Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1

The two minutes silence before the game to remember the lives of those lost in service of the country, put things into perspective in terms of as important of as football is to us, their are some things up and beyond sport.

Liverpool came into the game unbeaten in five Premiership games n the calendar year, without Martin Skrtel (ill) and again Pepe Reina still out with a thigh injury. With members of the Arm Forces looking on, Liverpool’s old war horse Jamie Carragher returned in a back three and Sahin keeping out the unlucky Shelvey, with his technical creativity seen conducive against the brilliance of Oscar, Mata, Hazard and Ramirez.

Chelsea could have taken the lead early on with Joe Allan caught in possession. The resultant through ball was clipped just over by Oscar with Carragher caught out of position with arms up flailing for off-side. Liverppol slipped into the usual style these days dominating possession early on with 68 per cent of possession in the first 15 minutes without being able to get the ball into Sterling playing through the middle.

Chelsea with almost no possession to speak off, took the lead when Agger lost Terry from a free-kick which left him unmarked to guide his header home. Hazard’s sparkling feet danced through from centre field before releasing Torres for a shot, well saved by Jones which Hazard volleying the rebound wide. Joe Allen, once again found it difficult to impose himself in an attacking sense and with Gerrard given more of a roving role, he has to take more responsibility instead of playing continuous percentage balls.

A nice move worked down the left between Gerrard and Enrique resulted in our first real shot in anger with Sahin’s drive going wide of the far post. In a collision with Suarez, Chelsea captain Terry was stretchered off in what looked a serious knee injury. On half-time as had been the way right through out Chelsea strolled through the Liverpool midfield, with Mata blazing when one expected his cultured left foot to end the game as contest given our ineffectiveness as a creative force.

Chelsea turned the screws in the 2nd half dominating possession, giving Liverpool very little opportunity to launch a revival and Brad Jones produced a sharp save from a Torres header to keep us in the game. Suso’s arrival for Sahin, could have read Allan or even Carragher, the vice-captain seemingly playing from memory – Liverpool moved to a conventional flat back four. Even captain fantastic, was strangely subdued as he went about his business on his 601st appearance for the club.

With the game becoming more stretched Liverpool began to come into the game and from a Suso corner, the unlikely creative force that is Jamie Carragher provided a dream flick on for Suarez to head home almost under the bar. Gerrard moving back centrally began spraying the ball around with Suso’s movement and close control given Liverpool an assemblance of control.

Gerrard breaking up a Chelsea attack side-stepped the challenge to thread an eye of a needle pass through to Sterling. The young winger cut the ball back to Suso who sliced his shot wide. Liverpool were now on the ascendency and three minutes from time Suarez was a toe-end from taking the ball around Chec from a first time ball from the impressive Enrique. Enrique almost won the game with a near post drive after Sterling, moved back to the wing and Suarez had worked the opening

Kop-Post Man of The Match: Jose Enrique - after some unimpressive displays this season, the Liverpool left-back showed the form which had him vying for player of the season in the first-half of last season. He was strong in the tackle and provided an option going forward.

Comment: Liverpool showed resilience having gone a goal down and ended the game looking the likely winners. Brad Jones was quality assured in goal, with Glen Johnson, like Enrique looking strong both ways.

Joe Allan was poor in the extreme. He provides very little to help the team in an attacking sense often passing sideways rather than looking to set the attack rolling from his quarter-back position. His is in a key position, but beginning to look overwhelmed in the position and with the spectre of Lucas on the horizon he must improve. Sahin is an undoubted quality player, but one feels that he hasn’t as yet come to terms with the undoubted physicality of the English game and it was Suso who helped Liverpool regain composure and control with Gerrard moving back in the middle.

Carragher assist was excellent, but defensively he was very shaky, although he improved the last quarter. Raheem Sterling was again impressive, often being starved off possession.

Suarez, quite simply world-class. Scored a poachers goal, which is not normally in his locker and in the last 30 minutes terrified the Chelsea defence with his clever movement and continuous running.