19.8.07  BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP
Liverpool vs Chelsea 1-1 (BBC)


Frank Lampard salvaged a point for Chelsea after Fernando Torres scored his first goal for Liverpool in a tempestuous battle at Anfield.

Torres opened the scoring in the first half when he was fed in by Steven Gerrard before slotting past Petr Cech.

Lampard equalised for Chelsea with a penalty won by Florent Malouda who was fouled by Steve Finnan.

That decision was contested by the Reds in a pulsating, yet niggly, match that saw eight yellow cards handed out.

The talking point in Monday's press will be the performance of referee Rob Styles, although there will undoubtedly be column inches reserved for a fine performance by Liverpool striker Torres.

Both the Spaniard and his partner in attack Dirk Kuyt were a credit to the Reds with their tremendous industry that gave a Chelsea defence, led by John Terry, little respite.

One of the pair deserved some reward for their hardwork and it came the way of Torres.

Gerrard, playing despite having pain-killing injections on his fractured foot, threaded a peach of a ball for the 23-year-old who cruised round the outside of Ben Haim before slotting the ball past Cech and into the keeper's bottom left.

Apart from the front pair, Liverpool looked particularly effective on the left with John Arne Riise and Alvaro Arbeloa preventing Michael Essien from getting forward from his right-back position.

In fact, it was Riise who was giving Essien a headache, and early in the game got away from the Ghanaian before firing a 20-yard low shot that was well held by Cech.

Chelsea were largely kept quiet by the Liverpool defence, who limited their potent striker Didier Drogba to half chances - the first, a tame free-kick that was deflected wide, and the second, a header that climbed high over the bar.

Blues boss Jose Mourinho, like many watching, must have realised that Shaun Wright-Phillips was wasted in a central position, so come the second half, the England midfielder was moved out to wide right.

The tactical swap almost paid off immediately after the restart when Wright-Phillips swung in a wicked cross for substitute Claudio Pizarro.

The Peruvian met the ball with his head but sent his effort wide of the far post.

Despite that effort, it was Liverpool who once again took a firm grip of the game and, as cliched as it sounds, only a moment of magic or defensive error seemed the only way Chelsea could get back into the game.

As it happened, it was neither, but a contentious refereeing decision.

Rob Styles, who booked eight players in the match, awarded a penalty to Chelsea after he adjudged defender Finnan to have fouled Malouda, even though it seemed the Frenchman jumped before making contact.

Nevertheless, there was a job still to be done and up stepped the largely reliable Lampard to slot the ball past Pepe Reina.

And following the goal, Styles almost created another talking point when he appeared to show a yellow card to Terry and Essien, with Essien having already been booked earlier in the match.

But the referee later clarified that he only booked Terry.

Liverpool substitute Ryan Babel came close to grabbing a deserved winner for the Rafa Benitez's side but his fizzing shot from 20 yards flashed inches wide on Cech right-hand post.

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Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Arbeloa, Pennant (Babel 68), Gerrard, Alonso, Riise (Crouch 83), Torres, Kuyt.
Subs Not Used: Itandje, Hyypia, Mascherano.

Booked: Kuyt, Pennant, Gerrard, Carragher.
Goals: Torres 16.

Chelsea: Cech, Essien, Ben-Haim, Terry, Ashley Cole, Kalou (Pizarro 46), Wright-Phillips (Joe Cole 77), Obi, Lampard, Malouda (Alex 85), Drogba.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Makelele.

Booked: Essien, Ashley Cole, Ben-Haim, Lampard, Terry.
Goals: Lampard 62 pen.

Att: 43,924
Ref: Robert Styles (Hampshire).