WEDNESDAY NIGHT PREMIERSHIP REVIEW: Part II
Bruno Cheyrou ensured that both Gerard Houllier and Sir Alex Ferguson were smiling after Liverpool ground out a 1-0 win at the Bridge to heap more pressure, seemingly, on Claudio Ranieri.
Cheyrou's first half strike, his first for two years, was enough to give Liverpool all the points as Chelsea's glittering array of strikers were all firing blanks.
Ranieri was disappointed, naturally, but not unduly concerned as his side's recent run of poor form looks like restoring two-horse parity at the top of the table where United and Arsenal look like going head to head.
Whether Chelsea can recover their composure and recapture their early-season form remains to be seen, and it's going to take a huge effort from Ranieri's men to stop the rot now.
Whilst today's tabloids are reporting that Ranieri was locked in talks with Roman Abramovich for 40 minutes after the latest defeat, the coach insisted it was not a dressing room dressing down.
"It was the same as after every match, we have a meeting," said Ranieri. "I was in another interview, then I came back and he was in the dressing room with the players, but don't worry - you will still see me on Thursday and for a long time yet."
As for the recent blip in form, Ranieri added: "We are still trying to do everything well, but at the moment this is our bad time. But providing the players keep showing the same effort and fight we will get better again."
Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier, meanwhile, was happy to hail a battling performance by his team and said: "I would like to dedicate this victory to the fans and the board, including the chairman and chief executive Rick Parry, as they have been very supportive of the boys."
Reflecting on Cheyrou's goal, he said: "It was a great goal with good movement. Bruno has skill and talent, it is just unfortunate that we have not had him available before now this season."
Of the second half sending off of El Hadji Diouf, Houllier added: "The referee has said that he will look at it again but I think it was the linesman's decision. I don't know why he got involved. I suppose from his angle, it must have looked like there was something wrong.
"But when you look at it from several angles, the two players almost just got caught up with each other's laces. Diouf told me it was nothing, he didn't blame Mutu, he just said they got tangled up together.
"It was the wrong decision and I am sure, when the linesman sees it again, he will understand why I am saying that. There is no animosity, I just think that he got it wrong and the video evidence shows there was nothing malicious."
