A 10th-minute goal from Xabi Alonso was enough to end Chelsea's 86-match league run without defeat at Stamford Bridge and send the visiting team three points clear at the top of the table as the only unbeaten side in the top flight.
The Liverpool manager believes that taking such a scalp, six weeks after his side came from behind to beat Manchester United, shows that his team have the quality and character to end the club's 19-year wait for the championship. It is six years since Liverpool were leaders at this stage of the season, when after an impressive start they slumped to finish fifth under Gérard Houllier.
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"To come here with that mentality and showing the character the players showed gives us a big boost for the rest of the season. We have belief, we have quality and we showed coming from behind in the other games that we had character. This is enough to make us contenders, this is enough to put us at the top of the table now."
For all his excitement, BenÍtez also counselled caution before Wednesday's home match against Portsmouth, reminding his players that last month's victory over United was followed by a draw at Anfield against Stoke City. "We have to come down and start thinking about Portsmouth," he said. "If you want to stay at the top of the table for a long time you have to beat almost everyone because Chelsea, United or Arsenal will be behind. The fans have to enjoy it as for them it was a fantastic day, but we have three days to be ready for the game against Portsmouth. We know we need to get three points if we want to keep with this mentality and momentum."
Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Chelsea manager, took the unusual step of apologising to his team's supporters after his first defeat in 13 matches in charge, although he insisted that the result has no long-term significance for the title race. The Brazilian conceded that Liverpool deserved their victory, but expressed frustration at their defensive tactics.
"I say sorry to the fans, but today we were not better than Liverpool," Scolari said. "I saw my players try to do their best and I don't want more than this. The players are sad, which is normal, but it's not the end of the world. We have 29 games left. If every game we lost killed my players, I wouldn't have any players. We didn't expect the result, but need to understand that Liverpool are a very good team. We did not play as Chelsea usually play. They put eight players out to defend and there was no space to work the ball, only space to cross. We didn't win one cross.
"This is not the football that we play. We need to play and touch the ball, as we do not have big strikers."