Thrashing at Liverpool ends Chelsea’s top four challenge

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Liverpool 4 Chelsea 1

Chelsea must win the Champions League if they are to qualify for next season’s competition.

Their lingering hopes of a top-four finish were emphatically ended at Anfield, where Liverpool gained some measure of revenge for Saturday’s FA Cup defeat against the Blues.

With a European final against Bayern Munich on the horizon, interim Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo made wholesale changes, with the likes of Ryan Bertrand, Oriol Romeu and keeper Ross Turnbull handed starting places.

But it was two of the club’s established players, John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic, who were the main culprits as Di Matteo’s men were swept aside.

An unmarked Ivanovic headed against the post from Florent Malouda’s corner before three goals in the space of eight first-half minutes put Liverpool firmly in control.

Ivanovic played poorly.

The first was an own goal by the out-of-sorts Michael Essien, who continues to struggle for form.

Luis Suarez left Terry trailing in his wake and the striker’s pull-back hit the unfortunate Essien and dribbled over the line.

Terry was caught out again for the second goal, which Jordan Henderson netted after running onto Maxi Rodriguez’s pass and slotting past Turnbull.

Worse followed for the visitors when Liverpool capitalised on yet more dire defending, this time when Andy Carroll nodded down Jonjo Shelvey’s corner and Daniel Agger stooped to head home.

Fernando Torres, playing against his former club, almost pulled a goal back when he fired against the bar, before Stewart Downing also hit the upright with a dipping effort.

Downing then squandered a chance to send his team in at half-time 4-0 up when he blasted against the post from the penalty spot after Ivanovic had inexplicably elbowed Carroll, who was unable to turn in the rebound.

Chelsea reduced the deficit five minutes after the interval, Malouda’s free-kick hitting Ramires and ending up in the net.

But Liverpool’s three-goal cushion was restored when Turnbull’s poor clearance dropped to Shelvey, who embarrassed him by brilliantly sweeping the ball into an unguarded net from 35 yards.

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