Source: Daily_Mail
Chelsea v Liverpool and West Ham v Birmingham LIVE
PREMIER LEAGUE Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1 FT [LNB]West Ham 0 Birmingham 1 FT[LNB]FULL TIME: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1[LNB]What we learned today: Football games are won on the strength of team effort, not by spending ludicrous amounts on talented individuals. A magnificent, if not faultless performance from the Merseysiders helps them complete the double over the Blues and moves them up into seventh. [LNB]Chelsea remain in fourth, 10 points behind Manchester United, but have now played a game more. [LNB]92min: Penalty? My word, Johnson is a lucky man, he clearly barged into Ivanovic as the defender tried to reach a cross in the box. Johnson did his best to make it look like he stood his ground but surely that was a foul. [LNB]90min: Chelsea have four minutes to rescue this game...[LNB]87min: This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out for Chelsea. This was the start of a new era, the sluggish haze which had enveloped the club was being brushed away as Torres and Luiz arrived to shore up the defence and strike fear into the hearts of domestic and European opposition. As it turns out, Chelsea still look quite naff. [LNB]84min: Symptomatic of Chelsea's desperation, Lampard cracks a really poor shot miles wide from 30 yards out. Have they given up already? The big winners if things stay this way? Manchester City and Tottenham. [LNB]81min: Handbaaaaaaaaal! Chelsea fans plead for spot kick as the ball thumps off Lucas's chest. Nowt doing. Liverpool break straight up the other end, Kuyt finds Meireles who cuts inside Ivanovic and thumps goalwards but Cech stands tall to palm away. Corner. [LNB] Raul deal: Meireles celebrates bagging his fourth in five games [LNB]79min: Penny for 'em, Fernando. [LNB]76min: Chelsea have rolled out the heavy artillery - the long balls are being lobbed into the box now as they search desperately for an equaliser. But Liverpool are a match for it, matching target man Drogba's strength with guile and effort. [LNB]72min: Two more changes, David Luiz makes his debut, replacing Jose Bosingwa and Rodriguez is hooked for Fabio Aurelio. [LNB]71min: So this most dramatic of weekends takes yet another dramatic twist. Ancelotti makes an immediate change by bringing Florent Malouda on for Obi Mikel. [LNB]68min: GOAL Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1 (Raul Meireles) [LNB]Well, well well!The visitors take the lead as Gerrard's cross causes uncertainty in the Chelsea defence, the ball bounces across Cech and Meireles is there to bang home from a couple of yards out. [LNB] So long, farewell: The Liverpool fans jeer their former hero Torres off the pitch[LNB]67min: That's better from Chelsea. Essien sweeps through the Liverpool midfield and thumps a drive inches over the bar. [LNB]66min: And so Fernando Torres' debut ends. It hasn't been a classic. He's replaced by Salomon Kalou as ironic cheers from the Liverpool fans greet his exit. They treat him to a chorus of 'You should have stayed at a big club,' too. [LNB]65min: Ooooooh! The orgasmic groan comes down from the Matthew Harding stand as Anelka thumps a 25 yard drive a yard or so wide of the upright. [LNB]62min: Is it time for Suarez, yet? Torres has been anonymous for virtually every second of this game and so, in my tiny little mind, that means it is primed for the Uruguayan to come on and score the winner. [LNB]60min:An hour gone and I'm still waiting for this game to get going. [LNB] 59min: ...and drops the ball into Cech's hands at the far post. Woeful.[LNB] Stalemate: Both sides have struggled to create clear-cut chances at Stamford Bridge [LNB]58min: Right, now here's a chance for Liverpool to threaten. Johnson is chopped down on the right, about 10 yards outside the box. Gerrard stands over the ball...[LNB]54min: Penalty? No. Cole tumbles in the box under a robust challenge from Carragher. However, the tackle was timed perfectly so there wasn't a peep from any of the Chelsea players. [LNB]52min: It's all rather turgid stuff at the moment, I'm afraid. The midfield is jam-packed and thusly that is where the ball is mainly located. [LNB]48min: The second 45 begins in the same vein as the first. Chelsea dominate possession, but there's not much in the way of cutting edge. [LNB]SECOND HALF: No changes to either side, so no sign of Luis Suarez just yet. And we're back off and running...[LNB] Nic of time: Anelka slides the ball away from Kuyt [LNB]HALF TIME: Chelsea 0 Liverpool 0 [LNB]Engaging? Yes. Dramatic? At moments. As good as we hooped it would be? Not even close. That ends a rather underwhelming first 45. [LNB]Want some incisive analysis on that first half? Here's Robbie Savage's opinion, via Twitter: 'Ray Wilkins just said I think Torres has done OK, he's been s***.' [LNB]45min: We'll have one minute added on...[LNB]44min: Handbags. Nope, not between an (insert Liverpool player's name here) and Torres but Ivanovic and Cech. Rodriguez whipped in a low cross and the pair challenged for the same ball. Cue much angry gesticulating and shouting. Not quite as bad as Bruce Grobelaar v Steve McManaman, though. [LNB]40min: Its an entertaining game yet lacking any rhythm (drums fingers on desk).[LNB]37min: I still can't believe that miss from maxi a couple of minutes ago. replays showed he was well onside and the ball cannoned of his shin onto the crossbar. In other news the ref has been handed something which was thrown onto the pitch, not sure what it was. And Ivanovic has headed a corner harmlessly wide of Reina's upright. [LNB]33min: What. A. Miss. No kidding, Maxi Rodriguez has just missed an open goal! Three yards out, he directed Gerrard's low cross/shot onto the bar, with an open net gaping at him. Incredible.[LNB] Sign of the times: Liverpool fans let Torres know just how they feel about him[LNB]30min: Drogba slides the ball through to Torres, he's in.... But Carragher charges across and blocks the low shot with his out-stretched left leg.[LNB]28min: Right, chance for Liverpool to press. Gerrard trots over to the corner, whips a decent ball into the box but Chelsea scramble clear. [LNB]25min: Cheers and boos in equal measure greet Agger's neck high push on Torres as the Spaniard tries to gain some ground down the wing. Nothing more than a free kick needed, nothing more given. Lampard whip in the set piece which is nodded out for a corner. [LNB]22min: Incisive crossfield from Lampard finds Cole zipping into the box, the left back dinks a little cross over but Skrtel clears. The defender looks like he felt a twinge in his thigh/groin area and has to hobble off for some treatment. [LNB]18min: Greatplay from Kuyt, hanging off the last defender, he scampers away down the right and looks up to see Meireles supporting but his low centre is blocked. Corner... which amounts to nowt. [LNB] Boy in blue: Torres has been marked closely by his former team-mates[LNB]16min: A brief lapse of concentration very nearly allows Anelka in. Reina rolled the ball to Agger who doesn't spot the Chelsea striker lurking behind him. The Liverpool defender just about bundles the ball away. [LNB]13min: Long ball over the top from Meireles, angles down the wing towards Kuyt. But the Dutchman had strayed a yard offside. Seems like the visitors are going to be direct today. [LNB]9min: It has been a cautious stat from both sides. A case of them giving each other to much respect? What i can say is that Torres is dipping around and showing for the ball with more vigour than he did during his last months at Anfield. [LNB]5min: The hosts are enjoying all the possession at the moment, but it's all being played in midfield and thusly we are yet to see a clear-cut chance just yet. [LNB]2min: Early sighter for Torres! In acres of space, dead-centre, he thumped high over the bar from 25 yards out. A poor effort made worse by the fact Drogba was begging for the ball to his right. Still, Torres isn't used to the luxury of having a high-calibre striker to pass to. [LNB]1min: And we're off and running. There's a booking inside 20 seconds for Mikel whose late challenge on Gerrard sends the Liverpool captain tumbling. [LNB] Shake on it: Torres greets his former team-mates ahead of kick off[LNB]3.59pm: Torres lines up next to Drogba in the blue of Chelsea. That's going to take some getting used to. [LNB]3.56pm: Here we go, the players come trotting out. Fernando Torres v Liverpool is on the way in a few moments... [LNB]3.53pm: The pantomime booing and cheering is in full swing as the PA announces the teams. Travelling Liverpool fans boo their displeasure at Torres' name being announced among the Chelsea starters and then chant Suarez's name. I fancy this could be one of the main themes of the day. [LNB]3.48pm:Team news in full: As we already know Torres, the most expensiveplayer in British history, is handed his Chelsea debut against former club Liverpool. [LNB]The ?50m man is named alongside Drogba and Anelka in a triple-ponged attack just a week after completing his acrimonious move from Anfield.[LNB]Chelsea's other new signing, ?20million defender David Luiz, is among the substitutes, while Liverpool keep LuisSuarez on the bench.[LNB] Money spinner: Stalls around Stamford Bridge ash in on the arrival of the Spain World Cup winner [LNB]3.45pm: An incredibly attacking line-up from Ancelotti, playing all three of his star strikers up top. In one foul swoop he solves the issue of either Nicolas Anelka or Didier Drogba becoming resentful following Torres' arrival. But could it play into Liverpool's hands? [LNB]3.40pm: And so to Stamford Bridge where Mr Torres has been making a few headlines this week. You may have heard..? [LNB]FULL TIME: All over, Birmingham pilfer a precious three points at West ham who go bottom of the league by virtue of goal difference. [LNB]Plenty of endeavour from the hosts, but they created too few chances. Granted, they had a couple of handball shouts to moan about but they can't complain if they leave 6ft 8in Zigic free in the box. Alex McLeish's side were much improved in the second half and zoom up the table to 16th. [LNB] The big winner: Zigic's second-half header sealed the three points for Birmingham[LNB]93min: And now Da Costa goes in the book for a spiteful challenge on Carr. [LNB]92min: Nope, nowt going on for the Hammers. And the clock is run down further as Obinna fouls Ferguson on the edge of the Birmingham box and earns a yellow card. [LNB]90min: We'll have three minutes added on...[LNB]88min: Soclose to an equaliser! West Ham are playing with virtually five up top now, and the weight of numbers in the box nearly paid off. Jacobsen's deep cross found Da Costa at the back post, his header flew across goal and bounced just wide of Foster's upright. Close. [LNB]Chelsea v Liverpool - teamsChelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Mikel, Essien, Lampard, Anelka, Torres, Drogba. Subs: Turnbull, David Luiz, Malouda, Ferreira, Kalou, McEachran, Sala.Liverpool: Reina, Skrtel, Carragher, Agger, Kelly, Lucas, Meireles, Johnson, Gerrard, Maxi, Kuyt. Subs: Gulacsi, Aurelio, Suarez, Jovanovic, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Poulsen.Referee: Andre Marriner[LNB]85min: The expected assault on the Birmingham goal is yet to materialise. The visitors are sitting very deep but with midfield totally saturated the Hammers are finding it hard to fashion an opening. [LNB]82min: Chelsea v Liverpool is on the way at 4pm, early team news for you: Torres starts, Suarez is on the bench. Full team news as soon as I get it. [LNB]80min: Fine effort from Da Costa. The Blues backed off and backed of from the defender who spotted a gap and cracked a low drive across Foster who palmed away. [LNB]77min: Off the post! Almost the perfect start to Ba's career at West Ham. A lofted free kick is knocked down to the Senegalese striker, his thunderous volley thumps off the angle of post and bar. [LNB]75min: Change for the Hammers - Demba Ba makes his West ham bow, replacing Keane who has blown hot and cold today. [LNB]73min: First time in this match the referee Foy is applauded by the home hordes. the praise heads his way for booking Foster for persistent time wasting. [LNB]71min: West Ham need a spark, someone to turn their endless toil into chances. I'm not sure Keane is going to be that man today. he hares after a long ball which bounced through to the keeper. his response is to throw his arms in the air and shout his displeasure. An image Spurs fans will be very familiar with. [LNB] In the Nik of time: Zigic celebrates scoring the opener at Upton Park[LNB]67min: Huge challenge on now for West Ham. they'll certainly want to take a point form this one. Forget want, they need to take at least a point from this one. [LNB]65min: GOAL - West Ham 0 Birmingham 1 (Nikola Zigic)[LNB]Far too easy for Birmingham. Free kick swung into the back post and Zigic nodded in, unchallenged from a couple of yards. [LNB]61min: It's still the hosts who look the most likely to score. Keane has just performed some of his best twisting and turning but his shot was blocked in the box and Parker chose the wrong pass with a decent-looking four-on-four break on the cards. [LNB]59min: Zigic is caught a good few metres offside, thus ending a promising move. In other news, two changes: Seb Larsson is on for Cameron Jerome. And Carlton Cole has replaced Frederic Piquionne. [LNB]54min: What's this? A penalty? No. Keane charge through the middle and is bundled over in the box by Johnson. The Irishman waves his arms furiously on the deck but the ref just gives him a disparaging look and tells him to carry on. The right decision for me, Johnson's challenge came side-on and Keane didn't even have control of the ball. [LNB] Overly Keane: West ham's January signing blazes over the bar[LNB]51min: Chance for Birmingham. Wonderful cross from Bentley finds Zigic at the back post but he directs his header wide of the upright. Poor effort. [LNB]49min: Like something out of that WWE wrestling, Da Costa and Zigic wrestle each other to the floor - both sides as guilty as each other. [LNB]48min: The free kick is floated to the back post but headed out. Bah. [LNB]47min: Obinna goes jinking through the Birmingham midfield, Ferguson brings him down in a central area handing the hosts the chance to launch an attack. [LNB]SECOND HALF: One change, Upson is off after succumbing to an injury in the first-half. He's replaced by Da Costa. Right, I'm hoping for an improvement in this second half please, gentlemen. Thanks. We're back off and running. [LNB]HALF TIME: An insipid start to this match but it certainly sprung into life towards the end of that first 45 minutes. The host have had the better chances and have dominated possession. There's a decent game i this one screaming to get out, it just hasn't managed to do so, yet. More in a bit. [LNB]44min: Handball! Now Obinna slams a shot into Johnson's arm/shoulder area. Chris Foy says nothing doing. Robbie Keane twists and turns in the box but thumps his shot clumsily over the bar. [LNB] Midfield magic: Bentley and Parker battle for control [LNB]43min: Handball! Huge shout from the crowd as Jacobsen thumps the ball at Ridgewell's arm. That should be a penalty but the defender was stood just two yards away. that would have been harsh. [LNB]41min: The corner is only half cleared, Bentley scoops the ball up on the right and finds Johnson in acres of space in the box. the defender gets the jitters when perfectly placed to shoot but tries an intricate little pass instead. Boo, etc. [LNB]40min: First booking of the afternoon goes in the direction of Mark Noble, who is rightly cautioned for a dangerous looking lunge across Bentley. The freekick is lumped forward and Birmingham win a corner...[LNB]37min: The gamble on throwing Upson in to this match to replace Tomkins who injured himself i the warm-up may have backfired. the hammer's captain is limping heavily. [LNB]35min:Heart-in-mouth moment for Johnson but his last-gasp defensive header clears as ONeill's cross looked certain to pick out Piquionne at the back stick.[LNB]Heads above: Upson competes with the man-mountain Zigic[LNB]31min: Greatchance for Birmingham. Super cross from the left finds Johnson no more than eight yards out but he meets the ball heavy and sends his header high over the bar. By far the best moment for the painfully defensive visitors.[LNB]30min: Another decent chance for the hosts, Parker comes on to the ball but from 30 yards out he only finds row K of the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand. In other news, Zigic is back on after some treatment. [LNB]26min: Best spell of the game so far. West Ham string a number of passes across the Blues' penalty box but they can't quite find that killer pass to fashion a clear-cut opportunity. Corner won, falls to Parker on the edge of the box who drags wide. [LNB]23min: Nikola Zigic has picked up a knock. His blue and white shirt is now infused with some streaks of red as claret pours forth from a cut on his ear. He'll be off for a couple of minutes to get treatment. [LNB]18min: Couple of chances for West Ham go begging. Obinna and Piquionne both attempting efforts from the edge of the box. the first angled straight at the keeper, the second took a deflection and rolled harmlessly wide of the upright. That's as good as it's been this half. [LNB]14min: Hang on, a chance for Birmingham... Dammit, Craig Gardner drags it hopelessly wide. [LNB]12min: It's not a great game if I'm totally honest. Misplaced passes, poorly-executed shots from distance and etc. [LNB]9min: Bentleyshimmies and shakes on the right for Birmingham. He looks up and sees the huge beacon of Nikola Zigic stood in the penalty area but decides toshoot instead. Jeers greet woeful as it zooms over the bar. [LNB]7min: Noble whacks a delightful crossfield pass to Gary O'Neill who prods a heavy touch down the line. He does well to dig out the cross but it lobs up in the air and into Foster's arms. [LNB]5min: Patchy start but the hosts are edging it, if only by virtue of possession. West ham have the chance to put Ben Foster under pressure with a free kick 25 yards out but the ball is thumped over the heads in the box. Ho, hum.[LNB]1min: Local-boy Lee Bowyer winces in pain after clashing awkwardly out on the right. he jumps up gingerly but looks good to continue. [LNB] Best foot forward: West Ham captain Upson puts the squeeze on Jerome[LNB]KICK OFF: We're off and running...[LNB]1.29pm: Nope, it's not Da Costa whop replaces Tomkins, it's the Hammers' captain Matty Upson who is upgraded from sub to starter.[LNB]1.26pm: Cracking atmosphere bubbling up at Upton Park, the players come trotting out to the strains of I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles. We're all set to go, I think. [LNB]1.22pm: Hang on, scratch that. Looks like James Tomkins has pulled up with an injury of sorts. If he doesn't make it, Manuel da Costa will take his place. Ominous signs for the hosts? [LNB]1.18pm: Right, team news time, then. Winston Reid replaces Danny Gabbidon in defence and Matthew Upson is on the bench after recovering from tendonitis. [LNB]Scott Parker assumes his place in midfield the day after he earned a recall to the England squad.[LNB]Cameron Jerome and Barry Ferguson have both overcome ankle injuries to make a Birmingham team that was unchanged from Wednesday's 2-2 draw against Manchester City.[LNB] A different League: Gardner slams home the winner against West Ham to hand Birmingham a place in the Carling Cup final[LNB]1.13pm: So Robbie Keane is already shaping up to be the new Carlos Tevez. His goal against Blackpool helped the Hammers to that rarest of events - an away victory. Another strike today and he'll soon attain legend status among the hordes on Green Street.[LNB]And just how much would the Eastenders love for a Spurs man to help them remain in the Premier League? I'll tell you: a lot. [LNB]1.10pm: So the Premier League drama continues to pour forth on this most exciting of weekends. I can't give any higher endorsement than to say Match last night's episode of Match of the Day has been locked, it can't be deleted. That's how I roll. Let's hope today's matches don't let us down. [LNB]1.05pm: Breaking news today reaches us, West Bromwich boss Roberto di Matteo has been sacked. His departure comes following the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City yesterday, the club's 13th defeat in the last 18. More on that here. [LNB]1pm: Afternoon all and welcome to Fernando Torres Watch aka Sportsmail's coverage of Sunday's Barclays Premier League football. [LNB]The world changed a little bit when Chelsea shelled-out a record ?50million for the Spaniard, the desire to reestablish the Blues' faltering season matched the depths of Roman Abramovich's pockets. [LNB]West Ham v Birmingham - teams West Ham: Green, Jacobsen, Reid, Upson, Bridge, O'Neil, Parker, Noble, Obinna, Piquionne, Keane. Subs: Boffin, Cole, Kovac, Sears, Ba, da Costa.Birmingham: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Jiranek, Ridgewell, Bentley, Ferguson, Gardner, Bowyer, Jerome, Zigic. Subs: Doyle, Murphy, Larsson, Phillips, Fahey, Beausejour, Davies.Referee: Chris Foy[LNB]It has taken us into new territory. The eye-watering fee demands huge rewards from the player, Chelsea's ambition to dominate English football is renewed.[LNB]But first we turn out attentions to pressing matters well south of the Blue v Reds action at the top of the table. There's a monumentally huge battle between two clubs trying to shake off the heavy cloak of relegation strife. [LNB]West Ham and Birmingham clashed just 11 days ago in a League Cup semi-final, the Hammers were dumped out unceremoniously, the second city club reached their first final in 55 years.[LNB]But both are currently occupy two of the three relegation places, points are a must and if either side can take all three, they will leap salmon-like out of the drop-zone. [LNB]Teams will be with us soon and the action, too. You can email your thoughts on the day's action to: tom.bellwood@dailymail.co.uk[LNB] All change: Chelsea will be pleased to have Torres on side - the Spaniard had an excellent scoring record against the Blues[LNB] Torres: I knew my time at Anfield was over when Liverpool got rid of Alonso and MascheranoGrant calls for West Ham unity and an end to Upton Park turbulenceAll the latest Birmingham news, features and opinionAll the latest Chelsea news, features and opinionAll the latest Liverpool news, features and opinionAll the latest West Ham news, features and opinion[LNB] Explore more:People: Fernando Torres, Roman Abramovich, Roberto Di Matteo, Matthew Upson, Robbie Keane, Danny Gabbidon, Barry Ferguson, Carlos Tevez, Lee Bowyer, Ben Foster, Craig Gardner, Carlton Cole, Alex McLeish, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Maxi Rodriguez, Robbie Savage, Jose Bosingwa, Fabio Aurelio Places: Birmingham, Liverpool, United Kingdom
