SOCCER/Uefa Champions League Group Phase: Rafael Benitez may have claimed not to care much much about this game but Liverpool's manager will have taken some pleasure from the outcome. This draw kept his team above Chelsea in the group and showed how much they have tightened since their 4-1 league hammering by these opponents at Anfield in October. The Spaniard is entitled to wonder, too, whether he might have enjoyed a win had Michael Essien received the red card he deserved for a dangerous tackle on Dietmar Hamann in the first half.
The Chelsea fitness coach Rui Faria seemed to offer the Liverpool bench the use of his glasses as they complained about the challenge but the visitors had seen it correctly. Forced to face a full complement, Liverpool conceded few chances after the interval despite the growing control enjoyed by a Chelsea team who had started poorly. Not much was seen of Liverpool as an attacking force in the second half but they defended well - and in numbers - with Mohamed Sissoko and Jamie Carragher impressing.
Both managers had played down the significance of this game and announced that they would prefer to win next weekend's Premiership matches. That was no surprise with their teams already guaranteed a place in the first knockout round and having nothing to play for except top spot in the group. The feeling is that finishing first is scarcely an advantage going into the draw when participants are generally so evenly matched.
Yet Jose Mourinho and Benitez picked strong starting XIs, demonstrating that they were still treating events here with a good degree of seriousness. Chelsea put out arguably their strongest available side and Liverpool rested only Xabi Alonso, who was one booking from missing the first leg of their next game in the competition, in February.
Chelsea were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men midway through the first half when Essien committed a horrible tackle on Hamann which went unpunished - presumably unseen - by the German officials. Contesting a loose ball not far from one of thelinesmen, the Ghanaian went in with his studs up and raked them down the upper portion of Hamann's right calf, causing the Liverpool midfielder to go down in agony.
It is the second time Essien has got away with a challenge worthy of a dismissal, having stayed on for a bad tackle on Bolton's Tal Ben Haim in October. Chelsea went on to win that game 5-1.
Not until the final dozen minutes before the interval did Chelsea liven up a little and sustain any real co-ordination, with Eidur Gudjohnsen close to setting up Frank Lampard. Until then Chelsea had given a poor display that rarely threatened to breach Liverpool's defence. Lampard's seventh-minute shot, which forced a save from Jose Reina, was the only moment when the Spanish goalkeeper was extended.
A tight match had been expected given Liverpool's recent defensive record but Chelsea will be disappointed with the lack of pressure they managed. Their passing was below par, the final ball short of quality and the wide players Damien Duff and Arjen Robben barely featured as the visitors stood firm.
CHELSEA: Cech, Paulo Ferreira (Del Horno 45), Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Gallas, Essien, Robben (Carlton Cole 73), Lampard, Duff (Wright-Phillips 73), Gudjohnsen, Drogba. Subs not used: Cudicini, Geremi, Diarra, Huth. Booked: Lampard, Ricardo Carvalho.
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore, Gerrard, Hamann, Sissoko, Riise (Kewell 60), Crouch (Morientes 68), Luis Garcia (Sinama Pongolle 80). Subs not used: Carson, Cisse, Josemi, Warnock. Booked: Traore.
Referee: Herbert Fandel (Germany).
