A spirited and committed win at Anfield has brought Chelsea within one win of the Barclays Premier League title.
Goals from Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard in either half earned a deserved victory against a Liverpool side subdued by its midweek European exit, meaning a win at Stamford Bridge against Wigan Athletic next Sunday guarantees the championship, regardless of how Manchester United fare in their final two matches.
We could be crowned by the time the team arrives back at Cobham this evening should Sir Alex Ferguson's men lose at Sunderland this afternoon, though they go into the game as favourites.
In the afternoon kick-off though all thoughts were on what Chelsea needed to do, and Carlo Ancelotti's men stuck to their task admirably, bettering their opponents for almost the entire 90 minutes.
Drogba capitalised on a Steven Gerrard error after half an hour to put us in front after Alberto Aquilani had hit the Chelsea bar, and such was Chelsea's control on the game that Lampard's strike eight minutes into the second half put the result beyond doubt.
John Terry returned to captain Chelsea from the heart of defence, taking Paulo Ferreira's place with Branislav Ivanovic moving to right-back. John Mikel Obi was still missing through injury so Michael Ballack filled the holding midfield role, and hat-trick man Salomon Kalou continued in a three-pronged attack with Nicolas Anelka and Drogba.
Liverpool were without ex-Chelsea man Glen Johnson, so Javier Mascherano deputised at right-back, Dirk Kuyt the lone centre-forward with the much missed Fernando Torres out for the rest of the campaign.
Attacking the Kop, the visitors started brightly, Lampard firing wide inside the first minute but Liverpool responded by forcing consecutive corners after deflected efforts by Mascherano and Maxi Rodriguez.
Florent Malouda and Anelka both worked Pepe Reina before Alberto Aquilani almost broke the deadlock with a long range shot, which just brushed the crossbar on its way over, Petr Cech just about beaten.
There followed a quiet period in the game, neither side creating major openings before Aquilani chased a Rodriguez pass, tangling with Ivanovic inside the area and tumbling to the ground. Replays showed the Serb had not played the ball, but neither had there been too much contact, ref Alan Wiley correct to award nothing.
The game badly needed a goal, and on 32 minutes it got one. Liverpool had possession deep in their own half and under pressure, Steven Gerrard opted to play the ball back to his goalkeeper but seemed to miss the presence of Drogba, who stole in, rounded Reina and slotted home the easiest of his 33 goals this season, one to equal the record he set in 2006/07.
Within five minutes the score could easily have doubled, first Lampard shot wide and then moments later squared to Anelka, who was excellently dispossessed by Sotiris Kyrgiakos just as he was about to finish.
In first-half injury time Kalou burst through the Liverpool backline and was bearing down on goal, Lucas the player who challenged as the Ivorian went to ground. This time there certainly was contact, but the referee's decision was again to give nothing.
Half-time came and went without either manager making changes. Five minutes into the second period Kalou was again on the ball inside the Liverpool box and this time kept his footing, dancing along the bye-line and squaring across goal, but nobody could get a touch and the ball rolled clear.
Next time it reached the Liverpool six-yard box we were not so wasteful as Lampard doubled the lead with a close-range finish.
Drogba had picked out Anelka on the right, the Frenchman just onside, and he kept his composure to square across the box for Lampard, whose trademark run was timed to perfection for his 26th of the campaign.
Liverpool also lost Jamie Carragher to injury in the build-up.
Just before the hour Alex had to get a toe in to prevent sub Ryan Babel, on for Maxi towards the end of the first half, from pulling a goal back, lifting the ball up and over his own bar after the pacy Dutchman had broken through.
It didn't take long for the Blues to regain control though, and Anelka could have added a third on 65 minutes, but Reina saved well, and then prevented a Malouda volley with an outstretched left arm.
It was an outstretched right arm, John Terry's, that gave Liverpool a chance to get back in, but an over-elaborate free-kick routine just outside the Chelsea box saw Daniel Agger's route to goal blocked by the away defence.
Into the final 15 minutes three sides of Anfield were very quiet, the only noise coming from the travelling section, who had been loud throughout.
On the pitch Ballack's curling free-kick was on target but straightforward for Reina, who then had to save from Anelka twice and Kalou to keep the score down, but already the game was over as a contest.
Chelsea march on knowing three more points brings the title back to west London, and United must now respond in the north east. Over to you, Fergie.
Goals from Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard in either half earned a deserved victory against a Liverpool side subdued by its midweek European exit, meaning a win at Stamford Bridge against Wigan Athletic next Sunday guarantees the championship, regardless of how Manchester United fare in their final two matches.
We could be crowned by the time the team arrives back at Cobham this evening should Sir Alex Ferguson's men lose at Sunderland this afternoon, though they go into the game as favourites.
In the afternoon kick-off though all thoughts were on what Chelsea needed to do, and Carlo Ancelotti's men stuck to their task admirably, bettering their opponents for almost the entire 90 minutes.
Drogba capitalised on a Steven Gerrard error after half an hour to put us in front after Alberto Aquilani had hit the Chelsea bar, and such was Chelsea's control on the game that Lampard's strike eight minutes into the second half put the result beyond doubt.
John Terry returned to captain Chelsea from the heart of defence, taking Paulo Ferreira's place with Branislav Ivanovic moving to right-back. John Mikel Obi was still missing through injury so Michael Ballack filled the holding midfield role, and hat-trick man Salomon Kalou continued in a three-pronged attack with Nicolas Anelka and Drogba.
Liverpool were without ex-Chelsea man Glen Johnson, so Javier Mascherano deputised at right-back, Dirk Kuyt the lone centre-forward with the much missed Fernando Torres out for the rest of the campaign.
Attacking the Kop, the visitors started brightly, Lampard firing wide inside the first minute but Liverpool responded by forcing consecutive corners after deflected efforts by Mascherano and Maxi Rodriguez.
Florent Malouda and Anelka both worked Pepe Reina before Alberto Aquilani almost broke the deadlock with a long range shot, which just brushed the crossbar on its way over, Petr Cech just about beaten.
There followed a quiet period in the game, neither side creating major openings before Aquilani chased a Rodriguez pass, tangling with Ivanovic inside the area and tumbling to the ground. Replays showed the Serb had not played the ball, but neither had there been too much contact, ref Alan Wiley correct to award nothing.
The game badly needed a goal, and on 32 minutes it got one. Liverpool had possession deep in their own half and under pressure, Steven Gerrard opted to play the ball back to his goalkeeper but seemed to miss the presence of Drogba, who stole in, rounded Reina and slotted home the easiest of his 33 goals this season, one to equal the record he set in 2006/07.
Within five minutes the score could easily have doubled, first Lampard shot wide and then moments later squared to Anelka, who was excellently dispossessed by Sotiris Kyrgiakos just as he was about to finish.
In first-half injury time Kalou burst through the Liverpool backline and was bearing down on goal, Lucas the player who challenged as the Ivorian went to ground. This time there certainly was contact, but the referee's decision was again to give nothing.
Half-time came and went without either manager making changes. Five minutes into the second period Kalou was again on the ball inside the Liverpool box and this time kept his footing, dancing along the bye-line and squaring across goal, but nobody could get a touch and the ball rolled clear.
Next time it reached the Liverpool six-yard box we were not so wasteful as Lampard doubled the lead with a close-range finish.
Drogba had picked out Anelka on the right, the Frenchman just onside, and he kept his composure to square across the box for Lampard, whose trademark run was timed to perfection for his 26th of the campaign.
Liverpool also lost Jamie Carragher to injury in the build-up.
Just before the hour Alex had to get a toe in to prevent sub Ryan Babel, on for Maxi towards the end of the first half, from pulling a goal back, lifting the ball up and over his own bar after the pacy Dutchman had broken through.
It didn't take long for the Blues to regain control though, and Anelka could have added a third on 65 minutes, but Reina saved well, and then prevented a Malouda volley with an outstretched left arm.
It was an outstretched right arm, John Terry's, that gave Liverpool a chance to get back in, but an over-elaborate free-kick routine just outside the Chelsea box saw Daniel Agger's route to goal blocked by the away defence.
Into the final 15 minutes three sides of Anfield were very quiet, the only noise coming from the travelling section, who had been loud throughout.
On the pitch Ballack's curling free-kick was on target but straightforward for Reina, who then had to save from Anelka twice and Kalou to keep the score down, but already the game was over as a contest.
Chelsea march on knowing three more points brings the title back to west London, and United must now respond in the north east. Over to you, Fergie.
