Having endured a stinging rebuke from boss Gianluca Vialli after their capitulation at Manchester United, Chelsea produced an immediate response to ease the growing despondency at Stamford Bridge with victory against Liverpool.

Even this 2-0 win may still not be enough to ensure that the Blues qualify again for the Champions League next season, given that Liverpool remain four points clear with a match in hand, while Arsenal are also virtually unassailable.

But although it may still be too little, too late for the Champions League, the UEFA Cup is now a realisable goal for the Blues.

And there was proof at Stamford Bridge that Liverpool, for all of their improvements this season, may not yet quite be the finished article when they too have to cope with a packed fixture list.

For while there must be considerable changes to the Blues' squad this summer, two of those older players whose places may come under threat - Roberto Di Matteo and George Weah - produced convincing arguments that they should be retained.

Weah, 35, was a constant threat to Liverpool's normally reliable defence and put the home side ahead after just two minutes, while Di Matteo, who has struggled to find form and fitness this season, was their midfield inspiration and doubled the advantage on 13 minutes.

It was a devastating opening spell by a revitalised Chelsea side and while they never quite reached those heights again, Liverpool also never managed to produce any real threats of pulling a goal back even though they ended the match with four strikers.

Vialli had been in a confessional mode after his side's lethargic 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford on Easter Monday, demanding that his players would have to show they were prepared to "die for the club on the pitch" if they were to keep their places.

The Italian certainly displayed a ruthless streak, making six changes from his Old Trafford line-up and there was, perhaps tellingly, no place even on the bench for Frenchman Didier Deschamps, who would be facing the axe this summer.

However, Vialli was rewarded as Chelsea's determination from the kick-off was palpable and they seized the lead within just two minutes.

Mario Melchiot won the ball in central midfield from Michael Owen, Di Matteo spotted the run of Weah and the Liberian international stroked his shot inside the far post.

Amid a fiercely-contested first half, Chelsea never lost the upper hand, with Dennis Wise - making his 400th appearance for the club - and Jody Morris dominating central midfield despite the considerable efforts of Dietmar Hamann and Steven Gerrard.

However, Chelsea's midfield dynamo was Di Matteo, while strikers Weah and Gianfranco Zola were figures of perpetual motion ahead of him.

And when Wise played the ball to Weah on 13 minutes, it was his strength in holding off Sami Hyypia that left a hole in the Liverpool defence as the move continued.

Zola crossed the ball back to the centre-forward, who was by now in space, but he showed considerable vision in spotting the unmarked figure of Di Matteo to his left and the Italian fired his shot past Sander Westerveld.

Liverpool may have arrived on the back of a 13-match unbeaten run, needing just a single point to assure their place in Europe next season, but they never managed to claw their way back into the game as a defence inspired by Marcel Desailly held them at bay.

Patrik Berger's claims for a penalty after tangling with keeper Ed De Goey were turned down as he was himself penalised for a dangerous challenge, while assistant boss Phil Thompson remonstrated with the Chelsea bench after a couple of full-blooded tackles.

But Liverpool were simply being out-played by a resurgent Chelsea side and Westerveld had to tip over a cross-shot by Di Matteo while Zola fired a free-kick just over the bar.

The visitors' own threats were few and far between, as Hamann struck a free-kick just wide and volleyed over, yet there was a fortunate escape for Morris just before the break as he escaped a second booking despite a foul from behind on Gerrard.

Liverpool did at least manage to slightly revive their fortunes after the interval and Gerrard was only denied a half-chance by a perfect tackle by Jon Harley, who had reverted to full-back - with superb results - after Gustavo Poyet had come on for Celestine Babayaro.

That was virtually Gerrard's last involvement in the game, however, as he then had to be taken off with an apparent groin problem that is likely to be of concern to both club and country.

Liverpool were increasingly dominating possession but without creating clear-cut chances and strikers Titi Camara and Robbie Fowler were therefore thrown on to replace midfielders Hamann and Danny Murphy as the visitors went for broke.

The Blues responded by introducing a third centre-back, Emerson Thome, for midfielder Morris and by the end, Liverpool were simply becoming all too desperate in search of a lifeline which never arrived.

That lifeline has now been given to Chelsea, however. Now Vialli's side must prove in their remaining three games - including the FA Cup final - that they make the most of it.

Teams:

Chelsea: de Goey, Melchiot, Desailly, Leboeuf, Babayaro (Poyet 46), Di Matteo, Wise, Morris (Thome 70), Harley, Zola, Weah (Sutton 81).

Subs Not Used: Ambrosetti, Cudicini.

Booked: Morris.

Goals: Weah 2, Di Matteo 14.

Liverpool: Westerveld, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Matteo, Murphy (Fowler 75), Hamann (Camara 66), Gerrard (Redknapp 51), Berger, Owen, Heskey.

Subs Not Used: Song, Nielsen.

Att: 34,957

Ref: G Barber (Tring).