Chelsea too hot for Reds

Chelsea celebrate Graeme Le Saux's opening goal

Chelsea 4-0 Liverpool
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Goals from Graeme Le Saux, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Sam Dalla Bona and Eidur Gudjohnsen helped Chelsea shrug off their lacklustre recent form and register a deserved win over Liverpool.

Chelsea played with confidence and aggression as they maintained their fine home record against Liverpool in the Premiership.

The Reds, without Michael Owen, lacked verve but nonetheless did create ample chances.

But when they did breach the Chelsea defence they could find no way past the superlative Carlo Cudicini, who was in extraordinary form and saved a second-half penalty.

  Key moments

3 mins: Graeme Le Saux scores for Chelsea

28 mins: Hasselbaink scores for Chelsea

51 mins: McAllister penalty saved

71 mins: Dalla Bona scores for Chelsea

90 mins: Gudjohnsen scores for Chelsea

Phil Thompson's first league defeat in his role as caretaker-manager means Liverpool have still not won a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea once again underlined their ability to compete against the Premiership's fancied teams but questions still remain about their attitude towards playing the so-called smaller clubs.

The game got off to a scintillating start when Graeme Le Saux scored in only the third minute.

The England defender met a delicious ball from the left by Hasselbaink and, after neatly controlling with his chest, shot goalwards.

Jerzy Dudek palmed the ball against the post but the ball broke back to Le Saux, who tapped home from two yards.

The early goal opened up the game and chances abounded at both ends.

Minutes after Le Saux's opener a vicious Gary McAllister corner was flicked goalwards by Stephane Henchoz at the near post.

We are very determined when we play the big teams and fight with our hearts

Carlo Cudicini

Cudicini athletically tipped the ball upwards and William Gallas was on hand to head the ball off the line with Steven Gerrard lurking menacingly.

Not to be outdone, Hasselbaink shot from long-range after 12 minutes but Dudek acrobatically thwarted the Dutchman's blistering shot.

Up at the other end Gerrard, cutting in from the right flank, met a sweeping cross-field ball from Igor Biscan.

But, after sweeping past Celestine Babayaro, the midfielder's left-footed shot was tipped around the post by Cudcini.

Shortly afterwards Chelsea doubled their advantage.

Hasselbaink had a lot to do after being played through by Eidur Gudjohnsen.

But he had too much physical presence for Jamie Carragaher and, after shrugging off the Liverpool defender, coolly dinked the ball over Dudek as the Reds keeper went to ground.

Penalty miss

Chelsea might have made it 3-0 before the break but Frank Lampard's shot was saved by Dudek.

Liverpool should have halved their deficit six minutes into the second half but Cudicini saved to deny McAllister from the penalty spot after Mario Melchiot had fouled Jan Arne Riise.

The Chelsea keeper, saving his second penalty in as many weeks, dived to his left and held the Liverpool midfielder's sluggish penalty.

The Liverpool defence can only watch as Chelsea score

Undaunted - and assisted by Chelsea's inexplicable decision to sit back on their lead - Liverpool pressed forward.

Gerrard headed inches wide while the outstanding Cudicini denied Riise twice and McAllister in a gripping period of play following the penalty miss.

Liverpool's failure to convert their chances was further punished when Chelsea notched three goals in a home Premiership match for the first time this season.

Dudek saved Lampard's shot from 10 yards but the ball squirmed away from the Polish keeper and into the path of Dalla Bona, who stabbed the ball home.

Eidur Gudjohnsen's compounded Liverpool's miserable day with a fourth goal in injury time.

His first shot was saved by the luckless Dudek but the Icelandic international fired home the rebound.

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Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Terry, Gallas, Babayaro, Le Saux, Dalla Bona, Stanic, Lampard, Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen. Subs: de Goey, Jokanovic, Zenden, Zola, Forssell.

Liverpool: Dudek, Riise, Hyypia, Henchoz, Carragher, McAllister, Gerrard, Murphy, Biscan, Heskey, Litmanen. Subs: Kirkland, Heggem, Diomede, Partridge, Wright.

Referee: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City)