IF Liverpool miss out on this Premier League title, it will haunt Steven
Gerrard for the rest of his life.
A fortnight ago a tearful Reds skipper called his team-mates into a huddle
after beating Manchester City and told them not to let their big chance
slip.
How ironic if Gerrard’s own slip, which allowed Demba Ba to open the scoring
at the end of the first half, proves to be the moment they blew it.
The travelling Chelsea fans cruelly taunted Gerrard with chants of ‘he’s done
it again’.
That was a reference to the own goal he scored in the 2005 Carling Cup final,
which the Blues went on to win 3-2 in extra-time.
Gerrard, 33, admitted he felt “suicidal” after that game but this will hit him
even harder.
He has been waiting 24 years as a fan and player for Liverpool to win the
title.
He deserves the Premier League trophy more than anyone else in the English
game.
But the nerves have kicked in and Liverpool’s desperation to end the barren
years have given them the wobbles with the finish line in sight.
They had won 11 league matches on the trot before yesterday and were
apparently cruising serenely towards glory.
Chelsea, it was said, had given up on their title challenge and were focusing
on the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Atletico
Madrid on Wednesday.
There was talk of Blues boss Jose Mourinho putting out a weakened team.
As usual, Mourinho was up to his old tricks.
Yes he made a few changes with Europe in mind but his side fought tigerishly
for every ball, threw themselves into every challenge and his protege in the
Reds dugout, Brendan Rodgers, was unable to play the type of game which has
lit up the competition this season.
Perhaps Liverpool tweaked Mourinho’s buttons by introducing former star Luis
Garcia before kick-off.
It was Garcia who scored the ‘ghost goal’ which so enraged Mourinho in the
2005 Champions League clash the Reds won 1-0.
The fans and Rodgers were not happy about some of Chelsea’s time-wasting
tactics which tested ref Martin Atkinson’s patience.
Gerrard even got into a wrestling match with Mourinho, attempting to get the
ball off him on the touchline.
Mourinho put his faith in 20-year-old Tomas Kalas at the heart of the Blues
defence for his Premier League debut and the youngster was inspired.
Nemanja Matic was awesome in one of the holding midfield slots, while Ashley
Cole showed exactly why he should go the World Cup.
Cole has been kept out of the picture for much of this season but has no
problem coping with the high-pressure games. Make no mistake, he has still
got it.
In fact he almost bagged a rare goal with an effort which brought a fine save
from Simon Mignolet.
However, if we thought that meant Chelsea would come out and attack, we were
very wrong.
They sat back, soaked it up and frustrated the life out of the Reds with a
five-man midfield in front of the back four.
Philippe Coutinho volleyed into the side-netting, Cole made a goal-line
clearance and Mamadou Sakho fired over from six yards.
Luis Suarez had a rare off-day. He could not find any space and was closed
down again and again.
Winger Raheem Sterling tried to get Liverpool going with some bursting runs
but Chelsea doubled up on him to nullify the threat.
And as half-time approached a pass inside from Sakho was routine for Gerrard
but he took his eye off the ball, failed to control it and fell over.
Ba was on to it in a flash, sprinted clear and slotted beyond Mignolet.
Liverpool kept up the pressure after the break while Chelsea stood defiant.
Mark Schwarzer, in for the injured Petr Cech, showed his quality despite his
41 years with two excellent saves to keep out Joe Allen before a brilliant
tip-over from Suarez at the death.
Then Willian broke out of defence, fed sub Fernando Torres, continued on his
run and scored into an empty net.
Disaster for Liverpool, delight for Chelsea.
But the Blues will be ruing that home defeat by Sunderland.
DREAM TEAM RATINGS
STAR MAN: NEMANJA MATIC (Chelsea)
LIVERPOOL: Mignolet 6, Johnson 6, Skrtel 7, Sakho 5, Flanagan 6, Lucas
5, Allen 7, Gerrard 6, Sterling 6, Coutinho 6, Suarez 5. Subs: Sturridge
(Lucas 58) 5, Aspas (Flanagan 81) 4. Not used: Toure, Agger, Alberto,
Cissokho, Jones.
CHELSEA: Schwarzer 7, Azpilicueta 7, Ivanovic 8, Kalas 7, Cole 8, Mikel
8, MATIC 9, Schurrle 7, Lampard 7, Salah 7, Ba 7. Subs: Willian (Salah 60)
7, Cahill (Schurrle 77) 6, Torres (Ba 84) booked 6. Not used: Van Ginkel,
Ake, Baker, Hilario.
