Steven Gerrard goes close now with a blistering drive which is well saved by Hilario.

Yossi Benayoun misses a virtual open goal from the kick off as he fires wide a few yards out and with Hilario grounded.

Liverpool are desperately trying to put balls into the Chelsea area but Fernando Torres drags back Branislav Ivanovic and the hosts get a welcome breather.

Nicolas Anelka picks up the ball around 30 yards from goal but his effort is high, wide and not very handsome.

Liverpool are pressing hard now as Fabio Aurelio puts in a great cross with Hilario flying out to punch clear.

Liverpool only clear the corner to the edge of the box and Ricardo Carvalho's effort is comfortable for Jose Manuel Reina to save.

Florent Malouda hits a ball upfield to Nicolas Anelka who races into the area but Martin Skrtel concedes the corner.

Liverpool are getting more and more of the ball here and Steven Gerrard cannot get his shot past John Terry who dives in to block, and when the ball runs to Fernando Torres the usually deady hitman puts his left-foot shot wide.

Liverpool try a short corner with Yossi Benayoun putting the cross in and Branislav Ivanovic heading clear to make up for conceding it in the first place.

Didier Drogba hits the resulting free kick at goal but his shot from 30 yards curls the wrong side of the Liverpool upright.

Fernando Torres almost puts a goal on a plate for Steven Gerrard but Ashley Cole gets back well to block his cross in the nick of time.

Glen Johnson gets room to put an effort in at goal against his old club but his shot is over the bar.

Good pressure from Liverpool now as a couple of crosses into the area are headed away by John Terry.

Not for the first time here Didier Drogba goes down as if he has been shot, but he soon gets back to his feet after a moment's rest.

Ashley Cole does well to head the ball out for a corner as Yossi Benayoun burst towards the Chelsea area and tried to get a cross in. Steven Gerrard's corner does not beat the first man and Chelsea clear.

Chelsea look comfortable on this lead at the moment as they knock the ball around trying to possibly add a killer second if a chance arises.

Rafael Benitez looks like he is going to make a change as he has Yossi Benayoun getting ready on the touchline.

A free kick out on the right is played into the box by Frank Lampard but Didier Drogba can't get the power on his header to beat Jose Manuel Reina.

Javier Mascherano will be fuming with himself as his error let Frank Lampard take the ball and it resulted in that opening goal. Liverpool will have to come out a bit more and attack now.

Michael Ballack fouls Albert Riera and Liverpool get a free kick down the left touchline. The ball is played in but Hilario punches it away.

Good pressure from Chelsea so far in this half but they are still struggling to get past the Liverpool back line.

Glen Johnson concedes a corner to prevent Nicolas Anelka getting in on goal as Chelsea press. The ball is played in by Frank Lampard but Liverpool head clear.

Didier Drogba got back up and was then sent crashing back to the field under another tackle while Glen Johnson also needed some treatment which held play up for two minutes.

Chelsea break up field and Didier Drogba goes down injured but they play on and Branislav Ivanovic's low effort is well held by Jose Manuel Reina.

Ashley Cole gives the ball away and Dirk Kuyt passes to Steven Gerrard whose effort is over the top.

Fernando Torres wins a free kick which could see Liverpool get men forward into the Chelsea area. Steven Gerrard plays it in but Hilario gathers.

Both sides have early forays forward but a misunderstanding between Glen Johnson and Steven Gerrard sees Chelsea get a goal kick, while at the other end Ashley Cole heads the ball straight down to Jose Manuel Reina in the Reds box.

Chelsea win a corner but the whistle goes for a foul by Ricardo Carvalho on Jose Manuel Reina as Branislav Ivanovic headed wide.

A second corner is played in and shouts for handball against Ashley Cole are also ignored.

Albert Riera hits the free kick from distance and Hilario moves late to tip the ball round the post. From the resulting corner Martin Skrtel goes down under a challenge from Didier Drogba but nothing is given.

Chelsea are just trying to pick a killer pass but Liverpool's players are managing to get vital blocks in to prevent them reaching their targets.

Chelsea win a corner at the other end and John Terry's header from it drops wide of the far post.

Liverpool get forward now and Dirk Kuyt's cross is headed straight at Hilario by Fernando Torres.

Nicolas Anelka gets down the left side of the Liverpool area but his across his held by Jose Manuel Reina.

The resulting corner drops to the other side of the area and after Michael Essien's first effort is blocked, his second follow up shot is saved well by Jose Manuel Reina.

Good play by Chelsea as Nicolas Anelka tees up Frank Lampard but Martin Skrtel does enough to block his shot.

Didier Drogba wins another free kick around 40 yards from goal and Frank Lampard decides to hit it, but the ball drifts well wide of the target.

Hilario comes to the edge of his area to catch a long through ball and quickly throws it away as he loses his balance and steps over the line.

Jamie Carragher is fuming after Didier Drogba goes down and wins a free kick down near the right corner flag. Deco plays it in and Michael Ballack heads over unmarked in the centre.

Another corner off Ricardo Carvalho who blocks a Albert Riera shot. Steven Gerrard plays it in but Hilario looks to be fouled in the area so Chelsea have a free kick.

Steven Gerrard takes the free kick from around 25 yards but his effort clears the bar without troubling Hilario.

Branislav Ivanovic fouls Fernando Torres and gives away a free kick in a dangerous area close to his own box.

The first decent chance here for Chelsea as Michael Essien's ball is whipped in to the middle where Nicolas Anelka's header has Jose Manuel Reina diving to his left to save.

Steven Gerrard plays the corner in for Liverpool but Branislav Ivanovic clears for Chelsea with a commanding header.

Chelsea break now and Nicolas Anelka's cross in is headed into the hands of Jose Manuel Reina by Didier Drogba who should have left it for the better placed Michael Ballack just behind him.

Liverpool are playing keep-ball for the time being without really troubling the Chelsea defence.

Once again Deco's ball through the defence is over hit and runs out of play before Didier Drogba can get to it.

Over 20 minutes gone and Rafael Benitez will no doubt be the happier of the two managers as his side have contained Chelsea and looked brighter on the attack.

Fernando Torres charges into the Chelsea area but he cannot turn inside Branislav Ivanovic who manages to dispossess him and the Blues clear.Albert Riera then tries one from distance but it is well over.

Chelsea are on top now but again the final ball is poor as Michael Ballack's threaded pass into the area drifts out of play for a goal kick.

Deco has the chance to try and play in Nicolas Anelka or Didier Drogba but does neither as his ball is over-hit to Jose Manuel Reina.

Chelsea look a little narrow here but Liverpool deserve some credit for pressing the home side every time they get possession of the ball.

John Terry has gone down in the area after Fernando Torres caught him late but the referee is taking no action as there appeared to be no malice intended.

Chelsea are just showing glimpses as an attacking force now but Liverpool are getting back to defend in numbers.

Chelsea almost break through on goal but Jose Manuel Reina bursts out of his area to head the ball away from danger.

Good work by Glen Johnson, who is booed by his former fans at Chelsea, down the right as he plays a cross in but Hilario gathers at full stretch.

Liverpool again push forward with a few more balls into the box but the pressure is off Chelsea when the ball goes out for a goal kick.

Ricardo Carvalho heads out Steven Gerrard's free kick to concede a corner. Steven Gerrard whips it in but Chelsea clear. Another quick cross in is headed clear by John Terry.

Deco almost threads a ball through to Didier Drogba but he is closed down quickly and it runs through to Jose Manuel Reina.

It's been a hectic opening few minutes with both sides looking to get off to a flying start but they have cancelled each other out in midfield.