This date 26 Oct 2008 will be remembered for a long time in the minds of Scousers as on this date Liverpool ended the nearly 4 year unbeaten of Chelsea at Stamford bridge and proved yet again that in football anything is possible. The match began with great enthusiasm and hype as to the team winning this match could go all the way to win the title. Prematch analysis by football pundits pointed that the match was going to be a cakewalk for Chelsea for three reasons.First they being at home,second they have much depth in their squad and thirdly they have been unbeaten at home for the past four years. Liverpool started confidently with Gerrard winning the toss and choosing the side he wanted to play in the first half. Xabi Alonso's left footed kick deflected of Jose Bosingwa put the ball right in the middle os the net with Petr Cech having no chance to saving it because he went the wrong way. After that it was game on for Chelsea.
Chelsea pushed hard during the first half for the equalizer they were seeking,but Liverpool's defence was rock solid though they were defending deep,giving Chelsea the room to come forward. Gerrard power ful left leg kick sent Cech on a full stretch to save the ball from droppping below the top bar into the goal. Liverpool received two yellow cards during the first half one for Riera and an another one for Steve Gee. Gerrard's tackle was fair enough as he got the ball first and had he not be booked for that Kuyt and Keane were on a breakthrough and could possibly have resulted in a second goal for Liverpool.Both teams went in to the second half with Liverpool having that one goal edge.
The strategy of Liverpool was clear, defend the one goal lead and make life hard for Chelsea but at the same time try to break away whenever chance permits and threaten Chelsea with a second goal. The best thing about the game was both the teams played the game in the right spirit and both the managers hugging and cuddling each other before the match. Chelsea's best cahnce came when Ashley Cole barged into the 12 yard box but couldn't get a proper strike of the ball on the volley. After that it was Liverpool occasionally scaring Chelsea with another goal and that could easily have been doubled had Alonso's free kick gone in rather than striking the bar and bouncing back.
90 minutes up and injury time also closing in,there was not enough time for Chelsea to come back and it was Liverpool's day,they going right to the top of the table and keeping their chances of the their title hopes flying high. They beat Chelsea which no other team could do in four years,breaking the Stamford bridge fortress for Chelsea.
