First Torres's Goal Against Chelsea

MATCH REPORT: LIVERPOOL 1 CHELSEA 1

Two of the Premier League heavyweights went toe-to-toe at Anfield and Chelsea have left the arena the happier having won an away point thanks to Frank Lampard's penalty.

Once again the second-half proved the fertile period of the game for the Blues with the goal coming just past the hour. The home side had taken the lead early on through a special effort by new arrival Fernando Torres.

But although the balance of chances favoured Liverpool, Petr Cech will remember this game as one of the easier he has had at Anfield.

Among the outfield players, Michael Essien was back in the side following his knee injury but not in the position he was expected to play. He took to the field at right-back while further in field was the reassuring sight of John Terry, the skipper ready for his first action of the season.

John Mikel Obi was chosen as Frank Lampard's partner in central midfield as José Mourinho once more selected a 4-4-2 shape with wingers. Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba remained as the starting line-up strikers. New signing Alex was on the bench for the first time.

Liverpool reverted to the line-up from their first league game having made several changes midweek for a Champions League qualifier. Torres was taking his Anfield bow.

An already significant game was given an extra buzz before kick-off with the news that Man United had lost the Manchester derby earlier in the afternoon, that score greeted with equal glee by both sets of fans.

There was an early shot across the Liverpool bows by Drogba after the Ivorian himself had robbed a slumbering Alonso.

There then followed 10 minutes of holding firm as the home side pressed forward but failed to test Cech during the spell, Gerrard was wayward oj a couple of occasions in his delivery. On 11 minutes Essien became the game's first booking as he slid through Arbeloa on the wet turf near the touchline.

It was down that right side of Chelsea's defence that Liverpool found a way through on 15 minutes. Gerrard's ball with the outside of his boot released Torres who took on Ben-Haim on the outside and had the pace to make it, aiming his shot low past Cech and just inside the far post.

On 21 minutes Alonso went to ground and caught the leg of Malouda to earn a talking to from referee Rob Styles. It was hard to see how Essien's carded foul earlier had been worse. Drogba's free-kick from 25 yards was deflected wide.

Kalou took too many touches when found well-placed by Cole after a breakdown in play and then Drogba flicked a Wright-Phillips cross on the run over. Chelsea were coming back into this game.

Kuyt became Liverpool's first booking for a foul on Lampard, the ref indicating it had been one of a succession of offences. Pennant would follow into the book before the break.

A Lampard free-kick five minutes before the interval was fired into the uncertain area between keeper and defence at the back post and Terry was only an inch or two from a telling contact.

Gerrard was another Liverpool booking for sliding through late on Mikel but although the card count was 3-1 by the break, in goals it was the single Torres strike that was separating the teams.

Kalou was replaced by Pizarro in the one half-time change and a difficult heading chance almost immediately came Mikel's way at a corner but with little time to react, he planted it over.

Then on 48 minutes, Pizarro was found by an excellent Wright-Phillips cross at the far post, but stretching, he nodded wide.

Liverpool then won three corners in quick succession, all dealt with adequately.

Cole caught a flying Torres on the touchline, the Spaniard leaving a trailing leg down for a second contact. The Chelsea left-back was booked.

That was shortly before Alonso gently sidefooted a very presentable chance wide on 58 minutes as Liverpool began to look dangerous again.

But then play switched to the other end and Finnan injudiciously slammed into Malouda as Wright-Phillips's pass was coming his way. It was inside the box and in front of the referee. Lampard confidently rifled the penalty home low - the Wembley miss cleared from his mind.

It was the first spot-kick awarded at Anfield in the league since the one converted by the same player when Chelsea won 4-1 here in 2005. Carragher had been booked for protesting.

The goal came on 61 minutes and shortly after, Ben-Haim became another cautioned player as Styles's book started to fill up.

There was a heart in mouth moment as Riise connected well with Pennant's athletic cross but it flew wide. Lampard was then booked for a kick at Alonso and Terry was cautioned for an off the ball push at Torres who had gone down easily in a challenge as the game increasing felt like it was slipping from the officials' control.

With eight minutes to go, it took a good Cech save to keep the scores level when a fierce cross from substitute Babel fell Riise's way at the far post. There was still much work to do to earn a point. Cech was again alive when he looked to have touched Kuyt's header over although a goal-kick was given.

Alex came on for Malouda with 85 minutes on the clock for his debut, keeping close to the recently-introduced Crouch as Chelsea went five at the back.

Babel blasted for the Chelsea goal from the edge of the area but could only find the sidenetting.

Four minutes of stoppage time passed with no further threats at either end to leave Chelsea second-placed in the early season league table.

Chelsea(4-4-2) Cech; Essien, Ben-Haim, Terry (c), A Cole; Wright-Phillips (J Cole 76), Mikel, Lampard, Malouda (Alex 85); Kalou (Pizarro h-t), Drogba.

Scorer Lampard 61

Booked Essien, A Cole, Ben-Haim, Lampard, Terry.

Liverpool (4-4-2): Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Arbeloa; Pennant (Babel 67), Gerrard (c), Alonso, Riise (Crouch 83); Torres, Kuyt.

Scorer Torres 15

Booked Kuyt, Pennant, Gerrard, Carragher.