Echo: Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool

Luis Suarez's second-half header gave Liverpool a hard-fought point as they drew 1-1 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Brendan Rodgers' side had trailed to John Terry's first-half strike, but showed character, and a vast improvement, after the break to maintain their recent strong record in west London. They have not lost in their last four visits.

Rodgers was forced to do without defender Martin Skrtel, who missed out through illness. Jamie Carragher replaced the Slovakian, while Glen Johnson was deemed fit enough to face his former club after his own recent fitness issues, he came in for the teenager Suso, who dropped to the bench, as Liverpool started the game with three central defenders.

Chelsea were without David Luiz, who was also ill, and the injured Ashley Cole. Fernando Torres started against the Reds for the fifth time since leaving the club almost two years ago, having lost on each of the last four occasions.
It was Chelsea who had the game's first chance, on six minutes. Joe Allen was robbed in midfield, allowing Eden Hazard to feed Oscar, who clipped his left-footed effort over the bar.

In a cagey opening, Branislav Ivanovic fired an ambitious free kick off target from 30 yards, before Chelsea took the lead in the 20th minute. Juan Mata swung in a corner from the right and, with Daniel Agger blocked off, Terry was given the freedom of the penalty area to power a header past Brad Jones.

Agger had Liverpool's first effort of note, smashing a long-range effort well over the bar after 24 minutes, before Jones was forced into action, saving from Torres after a driving run from Hazard.

Nuri Sahin steered a low effort off target soon after, with Chelsea losing Terry to a serious-looking knee injury five minutes before the break.

Mata than missed a glorious chance to double the home side's advantage, jinking inside Wisdom but slashing his effort over the bar with only Jones to beat.

The Spaniard had the first real effort of the second half as well, driving wide from 20 yards on 53 minutes. Jones kept out Torres' flicked header with his knee soon after, whilst Rodgers replaced the ineffective Sahin with Suso on the hour mark.

Torres failed to convert Ryan Bertrand's low cross, while Cahill blocked Raheem Sterling's volleyed effort.

But with Liverpool running out of ideas, they found an equaliser 17 minutes from time as Carragher flicked on Suso's corner, and Suarez was left alone at the back post to nod into an empty net.

Torres, whose afternoon stalled after a lively start, was replaced by Daniel Sturridge as Chelsea sought to regain their lead.

Liverpool, though, were finishing strongly, though Suso shanked off target from Sterling's cut back. Ivanovic headed Mata's corner over the bar at the other end.

Suarez, who grew into the game, almost managed to chip Cech from 45 yards, and then came close to rounding the Chelsea 'keeper from Enrique's neat pass. Enrique had the game's final chance, forcing a fine save from Cech at his near post after taking Suarez's pass with a first-time strike.

Source: Liverpool Echo