Reds Gain Revenge As They Hammer Blues...Liverpool 4 - Chelsea 1

Liverpool gained revenge for Saturday's FA Cup final defeat with an emphatic win over a lacklustre Chelsea to end the Blues' hopes of a top-four finish. Chelsea were sloppy throughout and fell behind when Michael Essien deflected Luis Suarez's cross into his own net. Goals from Jordan Henderson and Daniel Agger made it 3-0 and Stewart Downing also missed a penalty before half-time. Ramires pulled a goal back but Ross Turnbull's error allowed Jonjo Shelvey to fire in and crown a superb display. The only possible blot on the home side's copy book was an unnecessary incident involving the otherwise excellent Suarez, who caught Branislav Ivanovic in the face with his arm. It was a result that made a mockery of Liverpool's woeful home form this season, which had seen them win only six games and just scrape equal with their lowest home goals tally of 24 courtesy of the four they scored here. It was also a game that could not have been more different from the cagey and dour contest these two sides served up on Saturday. At Wembley, Chelsea were compact and efficient but here they were shambolic - particularly in the first half - while Liverpool were completely transformed from the stuttering, shot-shy side that so underwhelmed the national stadium for an hour. Granted, it was a much-changed Blues team, with regulars Ashley Cole, Juan Mata and Frank Lampard on the bench and goalkeeper Petr Cech and Didier Drogba omitted completely, in a clear indication that manager Roberto di Matteo believes the more realistic route to Champions League football next season is as a by-product of glory in Munich on 19 May. But this was no excuse for such sloppiness, particularly as the eleven still contained eight internationals. Plus, arguably their worst performer was captain and defensive lynchpin John Terry, who was nutmegged three times in the first half and was partly responsible for the first two Liverpool goals. Shortly after his defensive partner Branislav Ivanovic had struck the post with a header from a corner for the visitors, the England international was easily beaten by Suarez as he jinked in down the right before his cut-back found the net via the sliding Essien. Six minutes later, Terry's slip allowed Henderson to run through and side-foot a shot past Ross Turnbull.