Chelsea v Liverpool analysis: Reds rise from Roman ruins

The glory was ultimately Chelsea's but the plaudits went to the heroes in red.

At Anfield today thousands will pay their respects to the 96 Liverpool fans who went to Hillsborough 20 years ago and didn't return.

Last night the players provided a fitting tribute with a performance of remarkable spirit.

Few gave Rafa Benitez's side a hope of overturning a 3-1 first leg deficit, but they came within a whisker of completing an upset to rival that remarkable night in Istanbul nearly four years ago.

No away team had ever scored three times in a European game at Stamford Bridge.

The Reds had only netted two goals in their four previous Champions League trips to Chelsea and you had to go back to December 1989 to find the last time Liverpool had notched more than twice on the ground.

Throw in the fact that they were cruelly denied the services of skipper Steven Gerrard due to injury and the odds were heavily stacked against them.

However, Benitez has instilled in his players the belief that there is no such thing as a lost cause and they produced a first half display which left Chelsea rocking.

As Guus Hiddink's side sat deep, seemingly content to defend their lead, Liverpool grabbed the tie by the scruff of the neck and attacked with real purpose.

The passing was slick and the midfield trio of Javier Mascherano, Xabi Alonso and Lucas never gave the hosts a moment to settle.

They were also aided by Petr Cech's more than passable impersonation of Coco the Clown.

Cech had already flapped at a couple of crosses before Fabio Aurelio expertly cashed in on the nervy keeper's poor positioning as he whipped a free-kick inside his near post.

If that strike gave the Reds a lifeline then nine minutes later the away fans were in dreamland.

Branislav Ivanovic's bear hug on Alonso gifted the Reds a penalty and the Spaniard, whose goal had inflicted Chelsea's first home league defeat in 87 games back in October, made no mistake from the spot.

Chelsea looked shell-shocked and like a boxer looking to land a knockout punch the Reds continued to press.

Dirk Kuyt saw his header clawed away and there was more mayhem in the Chelsea penalty box before the half-time whistle finally came to their rescue.

It was a half Liverpool didn't want to end and the break gave Hiddink the chance to rally his troops.

The Dutchman's words clearly did the trick as Chelsea were transformed.

Seemingly realising the best form of defence is attack they were rewarded with two goals in six minutes.

Aurelio's failure to halt Nicolas Anelka's run proved costly as Didier Drogba's slight touch beat Pepe Reina and when Alex unleashed an unstoppable free-kick, those fickle Chelsea fans, who had shamefully booed their side off at the break, were singing of Rome.

As the second half wore on and with Fernando Torres increasingly isolated up front, Liverpool looked down and out.

In contrast at the other end Drogba was causing mayhem. Having scored the first and earned the free-kick which led to the second, he then created a third for Frank Lampard as Alonso's sloppy mis-placed pass was ruthlessly punished.

With Chelsea 3-2 up on the night the Reds needed to score three in the final 15 minutes and as Torres trooped off to be replaced by rookie David Ngog it appeared to be an admission of defeat.

However, the Reds somehow summoned the energy for another fightback.

In a twist befitting a Hitchcock thriller, Lucas' deflected shot found the corner and just seconds later Kuyt nodded home Albert Riera's cross.

The celebrations at a stunned Bridge were suddenly on hold and the Reds sensed a sensational victory on away goals.

That hope was finally extinguished by Lampard's 89th minute strike but the fact that Liverpool were still in contention at that point was testament to the remarkable never-say-die attitude in Benitez's squad.

Lampard's strike was the 12th goal of a tie that will live long in the memory.

A stunning 180 minutes when two great rivals cast off the shackles and threw caution to the wind.

Liverpool didn't lose the tie last night, they did so at Anfield a week ago when slack defending allowed Chelsea a two-goal advantage.

But if Benitez's men continue to display the qualities on show at Stamford Bridge then this campaign could yet have a silver lining.