Chelsea’s rise in the mid-2000s led to tensions and clashes between passionate supporters that persist today.
Contentious incidents like the ‘£1 billion goal’ and ‘ghost goal’ have fueled the emotionally-charged fixture.
The Liverpool and Chelsea rivalry is not one based on geographical proximity or any deep historical context, it is a more modern rivalry born out of fierce competition and controversial moments.
The rise of Chelsea in the mid-2000s led to constant clashes between the two clubs as they competed for honours both domestically and in Europe. The back and forth between the sides during this period developed a deep hostility between the two sets of passionate supporters which still rages on to this day.
Contentious calls and other infamous moments in this storied fixture have not been forgotten and are talked up before any clash between two of the country’s most decorated teams. The sheer desperation for a victory over their bitter rivals can be felt pouring out of the stands before a ball has even been kicked and clashes between the two sides are often fiery affairs.
With that in mind, we will now take a deeper look into how Liverpool vs Chelsea became one of the most emotionally charged fixtures in English football.
The first rumblings of a bitter feud between Chelsea and Liverpool came when the two sides met in the final fixture of the 2002-03 Premier League season. With the teams tied on 64 points heading into the final day and occupying the 4th and 5th spots in the table, the tie would ultimately decide which side would clinch 4th spot and secure Champions League qualification for the following season.
However, the historical significance of the result was about far more than European qualification. Taking place a month before billionaire Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea football club from former chairman Ken Bates, many believe that the Russian billionaire may have taken his wealth elsewhere if the Blues had failed to secure a spot in the most prestigious competition in club football.
After going behind to a Sami Hyypia goal, Chelsea equalised through Marcel Desailly to level the game before Jesper Gronkjaer grabbed the all-important winner, dubbed the ‘£1 billion goal’, to confirm Chelsea’s place in the Champions League. This victory over Liverpool is considered one of the most important in Chelsea’s history and a turning point in the club’s trajectory.
Major Honours
Competition
Chelsea
Liverpool
Premier League/First Division
6
19
Champions League/European Cup
2
6
Europa League/UEFA Cup
2
3
FA Cup
8
8
League Cup
5
10
The Mourinho vs. Benitez Era
The two volatile managers clashed numerous times throughout the 2000s
Liverpool’s Rafa Benitez and Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho on the touchline
Both Chelsea and Liverpool brought in new managers during the summer of 2004, hiring Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez respectively. It was during this era that the rivalry between the two clubs was at its peak, fiercely competing against each other for domestic and European honours.
The two managers are known for their ruthless and volatile nature and were both adored by their respective fanbases. With Chelsea and Liverpool often meeting in high-stake games in league and cup fixtures, the games were often intense affairs which were only exacerbated by their fiery and influential managers.
One of the more notable moments in the rivalry came during the 2005 League Cup final, which Liverpool led for much of the game after John Arne Riise’s first-minute volley. Steven Gerrard’s own goal with 11 minutes to go devastated the Liverpool support, who were then incensed to see Mourinho infamously shushing the fans who sitting near the dugout. Mourinho was subsequently sent off and forced to watch the game from the stands, but his side still went on to win the game in extra time thanks to goals from Didier Drogba and Mateja Kezman.
A couple of months later, Liverpool exacted their revenge on Mourinho’s men by besting them in the semi-final of that season’s Champions League in the most notorious incident from their bitter feud. The tense two-legged tie was decided by just one goal over the two games, but Chelsea fans to this day are adamant that the goal should not have stood.
Before the introduction of goal-line technology, Luis Garcia’s effort was controversially judged to have gone in despite Chelsea’s defenders seemingly managing to clear the ball off the line. Mourinho famously labelled the incident as the ‘ghost goal’ and Liverpool and Chelsea fans still passionately debate the contentious decision decades after the event.
Other Memorable Moments
The fixture is rarely a dull affair
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Although the Benitez-Mourinho era is widely considered as the most intense period of the rivalry, the Liverpool vs Chelsea fixtures have had some iconic and infamous moments since the two managers departed their respective clubs.
During the Premier League meeting at Anfield between the clubs in the 2012-13 season, which finished as a 2-2 draw, Luis Suárez shockingly bit Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic. The incident was missed by officials at the time and Suárez stayed on the pitch only to score a dramatic equaliser for Liverpool in injury time.
The next season’s league meeting at Anfield saw Chelsea come up against a Liverpool side that were on course to win their first Premier League title, and first league title in 24 years. The match is remembered for Steven Gerrard’s infamous slip which allowed Demba Ba through on goal to put Chelsea ahead. This moment is regarded as the beginning of Liverpool’s collapse at the end of the 2013-14 season, which allowed Manchester City to overtake them and secure the Premier League title.
The rivalry has cooled down somewhat over recent years, but the fierce feud is so deeply ingrained in the hearts of both sets of supporters that meetings between Liverpool and Chelsea will always be intense affairs.
