Liverpool earn shock win at Chelsea

This weekend saw Liverpool record a shock victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The win brought an end to the London team’s magnificent 86-game unbeaten home run in the Premier League and saw the Reds move three points clear at the top of the league.

The match finished 1-0, with the decisive goal coming in just the tenth minute. Xabi Alonso’s somewhat weak shot took a deflection and Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech was unable to change direction following an initial dive to the left.

Chelsea sprung to life following Liverpool’s goal and should have gone into the half-time break level. However, the Reds defended well and continued to frustrate the London side. The second half saw Chelsea enjoy long spells of possession but they lacked the cutting edge that had previously been so impressive in matches, including the fixture against Middlesbrough.

Ashley Cole had the chance to level the match in the second half but he failed to connect properly with his attempt. Xabi Alonso could have increased Liverpool’s lead but the post saved Chelsea and allowed them to continue fighting until the last minute.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was quick to point out the potential significance of the result. He believes that the victory has sent a “massive message” to the other teams in the title race. Benitez was proud of the character of his team and was happy to see them sitting at the top of the table.

However, Liverpool’s problem in the Premier League has always been inconsistency. They have frustrated their fans by failing to win against weaker sides and, if they really are going to challenge for the title this year, this pattern needs to change.

Liverpool failed to beat Stoke following their impressive victory over Manchester United earlier this season. They are now desperate to beat Portsmouth, who have been destabilised by the departure of Harry Redknapp on Wednesday.

Another problem facing Liverpool in their attempt to win the title is inexperience. The team is not familiar with sitting at the top of the league and sustaining a real challenge throughout the long Premier League season. However, Benitez is confident that “the players know what to do”. He raved about the performance of his players after the match and revealed that Liverpool have managed to develop a winning mentality.

However, it is possible that Benitez, and the Liverpool fans, are getting carried away. Despite their defeat, Chelsea have been extremely impressive this season in the Premier League.

They have been very unlucky with injuries and sorely missed Didier Drogba in the Liverpool match. Essien and Ballack have also left gaping holes in the Chelsea side. However, these players will return and Chelsea will bounce back from this defeat.

Furthermore, let’s not forget about Manchester United and Arsenal. Both teams have suffered some shocking results this season but, despite United’s draw with Everton this weekend, they appear to be hitting form belatedly. Liverpool’s win against Chelsea was impressive but they will need to do more if they are going to convince the football world that they are genuine title contenders.