T’is the season to be jolly, and you know what I love more than Christmas food? The jam-packed schedule of Premier League football, that’s what. With that in mind, we could be in for a special one this weekend as Chelsea welcome Liverpool in a top of the table clash.
It’s a fixture that has delivered some fantastic football and many talking points in the past, especially when Jose Mourinho has been involved! You know what’s coming next, right? Grab a mince pie and a beverage to wash it down with as I look back at three memorable clashes between these two footballing giants.
April 2013 - Premier League - Liverpool 2-2 Chelsea
Anymore subplots and this match would’ve been like a crazy episode of Eastenders! Benitez returned to Anfield as Chelsea’s interim manager and Sturridge played against his former club, but all that was put to one side for a cracking match. Oscar put Chelsea ahead with a peach of a header, only for Sturridge level matters up shortly after. After that the match really hit its stride, going a tad bonkers in the process. A handball from Suarez lead to Hazard restoring Chelsea’s lead from the spot, but it was destined to be level as Sturridge fed Suarez for the equalising goal. Despite that, a goal isn’t the only thing Suarez was hungry for that day…
February 2005 - Carling Cup final - Liverpool 2-3 Chelsea
Two notable things happened in the Millennium stadium that day; John Arne Riise scored the quickest goal in League Cup final history and Mourinho won his first trophy as Chelsea manager. It’s a match that went into extra-time thanks to an unusual Gerrard own goal, but the blues clinched it thanks to goals from Drogba and Kezman despite a Nunez getting one back for Liverpool. As you’d expect from this fixture, there was a bit of controversy courtesy of Mourinho’s silent finger gesture to the opposing fans.
April 2009 - Champions League semi-final 2nd leg - Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool
Fabio Aurelio, remember him? Petr Cech certainly does. In fact he probably still has nightmares about the beauty of a free-kick that he drilled past him. Alonso made it 1-1 thanks to a penalty from Ivanovic trying to play WWE with him in the box. Drogba then squeezed the ball past Reina to make it 2-1 before an Alex free-kick levelled things up at 2-2. The ever reliant Lampard struck to make it 3-2 and it looked all over. That wasn’t the end of the goalscoring though as two late goals from Lucas and Kuyt made it 4-3, but Lampard stepped up again to make it 4-4 and see Chelsea through to the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona.
