Chelsea 2 Liverpool 1

by Rob Shepherd for "The Sunday Express"

Chelsea have been digging for victory over the past week and the seeds which have already been sewn to
become the Premiership's darling buds in May were in bloom at a sun drenched Stamford Bridge
yesterday. 

Since their last home match ...a stuttering 1-1 draw with Blackburn 11 days ago...Chelsea have invested
�100,000 to enhance their title push - on a new pitch. 

The old one had been dug up after Gianfranco Zola complained that it had become so cut up it would
undermine Chelsea passing game and thus their Championship chances. 

Zola and his team mates responded to the swift action of the club by producing a compelling display of
artistry and effort which enhanced the belief that with a game in hand they can overhaul Manchester
United and fend off Arsenal come the end of the campaign to claim their first title since 1955.. 

The score line might not have reflected it but Chelsea were in a different class to Liverpool who miserably
slumped to their eight defeat away from Anfield. 

There is no doubt that Chelsea have the talent to go all the way this season and their mettle, with just two
league defeats, is no longer up for debate. The only question now seems to be whether they have the
mental toughness in the remaining eleven games to last the distance. 

On this showing the answer is yes. The outstanding Zola's point about the pitch was vindicated after just
seven minutes when they took a lead they never looked like surrendering. Roberto di Matteo was able to
glide a slide rule pass in behind the Liverpool defence. 

With no bobble to contend with Zola was able to control and cross back from the bye line in one sweet
movement. The speed of Zola's delivery tied Phil Babb, under pressure from Tore Andre, up in knots. 

In his haste to clear as the ball bounced high off the springy top then Dominic Matteo's heel Babb
handled. Referee Paul Durkin refused to give Babb, claiming he had been pushed, the benefit of the doubt
it was an involuntary action and pointed straight to the spot. 

Elegantly Frank Leboeuf converted sending David James the wrong way. 

Liverpool immediately reshuffled their formation. Vegard Heggem went off with a groin injury being
replaced by Steve McManaman who had been relegated to the substitutes bench. 

The Real Madrid bound player took a place on the right flank but after an early run which ended up with a
pathetically weak 25 yard shot straight at Ed de Goey did nothing to justify the �3 million a year he will be
getting in Spain. 

Not that McManaman was the only culprit in a display which explained why they has suffered yet another
lost season. 

Too many players abdicated their responsibilities failing to play for the team. The defence was a
shambles, the midfield lacked cohesion and for the first hour it could be argued they lacked sufficient
heart to match a Chelsea side who while vastly talented possess a work ethic. 

Even Owen appeared to lose the early enthusiasm he had shown when he grounded Leboeuf. In the 23rd
minute he reacted slowly when Paul Ince whipped the ball across from the right and the cross flashed
ahead of him with Chelsea's defence stretched. 

Indeed Leboeuf's efforts to get goal side meant he suffered a groin injury and limped off. But with Marcel
Desailly a rock at the back it didn't effect Chelsea's majestic stride as they continued to do their new
pitch justice stringing together one sweeping move after another. 

Gloriously so in the 38th minute. Zola drifted out the right then released Dan Petrescu with a back heel.
The Romanian sent over a deep centre which completely caught out Bjorn Kvarme now supposed to be
playing right but who was sucked in towards the front post. 

It left Bjarne Goldbaek unmarked as he strode in at the far post and the Dane emphatically rasped a
volley past James. 

Liverpool coach Phil Thompson couldn't hide his contempt for such rank defending as he stood on the
touchline and just before the interval he was waving his arms in disgust when Chelsea carved them open
again. 

Once more Zola was the instigator. His cross from the left again eluded the Liverpool defence. Petrescu
came around the back and met the ball sweetly but his shot bounced back off the woodwork. 

It seemed it would just a case of how many more Chelsea would score such was their superiority
especially when Paul Ince accepted he couldn't carry on after hurting his knee when tackling Flo. 

Chelsea though with their Cup Winners Cup quarter final against Valerenga on Thursday followed by next
weeks FA Cup sixth Round clash with Manchester United on Sunday coming up weren't going to
over-exert themselves. 

Nevertheless they could have further extended their lead before Owen pilfered a goal in the 77th minute.
Ten minutes earlier Goldbaek had sent Petrescu but Matteo chased back to make a fine saving tackle. 

Then Di Matteo put in Zola but his angled shot rolled just past the far post. It was just about the only
blemish on another masterful performance by Zola and his failure to convert the opportunity left Chelsea
needlessly hanging on at the end. 

Liverpool (4-4-2) : Ed Goey 7 : Ferrer 7 Desailly 7 Leboeuf 8 ( Lambourde 33...) Le Saux 6 (Newton 84 ..6)
: Petrescu 7 Di Matteo 7 Morris 7 Goldbaek 8: Zola 8 Flo 6 (Forsell 86 ..5) 

Goals: Leboeuf 7 (pen), Goldbaek 38 Booked:Le Saux 55 

Liverpool ( 5-3-2): James 6: Heggem 5 (McManaman 9 ....) Kvarme 5 Matteo 7 Babb 6 Bjornebye 6 :
Redknapp 6 Ince 6 (Feri 47... ) Berger 5 (Riedle 81 ...5 ) : Owen 7 Fowler 6 

Goals:Owen 77 

Booked: Fowler 54 

Referee : P. Durkin 

Att : 34,822