• Liverpool 4-1 Chelsea, Premier League

Terry tormented and Torres teased in Liverpool rout

Michael Essien's own goal started the scoring © Getty Images

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Liverpool gained a measure of revenge for their FA Cup final defeat against Chelsea, and ended the Blues' hopes of a top-four finish, with a 4-1 demolition job at Anfield that saw John Terry suffer something of a personal nightmare.

Terry, who lifted the FA Cup on Saturday after Liverpool were beaten 2-1 at Wembley, was at least partially culpable for all three first-half goals as Fernando Torres made an unhappy return to his old stomping ground. A Michael Essien own goal, in addition to efforts from Jordan Henderson, Daniel Agger and Jonjo Shelvey helped the Merseysiders earn only their second home league win of 2012 in a game that also saw Stewart Downing miss a penalty.

Jeered at his every touch of the ball, Torres had to watch as Liverpool - without skipper Steven Gerrard due to a back complaint - flew out of the blocks at Anfield, inevitably led by the nuisance that is Luis Suarez who should have scored in the seventh minute. Pushing the ball through the legs of Terry to set the tone, Suarez advanced clean through on goal but shot far too early and wildly as his effort raced wide of the left upright.

Chelsea, who made eight changes to their starting XI, barely managed to get Torres into the game, yet they wasted their own chance to go ahead through a simple set-piece when Branislav Ivanovic sent a free header crashing off a post at a corner.

Within moments Liverpool punished the defender's wastefulness, and once again it was Suarez embarrassing Terry. For the second time in less than 20 minutes the Uruguayan poked the ball through the legs of his marker, meandering along the byline before seeing his cut-back turned into the Chelsea net by Essien.

The goal was just the start of a nightmare display by Terry, whose slip gifted Liverpool an easy second six minutes later. Henderson ran clear beyond the fallen Chelsea captain, opening his body to guide a lovely finish beyond Ross Turnbull.

Still things got worse for Terry, who was culpable too for the third Liverpool goal, losing Andy Carroll at a corner. The towering striker nodded down for Agger, who converted from close range as the Reds drew some revenge for their Wembley heartache.

Three goals had arrived in a half-hour period that saw Torres rendered a spectator. Yet he almost answered his many critics on the Kop when, reacting to a loose ball in the Liverpool penalty area, he rounded Agger and slammed an unerring shot off the underside of Pepe Reina's bar.

That effort was good, but Stewart Downing's volley five minutes before half-time was even better. Controlling the ball on his thigh the England winger unleashed a dipping 25-yard volley that completely beat Turnbull, only to bounce away from danger off the bar.

Chelsea were nothing better than a shambles, with Essien fortunate not to see red for a two-footed challenge before Ivanovic also escaped red - although he did concede a penalty - when he elbowed Carroll inside the area. Downing stepped up from 12 yards but failed to register his first Premier League goal for Liverpool when he sent his spot-kick against a post.

The penalty surely would have killed Chelsea off but instead the visitors cut the deficit five minutes into the second period. Ramires, who beat Reina at his near post in the cup final, repeated the feat as Florent Malouda's teasing free-kick was diverted into the Liverpool net off the Brazilian's thigh.

The Kop fell silent for the first time on the night, but only for 10 minutes before Turnbull's woeful clearance allowed them to restore their three-goal advantage. Reacting to Turnbull's slashed kick, Shelvey took one touch to control the ball before sending a guided 25-yard missile into the empty net for 4-1.

Chelsea responded by throwing on the unsettled Romelu Lukaku, who almost found a second for the visitors only to be denied by an instinctive point-blank stop from Reina. Liverpool then marched straight up the other end, with Carroll totally mistiming a volley on a night when he did everything but score.

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