16/12/2001  Chelsea 4 Liverpool 0
 
In a title race with as many twists and turns as a 
Hitchcock thriller, Chelsea yet again played a lead role in 
ensuring the suspense is set to last right to the final 
page.

Having shown the quality to defeat champions Manchester 
United 3-0 at Old Trafford just two weeks ago, they 
overwhelmed Premiership leaders Liverpool by an even wider 
margin.

Whether they have the consistency to mount a title 
challenge themselves remains to be seen, given that they have 
lost at home to Charlton in the meantime.

However, against Liverpool, there was enough drama to fill 
a whole chapter of any blockbuster.

Graeme Le Saux's first goal in almost four years was 
followed by further strikes by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Sam 
dalla Bona, while a late goal by Eidur Gudjohnsen providing 
the crowning glory.

Indeed, there was also a superb display by Chelsea keeper 
Carlo Cudicini, who saved a penalty for the second consecutive 
game in denying Gary McAllister when his side were just 2-0 
up.

The Italian was in outstanding form, just as Edwin van der 
Sar was for Fulham in holding Liverpool to a goalless draw in 
midweek.

Not only have leaders Liverpool dropped five points in four 
days, but Leeds also strangely allowed a two-goal lead to slip 
at home to Leicester and Arsenal were held at West Ham.

Overall, it is hard to imagine that Sir Alex Ferguson has 
enjoyed a more satisfying weekend than this one in what has 
otherwise been a rather tortuous season.

United are now just six points behind Liverpool, who could 
even be supplanted at the top of the table by another of the 
title suspects, Arsenal, on Tuesday night.

Without Michael Owen, who was rested as a precautionary 
measure due to his hamstring problems, they did not deserve 
any better than this heavy defeat at Stamford Bridge, where 
they have not won for 12 years.

Chelsea, meanwhile, remain as captivating to watch as they 
are frustrating. They have the quality and defence to 
challenge for the title, but do they have the staying 
power?

Then again, do Liverpool?

Only time will tell, but it took just two minutes for the 
Anfield club's normally superb defence, which had just kept 
five consecutive clean sheets, to be undermined at Stamford 
Bridge.

Jamie Carragher failed to cut out Hasselbaink's chipped 
pass into the path of Le Saux and although the defender's 
first shot was tipped onto the post by Jerzy Dudek, he was 
left in space to net the rebound.

That was merely the cue for some frenetic exchanges as Sami 
Hyypia and Emile Heskey both came close, while Dudek denied 
Hasselbaink's fierce drive.

Rather than relying on the counter-attack, Liverpool took 
the game to Chelsea, but they were denied by further heroics 
from Cudicini.

He tipped Steven Gerrard's slightly underhit shot around 
the post when the midfielder only had the Italian to beat and 
also denied Igor Biscan.

Liverpool were still complaining that they should have been 
awarded a corner after that save, even though the midfielder's 
handball had also gone unseen, when Chelsea swept downfield to 
double their lead on 27 minutes.

Eidur Gudjohnsen's flick put Hasselbaink through and he 
held off Carragher far too easily before regaining his balance 
and beating Dudek.

Chelsea were by now displaying far more hunger as they were 
over-running a rapidly disintegrating Liverpool side in 
midfield.

Phil Thompson duly responded with one change in personnel 
at the break, bringing on Stephen Wright for Biscan, as well 
as four further alterations in positions.

And with five minutes of the second-half gone, Liverpool 
were awarded a penalty when Melchiot was adjudged to have 
brought down John Arne Riise as he latched onto Jari 
Litmanen's through-ball.

Melchiot felt harshly treated by referee Mark Halsey but 
McAllister's effort was weakly-struck and Cudicini, who also 
saved a spot-kick from Kevin Phillips last weekend, dived to 
his left to clutch onto the ball.

To their credit, Liverpool kept on coming forward in a 
captivating spectacle, but Cudicini continued to frustrate 
them as he denied Riise twice as well as Danny Murphy.

The visitors were caught cold on the counter-attack on 71 
minutes as Dudek failed to hold onto Lampard's shot and Sam 
dalla Bona was left unmarked to force home the loose ball.

That goal effectively killed off the visitors' confidence 
and Gudjohnsen applied the finishing touch in injury-time when 
he beat Dudek at the second attempt.

This title race is one production that is set to run and 
run.