Chelsea in sight of their crowning joy

STEVEN GERRARD had spent all week insisting Liverpool would not allow Chelsea to stroll to victory at Anfield.

However much it hurt the hosts, Gerrard insisted, Liverpool would fight tooth and nail for three points even if it meant making their bitter rivals Manchester United favourites to land a historic 19th league title on the final day.

“We can’t worry about how what happens here affects other people,’’ said Gerrard. “Nobody at Liverpool ever thinks like that. At this club we always go for victory every time we run out on the pitch, and it will be no different against Chelsea.’’

Yet the captain’s words came to bite him as his shocking error set Carlo Ancelotti’s team on their way to a win that all but confirmed that the title is heading for Stamford Bridge.

Barring a catastrophic failure to defeat lowly Wigan, whose list of capital disasters this season includes a 9-1 thumping at the hands of Tottenham, Ancelotti will secure the Premier League crown in his first season in charge.

In the week that Jose Mourinho led Inter Milan to the Champions League final, Chelsea fans were reminded of what they might have been missing in the last couple of seasons.

After two titles in two years under the Portuguese, they had not won the Premier League since he left – but that all looks set to change after yesterday’s events.

Liverpool and Chelsea have had a magnetic pull towards each other in recent seasons with 25 meetings in various competitions since October 2004. During that time each club has recorded controversial victories: Chelsea in the 2005 League Cup final and Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final in the same year.

Both have helped create a fixture that’s charged with passion and full of intrigue.

Yesterday was different. It was so one-sided after Drogba’s opener that the atmosphere was subdued apart from the 2,000 or so jubilant Chelsea fans seated in one corner of Anfield.

This game had long since been earmarked as a must-win for Chelsea and a match that will test both their title-winning mentality and mettle.

In the opening exchanges, Chelsea were strangely lethargic considering the prize at stake.

Despite early attempts by Salomon Kalou and Nicolas Anelka, it was Liverpool who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the opening exchanges as Alberto Aquilani went close to delivering a crushing blow to compatriot Ancelotti with a cracking 25-yard effort that clipped the bar.

Aquilani then crumpled under a challenge from Branislav Ivanovic in the area but referee Alan Wiley adjudged there was no foul.

Then came Gerrard’s clanger 12 minutes before half-time that brought Chelsea within touching distance of the title.

Under no pressure, the England midfielder attempted a needless backpass that provided Drogba with an open invitation to pounce, round Jose Reina and slot home his 26th league goal.

And all in front of the Kop.

That brought the Ivory Coast striker level with Wayne Rooney at the top of the Premier League scoring charts – more importantly it left Chelsea on the brink of their third title in six seasons.

Suddenly Ancelotti’s team were starting to play like champions.

It required a timely challenge by Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos to prevent Anelka from making it 2-0 in the 38th minute while the visitors felt they should have been awarded a penalty in the dying moments of the first half after claiming that Lucas had clipped the outstanding Kalou inside the area.

Liverpool started the afternoon with an outside chance of securing a place in the Champions League, but Benitez’s side looked weary and uninterested after Atletico Madrid’s knockout blow three days earlier dashed hopes of ending a four-year wait for silverware.

Kalou and Malouda, who were both magnificent, were causing all sorts of problems and both had chances to extend Chelsea’s lead before Lampard sealed a priceless victory in the 54th minute.

At least Chelsea were not handed the goal on a plate this time although the defending that led to the England midfielder sliding home to meet Anelka’s low cross was poor.

Liverpool, who earlier lost Maxi Rodriguez to injury, were forced to into another major reshuffle when Jamie Carragher limped off in the 56th minute, Benitez’s team taking on the appearance of a side that cannot wait for the season to finish.

MATCH RATING: *** – Considering the prize at stake, it was little wonder Chelsea took time to get going but once they did they never looked like losing. Should have won by a more handsome scoreline against a Liverpool side that looked fatigued.

REFEREE: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire) 6 – Waved away strong appeals for a Chelsea penalty when Kalou crashed inside the Liverpool area under a challenge from Lucas. Kept a firm grip on proceedings when the game threatened to boil over.