Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers described the tactics deployed by Jose Mourinho as 'parking two buses' after Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield to blow the title race wide open.

The injury-hit Blues frustrated the Premier League leaders with a backs-against-the-wall performance which halted Liverpool's 11 game winning streak.



A mistake by Steven Gerrard allowed Demba Ba in for the opener in at the end of the first half, and with seconds remaining Willian added a second on the breakaway to end the league leaders' stunning run of wins.

Chelsea moved to within two points of the summit but Manchester City, after their win at Crystal Palace, still with a match in hand and a superior goal difference, are probably the favourites three points behind Liverpool.

Rodgers admitted Chelsea's stifling tactics made it tough for Liverpool, with the visitors employing every trick in the book to slow down play, causing the usually free-scoring Reds to run out of ideas.

"I think there were two buses parked today, never mind one," Rodgers said on Sky Sports.

'It was like a back six with three midfield players in front of that. That's 10, with the goalkeeper, for 90 minutes consistently behind the ball.

"Unless you get that early goal, it doesn't entice them to come out. It was clear that they'd come certainly not wanting to win the game, with the time-wasting and whatnot."

Rodgers later added: "It is totally opposite to how we want to play. It is not difficult to coach, putting 10 players on the edge of the 18-yard box.

"They got booked for time-wasting in the 92nd minute but I think everyone could see from the first whistle that was their plan - to frustrate."

Liverpool v Chelsea - player ratings 24 show all Liverpool v Chelsea - player ratings 1/24 Simon Mignolet - 7 Simon Mignolet - 7 Unlucky to concede twice as he was left vulnerable on the break. Saved well from Ashley Cole and then tipped Schurrle’s unexpected effort round the post. GETTY 2/24 Glen Johnson - 5 Glen Johnson - 5 Had to be alert to Chelsea attacking on the counter and was easily stopped when he made a foray forward. GETTY 3/24 Martin Skrtel - 6 Martin Skrtel - 6 Marshalled the defence well as usual but couldn’t add anything when going up for set pieces as he has done previously this season. GETTY 4/24 Mamadou Sakho - 7 Mamadou Sakho - 7 Still looked a touch wild at the back did well to out-muscle Salah and a cutting tackle ended the danger. Also looked a threat up front smashing over a set piece early on. Getty 5/24 Jon Flanagan - 6 Jon Flanagan - 6 Got himself into jeopardy when he left an arm hanging in the penalty area lucky not to give away a penalty. GETTY 6/24 Lucas - 6 Lucas - 6 Found himself offside at crucial moments in attack that frustrated the forwards he was trying to support. GETTY 7/24 Steven Gerrard - 6 Steven Gerrard - 6 Set his side up to dominate the first half and was desperately unlucky to slip and give Ba the opportunity to open the scoring. Tried his best to get an equaliser but looked increasingly wild and desperate to make up for his slip. GETTY 8/24 Joe Allen - 6 Joe Allen - 6 Troubled Schwarzer with a stinging volley from outside the box but couldn’t pick a pass to break down Chelsea’s determined resistance. GETTY 9/24 Raheem Sterling - 6 Raheem Sterling - 6 Looked fast and dangerous as ever but aside from a few cutting runs and a whipped cross he couldn’t find a way through. NORWICH, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Raheem Sterling of Liverpool celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Norwich City and Liverpool at Carrow Road on April 20, 2014 in Norwich, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty I 10/24 Luis Suarez - 6 Luis Suarez - 6 Made lots a dangerous runs and troubled Schwarzer on occasion but like his teammates couldn’t break down Chelsea. GETTY 11/24 Phillippe Coutinho - 7 Phillippe Coutinho - 7 Ran riot with all the possession Liverpool enjoyed in the first half but was pretty anonymous after the break. GETTY 12/24 Best off the bench: Iago Aspas - 5 Best off the bench: Iago Aspas - 5 Couldn’t make the difference between the sides after coming on but unlike his fellow sub Sturridge, didn’t let Chelsea in for their second. GETTY 13/24 Mark Schwarzer - 7 Mark Schwarzer - 7 Produced his only really great save from Suarez’s lashed shot late on but spent the majority of the game gathering up every shot that was allowed to squirm through the Chelsea defence. 14/24 Cesar Azpilicueta - 7 Cesar Azpilicueta - 7 Got himself needlessly booked for stamping on Sterling but otherwise looked in complete control stopping the Liverpool front men from slipping wide or cutting inside. GETTY 15/24 Branislav Ivanovic - 7 Branislav Ivanovic - 7 Did exactly what was asked of him today. Lead the Chelsea defence with ease and didn’t give the usually irresistible Suarez and Sterling a real look in. GETTY 16/24 Tomas Kalas - 7 Tomas Kalas - 7 Was not intimidated by his Premier League debut, lunged in with precise timing to stop Sterling out wide before giving his marker the slip during a corner. GETTY 17/24 Ashley Cole - 7 Ashley Cole - 7 Despite a few nervy clearances, he forced a good save out of Mignolet early on then looked composed in defence. 18/24 Nemanja Matic - 8 Nemanja Matic - 8 Hounded the Liverpool forwards when they looked to break and bossed the midfield battle with a very physical display against Joe Allen. 19/24 John Obi Mikel - 7 John Obi Mikel - 7 Disrupted the Liverpool midfield when he could but allowed the home team a lot of time on the ball early on. Got into the game more as time went on. 20/24 Frank Lampard - 6 Frank Lampard - 6 Sat deeper in the Chelsea midfield to reinforce Mourinho’s counter-attack tactics and played with determination all game but got himself booked for rash tackle close to halftime. GETTY 21/24 Mohamed Salah - 7 Mohamed Salah - 7 Only played an hour but spent his game easily switching between dogged defence and powerful running on the counter. GETTY 22/24 Andre Schurrle - 8 Andre Schurrle - 8 Got back well to defend early on and was a threat all game. Did well to break the shackles imposed on him by Liverpool and forced a fine save out of Mignolet. GETTY 23/24 Demba Ba - 7 Demba Ba - 7 Opened the scoring with a slick, composed finish but was sloppy at times sending Schurrle the wrong way when Chelsea had greater numbers on the counter. GETTY 24/24 Best off the bench: Willian - 7 Best off the bench: Willian - 7 His fresh legs gave Liverpool’s exhausted defence even more of a test on the counter and scored the winner with a simple tap in. GETTY 1/24 Simon Mignolet - 7 Simon Mignolet - 7 Unlucky to concede twice as he was left vulnerable on the break. Saved well from Ashley Cole and then tipped Schurrle’s unexpected effort round the post. GETTY 2/24 Glen Johnson - 5 Glen Johnson - 5 Had to be alert to Chelsea attacking on the counter and was easily stopped when he made a foray forward. GETTY 3/24 Martin Skrtel - 6 Martin Skrtel - 6 Marshalled the defence well as usual but couldn’t add anything when going up for set pieces as he has done previously this season. GETTY 4/24 Mamadou Sakho - 7 Mamadou Sakho - 7 Still looked a touch wild at the back did well to out-muscle Salah and a cutting tackle ended the danger. Also looked a threat up front smashing over a set piece early on. Getty 5/24 Jon Flanagan - 6 Jon Flanagan - 6 Got himself into jeopardy when he left an arm hanging in the penalty area lucky not to give away a penalty. GETTY 6/24 Lucas - 6 Lucas - 6 Found himself offside at crucial moments in attack that frustrated the forwards he was trying to support. GETTY 7/24 Steven Gerrard - 6 Steven Gerrard - 6 Set his side up to dominate the first half and was desperately unlucky to slip and give Ba the opportunity to open the scoring. Tried his best to get an equaliser but looked increasingly wild and desperate to make up for his slip. GETTY 8/24 Joe Allen - 6 Joe Allen - 6 Troubled Schwarzer with a stinging volley from outside the box but couldn’t pick a pass to break down Chelsea’s determined resistance. GETTY 9/24 Raheem Sterling - 6 Raheem Sterling - 6 Looked fast and dangerous as ever but aside from a few cutting runs and a whipped cross he couldn’t find a way through. NORWICH, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Raheem Sterling of Liverpool celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Norwich City and Liverpool at Carrow Road on April 20, 2014 in Norwich, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty I 10/24 Luis Suarez - 6 Luis Suarez - 6 Made lots a dangerous runs and troubled Schwarzer on occasion but like his teammates couldn’t break down Chelsea. GETTY 11/24 Phillippe Coutinho - 7 Phillippe Coutinho - 7 Ran riot with all the possession Liverpool enjoyed in the first half but was pretty anonymous after the break. GETTY 12/24 Best off the bench: Iago Aspas - 5 Best off the bench: Iago Aspas - 5 Couldn’t make the difference between the sides after coming on but unlike his fellow sub Sturridge, didn’t let Chelsea in for their second. GETTY 13/24 Mark Schwarzer - 7 Mark Schwarzer - 7 Produced his only really great save from Suarez’s lashed shot late on but spent the majority of the game gathering up every shot that was allowed to squirm through the Chelsea defence. 14/24 Cesar Azpilicueta - 7 Cesar Azpilicueta - 7 Got himself needlessly booked for stamping on Sterling but otherwise looked in complete control stopping the Liverpool front men from slipping wide or cutting inside. GETTY 15/24 Branislav Ivanovic - 7 Branislav Ivanovic - 7 Did exactly what was asked of him today. Lead the Chelsea defence with ease and didn’t give the usually irresistible Suarez and Sterling a real look in. GETTY 16/24 Tomas Kalas - 7 Tomas Kalas - 7 Was not intimidated by his Premier League debut, lunged in with precise timing to stop Sterling out wide before giving his marker the slip during a corner. GETTY 17/24 Ashley Cole - 7 Ashley Cole - 7 Despite a few nervy clearances, he forced a good save out of Mignolet early on then looked composed in defence. 18/24 Nemanja Matic - 8 Nemanja Matic - 8 Hounded the Liverpool forwards when they looked to break and bossed the midfield battle with a very physical display against Joe Allen. 19/24 John Obi Mikel - 7 John Obi Mikel - 7 Disrupted the Liverpool midfield when he could but allowed the home team a lot of time on the ball early on. Got into the game more as time went on. 20/24 Frank Lampard - 6 Frank Lampard - 6 Sat deeper in the Chelsea midfield to reinforce Mourinho’s counter-attack tactics and played with determination all game but got himself booked for rash tackle close to halftime. GETTY 21/24 Mohamed Salah - 7 Mohamed Salah - 7 Only played an hour but spent his game easily switching between dogged defence and powerful running on the counter. GETTY 22/24 Andre Schurrle - 8 Andre Schurrle - 8 Got back well to defend early on and was a threat all game. Did well to break the shackles imposed on him by Liverpool and forced a fine save out of Mignolet. GETTY 23/24 Demba Ba - 7 Demba Ba - 7 Opened the scoring with a slick, composed finish but was sloppy at times sending Schurrle the wrong way when Chelsea had greater numbers on the counter. GETTY 24/24 Best off the bench: Willian - 7 Best off the bench: Willian - 7 His fresh legs gave Liverpool’s exhausted defence even more of a test on the counter and scored the winner with a simple tap in. GETTY

But, speaking this morning on Wake Up London, Standard Sport editor Tim Nichols believes that Mourinho and his team deserve more credit for what he described as a 'vintage' away performance.