29/04/2000  Chelsea 2 Liverpool 0

Having endured a stinging rebuke from boss Gianluca Vialli 
after their capitulation at Manchester United, Chelsea 
produced an immediate response to ease the growing despondency 
at Stamford Bridge with victory against Liverpool.

Even this 2-0 win may still not be enough to ensure that 
the Blues qualify again for the Champions League next season, 
given that Liverpool remain four points clear with a match in 
hand, while Arsenal are also virtually unassailable.

But although it may still be too little, too late for the 
Champions League, the UEFA Cup is now a realisable goal for 
the Blues.

And there was proof at Stamford Bridge that Liverpool, for 
all of their improvements this season, may not yet quite be 
the finished article when they too have to cope with a packed 
fixture list.

For while there must be considerable changes to the Blues' 
squad this summer, two of those older players whose places may 
come under threat - Roberto Di Matteo and George Weah - 
produced convincing arguments that they should be 
retained.

Weah, 35, was a constant threat to Liverpool's normally 
reliable defence and put the home side ahead after just two 
minutes, while Di Matteo, who has struggled to find form and 
fitness this season, was their midfield inspiration and 
doubled the advantage on 13 minutes.

It was a devastating opening spell by a revitalised Chelsea 
side and while they never quite reached those heights again, 
Liverpool also never managed to produce any real threats of 
pulling a goal back even though they ended the match with four 
strikers.

Vialli had been in a confessional mode after his side's 
lethargic 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford on Easter Monday, 
demanding that his players would have to show they were 
prepared to "die for the club on the pitch" if they were to 
keep their places.

The Italian certainly displayed a ruthless streak, making 
six changes from his Old Trafford line-up and there was, 
perhaps tellingly, no place even on the bench for Frenchman 
Didier Deschamps, who would be facing the axe this summer.

However, Vialli was rewarded as Chelsea's determination 
from the kick-off was palpable and they seized the lead within 
just two minutes.

Mario Melchiot won the ball in central midfield from 
Michael Owen, Di Matteo spotted the run of Weah and the 
Liberian international stroked his shot inside the far 
post.

Amid a fiercely-contested first half, Chelsea never lost 
the upper hand, with Dennis Wise - making his 400th appearance 
for the club - and Jody Morris dominating central midfield 
despite the considerable efforts of Dietmar Hamann and Steven 
Gerrard.

However, Chelsea's midfield dynamo was Di Matteo, while 
strikers Weah and Gianfranco Zola were figures of perpetual 
motion ahead of him.

And when Wise played the ball to Weah on 13 minutes, it was 
his strength in holding off Sami Hyypia that left a hole in 
the Liverpool defence as the move continued.

Zola crossed the ball back to the centre-forward, who was 
by now in space, but he showed considerable vision in spotting 
the unmarked figure of Di Matteo to his left and the Italian 
fired his shot past Sander Westerveld.

Liverpool may have arrived on the back of a 13-match 
unbeaten run, needing just a single point to assure their 
place in Europe next season, but they never managed to claw 
their way back into the game as a defence inspired by Marcel 
Desailly held them at bay.

Patrik Berger's claims for a penalty after tangling with 
keeper Ed De Goey were turned down as he was himself penalised 
for a dangerous challenge, while assistant boss Phil Thompson 
remonstrated with the Chelsea bench after a couple of 
full-blooded tackles.

But Liverpool were simply being out-played by a resurgent 
Chelsea side and Westerveld had to tip over a cross-shot by Di 
Matteo while Zola fired a free-kick just over the bar.

The visitors' own threats were few and far between, as 
Hamann struck a free-kick just wide and volleyed over, yet 
there was a fortunate escape for Morris just before the break 
as he escaped a second booking despite a foul from behind on 
Gerrard.

Liverpool did at least manage to slightly revive their 
fortunes after the interval and Gerrard was only denied a 
half-chance by a perfect tackle by Jon Harley, who had 
reverted to full-back - with superb results - after Gustavo 
Poyet had come on for Celestine Babayaro.

That was virtually Gerrard's last involvement in the game, 
however, as he then had to be taken off with an apparent groin 
problem that is likely to be of concern to both club and 
country.

Liverpool were increasingly dominating possession but 
without creating clear-cut chances and strikers Titi Camara 
and Robbie Fowler were therefore thrown on to replace 
midfielders Hamann and Danny Murphy as the visitors went for 
broke.

The Blues responded by introducing a third centre-back, 
Emerson Thome, for midfielder Morris and by the end, Liverpool 
were simply becoming all too desperate in search of a lifeline 
which never arrived.

That lifeline has now been given to Chelsea, however. Now 
Vialli's side must prove in their remaining three games - 
including the FA Cup final - that they make the most of 
it.