In 100 Premiership matches, Jose Mourinho has been beaten only nine times, but never can he have approached a game with such resignation as yesterday. The defeatism apparent once he lost a third central defender in Ricardo Carvalho to a virus overnight must surely have spread to his players, who gave probably the least coherent performance of the Mourinho era.
It was certainly nothing remotely like those in his five successive League victories over Rafael Benitez, who by early afternoon found the Kop claiming: "Rafa is the Special One". That was not on many Merseyside lips after two humbling home defeats in a week by Arsenal.
Carvalho having joined John Terry and Khalid Boulahrouz among the absentees, Chelsea's manager had announced even before kick-off: "We have a defensive line with no defenders."
Such pessimism was a little hard on Ashley Cole but his worst fears were confirmed as Liverpool, reverting from last week's 3-4-3 to a standard 4-4-2 without Craig Bellamy, struck long balls into the heart of that back four where Paulo Ferriera and Michael Essien were fish out of water against Peter Crouch and the outstanding Dirk Kuyt.
In front of them, John Obi Mikel performed reasonably in place of the suspended Claude Makelele, but Frank Lampard was unable to influence the game and Michael Ballack scarcely put a foot right or a pass to a blue shirt.
Their disarray at both ends of the pitch was summed up by two incidents. In the first half, Essien miscued an elaborate attempted overhead clearance and Ferreira had to hoof the ball away; later, from a free-kick in a promising position, Didier Drogba tapped the ball to Ballack, who was looking the other way, and, as Anfield howled with laughter, possession was lost.
Arjen Robben, returning last week to overrun Wigan, limped off after 20 minutes here, in sharp contrast to Xabi Alonso, who had to leave for seven minutes' worth of stitches to a facial wound but could not wait to return. Liverpool, in contrast to the visitors, were all short sleeves and no gloves, bristling with desire.
"I was hoping we could play 15 or 20 minutes without conceding to bring confidence and belief," said Mourinho, who had plainly been unable to instil any of those qualities in his players. "Rafa is not stupid and I am not a magician. So he played with Crouch, who is too tall and Kuyt, who is too strong. We could not cope with it. The team is very fragile on the pitch and mentally."
Benitez had insisted on the importance of scoring first and for the first time in the six Premiership duels with Mourinho, Liverpool managed it. It came as early as the fourth minute, too. Jamie Carragher sent a high ball forward, Crouch distracted the defence without making significant contact and Kuyt turned sharply inside Ferreira to score.
For the second, Essien headed weakly out from Steven Gerrard's free-kick and Jermaine Pennant chested the ball down before striking a wonderful dipping volley over Petr Cech from 30 yards out. It was his first goal for the club in 32 games and, sadly, it was almost his only contribution.
John Arne Riise should have scored in between times, when sent clear by Alonso's pass inside a dreaming Gérémi, but his weak shot allowed Cech to make a confidence-boosting save. It was also during that period that Robben fell awkwardly while challenging Carragher, and after moping around disconsolately for 10 minutes was replaced by Shaun Wright-Phillips, who became one of the visitors' livelier performers. Not that that was any great accolade yesterday.
With Alonso off the field for repairs at the end of the first half, Chelsea pressed forward for a while without giving Jose Reina a save to make. One shot by Drogba actually hit the roof of the Kop, which takes some doing. In the second half, Reina, with the sun in his eyes, had only a little more to do, and still not a threatening shot to deal with. Liverpool were always much more likely to have scored again, above all when Riise's wind- assisted 35-yard thump struck - almost broke - the crossbar and Crouch, claiming to be fouled by Ashley Cole as he went for the rebound, managed nothing more than a stab, saved by Cech.
Crouch did better after a poor clearance by Gérémi and the consistently lively Kuyt volleyed Riise's cross wide and side-footed Gerrard's clever pass too high.
With 20 minutes to play things were so desperate that Mourinho had to turn to Andriy Shev-chenko, whereupon Chelsea lost their remaining shape altogether. Wycombe Wanderers and Nottingham Forest, their cup opponents this week, must be licking their lips. So will Manchester United at the possibility of moving nine points clear at the top of the Premiership by winning at Arsenal today.