Fernando Torres's Chelsea debut ended in misery when his team lost 1-0 at home to Liverpool on Sunday, wasting the chance to take advantage of Manchester United's first league defeat of the season.
Torres, who moved from Anfield to Chelsea last week for a reported 50 million pounds ($80.54 million), had two early chances but faded before being substituted after 66 minutes, much to the delight of the travelling fans.
Liverpool defended superbly throughout to record their fourth successive clean sheet and clinched victory with a 69th-minte goal by Raul Meireles.
Manchester United, beaten by bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, lead the Premier League standings on 54 points. Arsenal, who blew a 4-0 lead to draw 4-4 in an incredible match at Newcastle United, are second on 50.
Manchester City are third on 49 with champions Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur on 44. Liverpool moved up to sixth on 38 and, a matter of weeks after flirting with the relegation zone, are now eyeing European qualification.
Liverpool had won their last three league games in a revival sparked by the return of manager Kenny Dalglish and that new-found solidity was evident in a well-drilled defensive performance.
Torres was centre stage and did have a chance to make an instant impact when a wayward Maxi Rodriguez pass sent him through after 90 seconds but he shot wildly over the bar.
A typically determined sliding block by Carragher foiled the Spaniard when Drogba sent him clear after 31 minutes and Rodriguez sidefooted against the bar from point-blank range.
Chelsea did not look comfortable trying to accommodate their three front men and Liverpool grew in confidence in the second half. Torres, a peripheral figure after the break, was taken off and given a raucous send-off by the visiting supporters.
They were shouting even louder when Petr Cech and Branislav Ivanovic, who had exchanged expletives during an earlier mix-up, left a Steven Gerrard cross to each other and Meireles reacted sharply to hook it into the net.
Chelsea piled bodies forward but other than long-range shots by Anelka and Michael Essien they rarely troubled Pepe Reina.
It was a glorious opportunity missed to close the gap on the leaders and their chances of retaining the title look dim but it was an uplifting day for Liverpool. In Sunday's other Premier League match, Birmingham City won 1-0 at fellow strugglers West Ham United.
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