In a battle between a home side committed to attack and visitors intent only on defending, the latter triumphed, which may not have made for a good spectacle, but Chelsea - and Manchester City - were not complaining.
Much has been made of this being the season when Reds captain Steven Gerrard ends his long wait for a championship medal, so it was cruel that his mistake led to Demba's Ba crucial opening goal in first-half injury time - only added on because of the visitors' persistent time-wasting. Substitute Willian scored a breakaway second in the final seconds.
While victory took Chelsea within two points of their rivals at the top of the table, the ones to really benefit were third-placed City, still with a match in hand on both the teams above them.
Delighted: John Obi Mikel celebrates in front of the Liverpool supporters after Demba Ba's first half opener
