Liverpool have gone to the top of the Premiership after a last-gasp Vladimir Smicer goal gave them a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Anfield today. The result means Liverpool are one point ahead of Manchester United having played the same amount of games, and two points ahead of Arsenal who have played two games less.
The Reds scarcely deserved three points after being totally outplayed by Chelsea in the first half. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Mario Stanic all missed good first half chances for the Blues, while Liverpool's discomfort was exacerbated by the loss of Steven Gerrard with a hamstring strain.
The second half saw Liverpool stir from their torpor and Chelsea keeper Carlo Cudicini was forced to save from a long-range effort from John Arne Riise. Nicholas Anelka had the ball in the net for Liverpool soon after but an offside flag saved Chelsea. The home side continued to press forward looking for the winner but they were lucky not to go behind when Hasselbaink fired over after a neat exchange with substitute Gianfranco Zola. But just as a scoreless draw looked inevitable, Emile Heskey crossed for Smicer to smash a volley past Cudicini and fire Liverpool to the top of the table.
Filed by Tom Grealis
