Forget it now, Graeme!
from "Press Association"
Chelsea, the only team this season to have taken three points off champions-elect Arsenal, dashed the lingering title hopes of Liverpool, the reigning champions, in a thrilling match at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea went into the game with a 7-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest fresh in their memory, while the Merseysiders had revived their title hopes with two wins in two games under new manager Graeme Souness.
Chelsea began brightly, forward Kerry Dixon heading over from eight yards.
Dixon had a second chance after six minutes and this time buried it, guiding a precise header past Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar from Gordon Durie's pinpoint cross.
The goal came at the end of an exciting opening spell. There followed a lull in the drama before Chelsea went two-up after 31 minutes. Durie cut into the penalty area after a fine pass by Tony Dorigo and was tripped by Ray Houghton. Dennis Wise, England's goalscorer in the 1-0 European Championship win against Turkey in midweek, sent Grobbelaar the wrong way from the penalty.
The margin slightly flattered the home side, though it might have been three had Jan Molby not brought down Durie as he went clear just inside the Liverpool half. Molby was lucky to escape with only a booking.
Souness replaced defender Gary Gillespie with winger Jimmy Carter in a bid to fire Liverpool's attacking options. David Burrows then crashed a close range shot into Beasant's hands while Beardsley came close with a shot over the bar.
Cleared
Liverpool almost went three down with the second half only minutes old. Alan Dickens fed Dixon, but the Chelsea forward shot poorly after rounding Grobbelaar and his effort was cleared off the line.
Liverpool pressurised Chelsea at the back, but in doing so exposed themselves at the back and and were often caught out by the hardworking Dixon and Durie.
Dixon, in the peak of his form at 29 and Durie, in inspirational mood, were the most influential players on the field.
Liverpool were not ready to relinquish their title however. Barnes sent in a dangerous curling free kick which Beasant saved with difficulty. Burrows, showing a little too much fight, was booked for fouling Stuart but, after 63 minutes, Liverpool scored the goal their pressure deserved.
Rush, his back to goal, turned and slipped a short pass to the incoming David Speedie, a former Chelsea forward, who scored from close range.
Souness made a bizarre second substitution, bringing off Carter, himself a substitute, for striker Ronnie Rosenthal.
The move brought immediate dividends. First, the Israeli striker's direct style helped create a chain for Rush, who just lost out in a 50-50 tussle with Beasant.
Then, after 73 minutes, Rosenthal scored a superb individual goal, twisting and turning past two Chelsea men on the edge of the area before sending a low shot past Beasant.
Chance
The noise was deafening when Dixon sent Chelsea back into the lead four minutes later with a firm header that went in off the underside of the crossbar from a Wise corner.
Before that, Houghton had missed Liverpool's easiest chance of the game, volleying over when the ball dropped to him only four yards out.
Liverpool were storming forward to gain a third equaliser. But for all Liverpool's sudden attacking vigour, they remained hesitant in defence and with three minutes left substitute Kevin Wilson broke down the right, held the ball up well and sent a simple pass to man of the match Durie who scored from close range. Liverpool, a team full of gifted internationals, had no one to match Durie on the day.
Copyright - Press Association