D Monday, October 5, 2009 METROSPORT 23 Lethal Nic breaks Liverpools resolvechelsea 2 liverpool 0 CHELSEA climbed back to the top of the Premier League after Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda bagged second-half goals to sink Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Carlo Ancelottis side shook off last weeks 3-1 drubbing at Wigan and their lacklustre midweek Champions League victory over Apoel Nicosia to inflict Liverpools third league defeat of the season and seriously dent the Reds own title hopes. The defeat eclipsed the number of losses the Anfield club endured in their entire campaign last term and they can have few complaints as they proved incapable of breaking down a stubborn Blues defence, marshalled well by England captain John Terry. The visitors were handed a chance to open the scoring in the 29th minute when Branislav Ivanovic was ad- judged to have brought down Fern- ando Torres but Steven Gerrard blazed his free-kick over the bar. Four minutes later, Chelsea squan- dered a chance of their own after Michael Ballack headed Decos free- kick wide from six yards. The hosts were now enjoying their best spell of the game and when Frank Lampards 38th-minute corner fell to Michael Essien at the far post, the Ghanaian forced Jose Reina to make a decent save at the second attempt. Chelsea finally broke the deadlock on the hour after Javier Mascherano lost possession to Lampard in the Chelsea half. Essien and Deco fed the ball wide to Didier Drogba on the left and his centre was perfect for Anelka to convert for his fifth of the season. In the 63rd minute, Drogba met Lampards free-kick but his header was well held by Reina and four min- utes later the visitors replaced Albert Riera with Yossi Benayoun. In the 77th minute Chelsea won a free-kick in a dangerous area when Lampard was brought down by Ger- rard, earning his England team-mate a yellow card, but Drogba fired just wide of the right-hand post with a powerful, rising effort. Torres, who struggled throughout for quality service, wasted a glorious chance to level when he shot wide in the 80th minute, before Benayoun also scuffed wide of the left post. But Chelsea settled the outcome when Drogba bundled his way to the touchline and crossed from the right to allow Malouda to net in injury time and seal a deserved victory. Chelsea: Hilario, Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Essien, Lampard, Anelka, Deco (Malouda 76), Drogba. Booked: Essien. Goals: Anelka 60, Malouda 90. Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Insua (Aurelio 83), Kuyt, Mascherano, Lucas (Babel 76), Riera (Benayoun 67), Gerrard, Torres. Booked: Gerrard. Referee: Martin Atkinson Attendance: 41,732 MATCH FACTS 25 Number of times Chelsea and Liverpool have now locked horns in the past five seasons Barry key to City spree, says Mark MARK HUGHES insists the early purchase of Gareth Barry triggered the arrival of Manchester Citys other big-name stars in their 120million summer spending spree. England midfielder Barry returns to his former club Aston Villa tonight for the first time since his 12million switch to Eastlands. And City boss Hughes said: Gareth was always a player I had admired from afar. I felt he was a player we needed to bring to the club. To a certain extent it helped other players to come as well. The fact we were able to get one of the key men in the England set-up helped our strategy in terms of acquisitions of players. Davies impresses HARRy RedknApp has revealed his admiration for Bolton striker kevin davies. Tottenham boss Redknapp saw his side held 2-2 at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday after coming from behind twice to earn a point. Wanderers second was scored by 32-year-old davies and Redknapp said: Hes always a threat. He messes people around and is so difficult to play against. Bolton manager Gary Megson added: If you play the kind of football kevin thrives on, he is a huge threat. net gains: nicolas Anelka clips past pepe Reina to put Chelsea in front at Stamford Bridge Picture: Getty Images By kevIn AITken soccer pReMIeR LeAGue FOOTBALLDigest Gattuso back in squad for Dublin ITALy coach Marcello Lippi has named a 24-man squad for the World Cup qualifiers away to the Republic of Ireland on Saturday and at home to Cyprus four days later. The Azzurri welcome back AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso, who missed last months qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria with an ankle injury. Genoa centre-back Salvatore Bocchetti and Fiorentina defender Alessandro Gamberini return to the panel while captain Fabio Cannavaro has been included in the squad but will be unavailable for the match in dublin through suspension. The world champions go into Saturdays showdown four points clear of Ireland at the top of Group eight, needing only a point to assure themselves of a place in next years finals. Rampant Arsenal smash Rovers for six Star man: Fabregas, right, celebrates with Tomas Rosicky Arsenal: Mannone, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Fabregas (Ramsey 76), Song, Diaby, Rosicky (Walcott 69), Van Persie, Arshavin (Bendtner 76). Blackburn: Robinson, Jacobsen, Givet, Chimbonda, Olsson, Emerton (Pedersen 55), Andrews, Nzonzi, Diouf, Dunn (McCarthy 61 (Hoilett 70)), Di Santo. Att: 59,431. Ref: Peter Walton CESC FABREGAS had a hand in all but one of Arsenals six goals as Blackburn were overwhelmed by the Gunners at the Emirates. Spain midfielder Fabregas scored once himself and also helped Theo Walcott mark his return from injury with a goal late on. But no one could have foreseen the home sides goal feast when they went behind yesterday to Steven NZonzis first Rovers strike on four minutes. Paul Robinsons long free-kick saw NZonzi rise above Thomas Vermaelen to loop a header over Arsenal keeper Vito Mannone. Belgian Vermaelen more than made up for his error in judgement when he fired the Gunners level 12 minutes later. Fabregas teed up the free-scoring centre-back, who took a touch before slamming the ball into the bottom corner with his left foot for his fourth league goal of the season. Blackburn led again when Franco Di Santo fed David Dunn, who cut into the area before firing in a shot which cannoned off William Gallas leg on the half-hour, wrong-footing Mannone. The lead did not last long, though, as three minutes later, Robin van Persie latched on to Fabregas defence- splitting pass and fired into the corner of the net. Within another four minutes Arsenal were ahead, Fabregas again the provider, playing in Andrey Arshavin to drill home. Fabregas got the goal his performance deserved on 57 minutes after picking up a pass from Tomas Rosicky. Walcott, in the squad for the first time this season, made it 5-2 from Fabregass ball and Nicklas Bendtner wrapped things up with a sweet strike from the edge of the box to make it six successive victories in all competitions for the Gunners. arsenal 6 blackburn 2 index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html