Chelsea top after beating Reds

Second half goals from Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda gave Chelsea a thrilling 2-0 victory over Liverpool and put them back on top of the Barclays Premier League.

Anelka scored his fifth goal of the season when he finished off a cross from Didier Drogba on the hour.

Substitute Malouda added the second in injury-time when he finished off another cross from Drogba to give the Blues a deserved victory.

It was Liverpool who had the best of the early exchanges and the game sparked into life when Fernando Torres was fortunate not to receive a yellow card for a late challenge on Chelsea captain John Terry. The Spaniard's right foot was clearly too high and raked the shins of the England defender.

Both sides were full of attacking desire but neither goalkeeper had been tested at the midway stage of the opening half.

Liverpool's Jose Reina finally collected a header from Drogba just beneath the crossbar in the 24th minute but Chelsea's threat was somewhat impotent.

The Reds were handed a chance to open the scoring in the 29th minute when Branislav Ivanovic was adjudged to have brought down Torres.

The free-kick was some 25 yards out but Steven Gerrard's effort sailed over the crossbar to the delight of the home fans.

The Blues broke the deadlock on the hour after Javier Mascherano lost possession to Frank Lampard in the Chelsea half. Michael Essien and Deco fed the ball wide to Drogba on the left - and his centre was perfect for Anelka to convert his fifth goal of the season.

Substitute Malouda settled the outcome when he slid the ball home from close range in injury-time.