Chelsea unveiled their shiny new expensive toys. Kenny Dalglish did not have to do so.
The best players on display were Martin Kelly, representing the future of Merseyside and Jamie Carragher, the veteran center back. Then there was Roy Hodgson’s parting gift of Raul Meirelles arriving at Anfield unheralded but now on the vanguard of Liverpool’s unmistakable revival. Liverpool would have been left to rue Maxi Rodriguez’s point blank miss but the Portugese showed his smarts in front of goal to give Dalglish the game’s only goal. He has been immense.
Kelly was a peripatetic presence on the right getting the better of Ashley Cole and testing the defense with his teasing crosses and prescient runs. Carragher had his biggest moment when he blocked Fernando Torres only shot at goal. The centre back also effectively shepherded Didier Drogba and Nicholas Anelka off the ball and provided the vocal leadership needed in this testing encounter. He was all passion and intensity coiled in his 6′ 2″ frame. Bravo!
Liverpool climb to sixth position with every intention to make it to Europe. For Chelsea, this was not the way they intended to deflect criticism flouting the soon to be implemented financial fair play rules.
This weekend will be hard to forget. The cup runneth over. A shower of goals raining down. Stunning comebacks. Brilliant individual play. Spectacular goals. Send offs. Disputed penalties. Missed penalties. Prima donna referees. Streaking spectators.