Battling Liverpool beat Chelsea

Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1

Bruno Cheyrou struck his first Premiership goal as Liverpool exacted a measure of revenge for last season’s failure to qualify for the Champions League with a surprise victory at Stamford Bridge.

Gerard Houllier’s side, whose defeat on the final day of last season ensured Chelsea claimed fourth spot instead, prevailed through Cheyrou’s 33rd-minute strike.

El-Hadji Diouf was sent off in the closing stages for a second bookable offence, but Liverpool held on for victory as Adrian Mutu struck the bar and was also denied by substitute keeper Patrice Luzi.