Chelsea ground out a narrow victory at Everton thanks to a first-half Michael Essien goal, which takes us to within two points of Manchester United in the Premier League title race.
The game was by no means a classic, memorable only for Essien's slightly fortuitous goal, and the peculiar scheduling of a Thursday night.
The win goes some way to making up for the disappointment of Monday's home draw with Wigan, but we still require United to slip up against either Blackburn, West Ham or Wigan, as well as being beaten at Stamford Bridge a week on Saturday.
Avram Grant and his men arrived on Merseyside knowing nothing less than a win would be enough to keep any realistic title hopes alive. This was a task made harder with the addition of Michael Ballack to the absent list, joining Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba in having not traveled.
Consequently it was an unfamiliar combination in midfield, with Mikel in the holding role and Shaun Wright-Phillips and Essien offering forward running.
Paulo Ferreira earned a recall after playing for the reserves on Monday evening, while Ashley Cole returned at left-back.
A quiet opening ten minutes provided little in the way of chances, although we could claim three corners as a sign of encouragement.
The first shot on target though was Everton's, as Manuel Fernandes tested Petr Cech's concentration with a free-kick that bounced awkwardly in front of the goalkeeper. He did well to push it around the post.
On 20 minutes Anelka shot tamely wide, and shortly after Ricardo Carvalho was booked for a challenge on Joleon Lescott.
A period of Chelsea pressure followed, but David Moyes' side stood strong, and could have taken the lead had Essien not made a timely challenge on Lee Carsley inside our own box. The assistant referee had neglected to flag Lescott offside in the buildup.
At the other end Kalou released Wright-Phillips, but he was unable to beat Phil Jagielka, and seconds later the same player denied the Chelsea man another clear-cut chance.
It was a game that hadn't looked like getting going, but almost from nowhere Chelsea took the lead through Essien.
The midfielder collected the ball on the edge of the box from Kalou, exchanged a fortuitous one-two with Wright-Phillips before battling through the Everton defence and sending a deft flick over Tim Howard.
Mikel almost doubled the lead in spectacular fashion when he shot from range, but Howard managed to get a touch to the ball to tip it over. That, after Essien's goal, was Chelsea's second shot on target.
A half-chance for Fernandes finished off the half , in which Chelsea had been marginally the better side.
Predictably, Everton came out for the second period with a more offensive mindset, and Carvalho had to have his wits about him to prevent Andrew Johnson a sight of goal.
Ferreira was booked as Steven Pienaar ran through, presenting Fernandes a second dead ball opportunity. This time he struck it straight at the wall.
When Terry was adjudged to have fouled Yakubu after 66 minutes, the midfielder, on loan from Valencia was allowed to take aim again, from the edge of the D. He opted to curl the ball across Cech to the far corner, but missed by inches.
Apart from Fernandes taking shooting practice from outside the area, there were very few genuine chances, with only Essien registering a shot of note for the Blues.
By now we were into the final 10 minutes, and Grant optioned to shore things up with Makelele replacing Wright-Phillips, while Malouda came on at the expense of Joe Cole, who had been quiet after his explosive half against Wigan on Monday.
Everton had registered just two shots on target, in a game that would hardly have excited the neutral, having been moved to suit TV coverage.
Within Goodison Park, Chelsea's fans, who had been awarded free tickets and travel by the club to compensate for the inconvenience of a Thursday night trip to Liverpool, kept the entertainment levels up with a chorus that lasted the entire 90 minutes.
The home side could not create any further chances in the four minutes of stoppage time allotted by referee Martin Atkinson, and so it was that Chelsea, and our many coach loads of supporters, headed back south with three points in hand.
By Andy Jones
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech, Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole; Wright-Phillips (Makelele 80), Mikel, Essien; J Cole (Malouda 76), Anelka, Kalou.
Goals Essien 40
Booked Carvalho 23, Ferreira 56
Everton (4-4-2): Howard; Hibbert, Yobo, Lescott, Jagielka; Fernandes, Neville (c), Carsley, Pienaar (Gravesen 61); Yakubu, Johnson (Anichebe 61).
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