Football: McManaman makes a mockery of the mocking

Liverpool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Chelsea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

BY the time Chelsea woke up at Anfield on Saturday, they were halfway through the first half and two goals down. 'We weren't at the races in the first 20 minutes,' Glenn Hoddle said, clearly depressed to be discussing a loss after five consecutive Chelsea wins. But at least his side jerked to life before the betting was closed, turning what had looked like a potential rout into a clean, fast, two-horse race.

Maybe Chelsea had complacently swallowed the party line on Liverpool, so frequently referred to as a side gone wrong. John Barnes, that token of how things used to be, had a slow game on Saturday, and was removed after 69 minutes.

It is worth remembering though that Liverpool are fifth in the table and many sides would pay to have seasons as wrong as theirs - not least Chelsea, who are still not comfortably clear of the rubble at the bottom.

Liverpool tore into this game, ploughing relentlessly down the right where Chelsea were weakened by the absence of the suspended Frank Sinclair. Andy Dow, standing in, was almost perpetually in pursuit mode as Rob Jones and Steve McManaman streaked past him to chase wickedly angled through balls to the goal-line. Before Ian Rush poked in his 18th goal this season after seven minutes, Dimitri Kharin had already saved point blank from Robbie Fowler and Steve Clarke had scooped one of McManaman's crosses narrowly over his own bar.

McManaman was magnificent throughout and it was one of his balls which led to Liverpool's puzzling second goal, 18 minutes in. 'Robbie Fowler's claimed it,' Roy Evans said, 'but I'm not sure he was even in the box at the time.' Actually he was, rising high at the far post with Craig Burley, but it was the Chelsea player's forehead which made contact.

Hoddle's biggest gift to Chelsea thus far is not so much a Continental fluency as a kind of grit. Hence their FA Cup run, which has owed much to basic doggedness. And hence their response on Saturday, controlling themselves and working the game back into a contest.

Dennis Wise and Gavin Peacock began to get beyond Mark Wright and Neil Ruddock. Hoddle himself could have pulled one back after 30 minutes but hurried and headed over. Finally, early in the second half, Burley thundered a spectacular volley into the top-left corner - his sixth of the season and not one of them from closer than 20 yards. Peacock and Dow brought stunning saves from David James, again at great distance.

At the other end, on the break, Jones virtually snapped the post and Fowler, unmarked and in the box, could have widened the gap but shot wide. In the end, two did it - 20 minutes well spent.

Goals: Rush (7) 1-0; Burley og (18) 2-0; Burley (49) 2-1.

Liverpool (4-4-2): James; R Jones, Wright, Ruddock, Dicks; McManaman, Whelan, Redknapp, Barnes (Thomas, 69); Rush, Fowler. Substitutes not used: Grobbelaar (gk), Nicol.

Chelsea (4-5-1): Kharin; Clarke, Johnsen, Kjeldbjerg, Dow (Hopkin, 66); Burley, Newton, Hoddle, Peacock, Wise; Shipperley. Substitutes not used: Hitchcock (gk), Spackman.

Referee: R Gifford (Llanbradach).