsea had Anelka to call upon. They are the
new emergent force in English football and if Benitez wants to turn
this tie, the plan will have to be a cunning one.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina; Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio
(Dossena, 75); Lucas (Babel, 79), Alonso; Kuyt, Gerrard, Riera
(Benayoun, 68); Torres. Substitutes not used: Cavalieri, Hyypia,
Agger, Ngog.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, A Cole; Essien; Kalou,
Ballack, Lampard, Malouda; Drogba (Anelka, 80). Substitutes not used:
Hilario (gk), Carvalho, Mikel, Deco, Belletti, Mancienne.

Referee: C Larsen (Denmark).


------------------------------------------------------------------


Observer:


Irresistible Chelsea take complete control over Liverpool

Liverpool 1 Torres 6
Chelsea 3 Ivanovic 39, Ivanovic 62, Drogba 67

Kevin McCarra at Anfield

Liverpool's disbelief must be very nearly as great as their despair.
It can only be dwarfed by the exultation of Chelsea, who have surely
reduced next week's return leg of the Champions League quarter-final
to a statutory obligation. So confounding is this outcome that it
converted John Terry's booking into a blessing. A ban will be served
when the teams meet again and he can go into the remainder of the
tournament with a clean disciplinary record.

That is the least of the wonders for Guus Hiddink, a manager whose
interim status at Stamford Bridge is in even deeper doubt. How could
the owner Roman Abramovich bear to watch him return full-time to his
post with Russia now? The Dutchman shone in all areas and his
preparation of the set-pieces exposed unsuspected defects in
Liverpool's zonal marking at corners. The Serbian right-back Branislav
Ivanovic struck twice, his first goals for the club.

Until this, the only time Chelsea had scored at Anfield over four
Champions League fixtures was when John Arne ­Riise put the ball in
his own net last year. The ­victors were irresistible. Everything
worked and Michael Essien's re-emergence after extended injury has
profound resonance now that his close attention has left Steven
Gerrard looking like a commonplace footballer.

This is as heavy a margin of defeat at Anfield as Liverpool have ever
known in European competition. It is a statistic that also underlines
how potent they almost always are at their stronghold. Chelsea, all
the same, were buoyant and nothing could unsettle them for long, not
even the loss of the evening's first goal.

Liverpool broke the deadlock in the sixth minute and, giving a
misleading ­impression of what was to come, did so with scant
hindrance. Dirk Kuyt passed to Alvaro Arbeloa on the right and his
cross was dispatched with the efficiency expected of Fernando Torres.

Chelsea had suffered a collective malfunction then, but the ensuing
lapses were all Liverpool's. Salomon Kalou was soon dispossessing
Fabio Aurelio to ­release ­Didier Drogba and, while the Ivorian's shot
was saved, it was a sign of things to come from Kalou on the right.
Hiddink preferred him to Nicolas Anelka and he reacted with an impact
that is at odds with past unobtrusiveness. There was proof everywhere
of a fresh start. Liverpool had won both Premier League games with
Chelsea in this campaign, but Hiddink had not been in the post then.

Rafael Benítez, for once, did not have a credible battleplan, although
he also ­suffered because too much rests with Gerrard's fortunes. When
the equaliser did arrive it seemed unfeasibly overdue. The oddity was
enhanced by the fact that a Benítez team should be so confused while
defending a set-piece.

Seven minutes from half-time, Ivanovic ran free of his marker Xabi
Alonso, got in front of Martin Skrtel and headed home a corner from
the unexpectedly excellent Florent Malouda. The defender had displayed
elusive movement then and would do so again, but might have had no
role if the regular right full-back, Jose Bosingwa, had not been
injured.

Falling behind on the score sheet proved to be a liberation for an
adventurous Chelsea. Drogba continued to be provided with openings,
but wasted them for a while, as when he rammed a drive high after
Michael Ballack had located him meticulously. Before that, the
visitors' centre-forward had been disappointed when his build-up work
was not brought to fruition.

For a while, there was an erratic streak to this clash. Untypically,
Frank Lampard, for instance, had let himself be robbed by Torres in
the 26th minute and the dipping, bending attempt that ensued from the
Spaniard came close to establishing a 2–0 advantage. That was
virtually the last glimmer of menace from Liverpool.

Benítez's words must have been roundly ignored in the dressing room.
His side were scatty in the 52nd minute as Drogba linked with Lampard
and burst clear. After the earlier impetuousness, the striker was
studied and eased a shot ­beyond Reina, only to see Jamie Carragher
clear from near the goal-line.

The openness of the action was ­bewildering and it led to brief
mayhem. In one of many slipshod moments, Skrtl ­neglected to clear and
Reina came haring out for the loose ball. Terry also pursued it and
collided with the Spaniard. There was a minor melee before the referee
Claus Bo Larsen, who had been no disciplinarian in England's win over
Ukraine last week, ­cautioned him.

Chelsea had too much command to dwell on that and kept punishing a
Liverpool team that had unravelled. Gerrard omitted to mark Ivanovic
as he climbed to take his second goal from a ­corner after 62 minutes,
sending Lampard's delivery past Reina.

Hiddink's team made the opposition look demoralised at their third
goal. Malouda, who had by far his best game for Chelsea since signing
in 2007, broke loose on the left and his low ball was ­converted by
Drogba for the goal he deserved. The win will be relished at Chelsea,
but the promise it held must be more stirring still.


---------------------------------------------------------------------


Sun:

IVANFIELD !

Liverpool 1 Chelsea 3

From SHAUN CUSTIS at Anfield

CHELSEA are back. This was the night they signalled their return as a
European football force.

The pain of the Champions League final defeat against Manchester
United in Moscow last May has been eating away all season.

But this destruction of Liverpool, masterminded by tactically-astute
boss Guus Hiddink, has got Chelsea and their fans believing they can
win the trophy in Rome.

Even the might of Barcelona in a likely semi-final will not scare them.

Hiddink is apparently known as Lucky Guus in his native Holland but
there was nothing fortunate about this.

The wily Dutchman stuck the outstanding Michael Essien on Steven
Gerrard and cut out Liverpool’s supply line.

Gerrard has never been so quiet. He usually rules the roost but he
barely got a kick.

And two of Chelsea’s goals came from cleverly-worked set-pieces scored
by a man who Liverpool would never have singled out as a major threat
— defender Branislav Ivanovic.

The Serb had not netted for Chelsea since his £8million move 15 months
ago but he twice headed in from corners as the visitors recovered from
going behind to a Fernando Torres strike.

Didier Drogba provided the Blues with an extra cushion, sliding home
the third after failing to convert three good chances.

So many times Liverpool have flourished on European nights at Anfield.
There is a special atmosphere about these occasions which brings the
best out of their players.

But they were blown away and it will take a miracle to turn this around now.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez claimed if his side lost this tie it would
be a worry for Manchester United because they could concentrate on
trying to beat them in the Premier League title race.

But this defeat was so comprehensive you feel Liverpool’s confidence
must have taken a significant hit. These two were meeting for a fifth
successive year in the competition and not many before had been
classics.

But the game was surprisingly entertaining and it was the home side
who took an early grip, taking the lead after panic in the Chelsea
defence.

Alex was forced into a high clearance and Dirk Kuyt seized on the
loose ball before feeding it wide to Alvaro Arbeloa.

The cross picked out Torres in acres of space and he crisply swept it
in with his right foot for his 12th goal of an injury-hit season.

However, Chelsea were almost back on level terms when Drogba
squandered the first of his openings as his shot was blocked by Pepe
Reina.

Then, when Drogba found Florent Malouda, the Frenchman’s drive was inches wide.

Drogba was a handful but he was cursing himself on 29 minutes. He
collected a pass from Michael Ballack, slipped yet still recovered
quickly enough to shrug off Jamie Carragher.

But, with the goal in his sights, Drogba volleyed over.

It was difficult to imagine this finishing 1-0 with it being so open
and, on 39 minutes, Chelsea finally equalised.

Malouda’s corner floated to the edge of the six-yard box and Ivanovic
made a run from deep to head in unchallenged.

Petr Cech immediately denied Kuyt but Drogba was never out of the
action and he capitalised on Aurelio’s loose ball in the 51st minute
to burst into the box and shoot past Reina, only for Carragher to
brilliantly clear off the line.

On the hour, Blues skipper John Terry challenged for a 50-50 ball with
Reina and both ended up on the ground.

Terry was adjudged to have fouled and collected a yellow to rule him
out of the return.

As the man who missed the penalty which would have won Chelsea the
Champions League a year ago, Terry wants to make amends more than
anyone but his absence should not matter.

The amazing Ivanovic story continued as he climbed unchallenged to
head in Lampard’s corner and give Chelsea a crucial second on 62
minutes.

Then, five minutes later, Drogba got the goal his industry fully
deserved as he slid in to convert Malouda’s low cross.

This was the Chelsea that owner Roman Abramovich has always wanted,
not just effective but a pleasure to watch.

If only he could work out a way to keep Hiddink.


CHELSEA enjoyed one of their finest European nights with a stunning
3-1 success at Anfield. Here's how their players rated:

PETR CECH

UNUSUALLY busy time for the keeper in the opening 15 minutes of the
game. Had no chance with the Reds goal but did well on three occasions
soon afterwards. Once Chelsea were ahead he looked a comfortable man
in every situation and was rarely troubled. Rating: 6

BRANISLAV IVANOVIC

PREFERRED to Michael Mancienne for his performance at right-back
against Newcastle last weekend. Looked very comfortable in defensive
mode but made his name with a winding run and leap to head the
equaliser in the first half before scoring a second to silence Reds
fans. Rating: 8

ALEX

MADE a mistake with a poor clearance early on which set up the Torres
goal and he then failed to close down the space on the striker. Looked
shaky at set-pieces after that but tried his best to atone at the
other end, making a nuisance of himself at corners. Rating: 5

JOHN TERRY

FOUND himself covering for Alex when the Brazilian was caught out of
position. Held the line well though. Exposed when Kuyt found a way
round him before the break but recovered his composure. Unfairly
booked and misses second leg. Rating: 7

ASHLEY COLE

STRANGE performance from the left-back, who looked in two minds for
much of the game. From the outset he seemed unable to decide whether
he would attack or defend. Went missing on a few occasions when Kuyt
got in behind him but steadied as the game wore on. Rating: 6

MICHAEL BALLACK

SHOULD have put his stamp on a game that was played mostly through the
centre but failed to get a grip in the first half. That changed after
the break and he supplied the wide balls for Kalou and Malouda which
then resulted in the third goal. Rating: 6

FRANK LAMPARD

RAN himself into the ground carrying, passing and making his team play
to the tempo the game needed. It was his corner to Ivanovic which
provided the crucial second goal but his superb all-round play was the
key to this stunning Blues performance. Rating: 8

MICHAEL ESSIEN

THE unsung hero. Was asked to keep Gerrard quiet but silenced him
completely. Even when the Liverpool skipper went wide Essien was his
shadow. And when Blues had the ball he tried to get a shot in. Rating:
9 (DREAM TEAM STAR MAN)

FLORENT MALOUDA

RARELY in the game before the 22nd minute when Drogba set him up and
his shot went just wide of Reina’s goal. He was quiet for spells but
when it mattered he showed and it was his bullet cross which set up
the Drog for the third goal to kill the game off. Rating: 7


DIDIER DROGBA

LOOKED sharper than he has all season and was desperately unlucky not
to get on the scoresheet in the first half. He never lost confidence
and kept putting himself in the line of fire before he did score a
brilliant third to cap a great night. Rating: 8

SALOMAN KALOU

STUTTERED through the match, collecting the ball and running at
Liverpool from the right. There were moments when he looked dangerous
and others when he was just ineffective. But he stretched play when
needed and provided a threat when the space opened up. Rating: 6

SUBSTITUTES:

NICOLAS ANELKA (for Drogba)

USED to give the Drog a rest as the Blues looked to close the game out
and held the ball up well enough for the short time he was on the
pitch. Rating: 6

NOT USED: Hilario, Carvalho, Belletti, Mancienne, Mikel, Deco.

BOOKED: Kalou, Terry.


--------------------------------------------------------------------