Brendan Rodgers said he had never slept better heading into the heavyweight clash against Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday. Wholesale Kobe Bryant Shoes . Rodgers has spent the best part of three months ducking and diving from the questions about pressure and his sides title bid. Yet, when his team entered the raucous theatre of Anfield to another stunning rendition of Youll Never Walk Alone standing across from his side was the all too familiar opponent of Chelsea. It was Chelsea that had given Liverpool their toughest test in 2005 on the way to them winning a remarkable European Cup. It was Chelsea who was the last team to defeat Liverpool in the Premier League, back in December, and now it was Chelsea standing in front of the gates that guarded the path towards the Premier League trophy. Now, that is pressure. It could not have been scripted more perfectly. A former, true heavyweight in the game, whose level amongst the elite has slipped over the past two decades, now with a clear path towards a shock championship, if only they can get past the powerhouse in blue. It was at Chelsea, of course, where Rodgers worked on his craft under Jose Mourinho and now it had come full circle, a chance for the pupil to defeat the teacher on the grandest of stages. Up until now, even against Manchester City earlier this month, Liverpool had played with a reckless abandon, punching holes in defences and predictions, while gathering more and more believers that they could do what was thought to be impossible just five months ago. Their journey had guided them closer and closer to the pinnacle. With three games left, Liverpool needed just seven points from their last nine to win it all, and with Crystal Palace and Newcastle to come, there was no more hiding from the facts, no matter what Rodgers said. Dont lose to Chelsea and the title should be yours. Despite what Jose would want you to believe, this was no minnow facing up to the Reds as Chelsea picked a team that they had paid over 100 million pounds to assemble. Inside the tight, organised system drawn-up by Mourinho, the visitors were exactly as expected. Liverpools breathless starts had catapulted them to within touching distance of glory but on this bright, sunny afternoon they werent allowed to sprint out of the box. Chelsea sat deep and allowed them to have a lot of the ball but with it the home team suddenly looked a side that carried extra weight. The weight of expectation can get very heavy on a footballers shoulder. With every pass, the Liverpool players had an extra thought. The brilliantly organized visitors closed the space and with it the punches, so ruthlessly delivered in past games by Liverpool, were missing. Raheem Sterling was Liverpools brightest player in the first half. How refreshing it is to see a young Englishman appreciate space as much as he does. Still, Liverpool probed but if Chelsea were on the ropes they were hanging out by them comfortable at taking the punishment. Branislav Ivanovic, back at Anfield after Luis Suarez took Mike Tyson style bite out of him last April, was magnificent leading Chelseas back four. Young Tomas Kalas could not have asked for a better partner to learn from on his Premier League debut. Gary Cahill and John Terry have been excellent this season but the Serbian defender reads the game superbly and, contrary to the English defenders, never loses his cool. Cesar Azpilicueta, back to his more comfortably right back slot, was excellent and both he and Ashley Cole looked like full backs who had been sent out to do a specific job, narrowing the back four and inviting Liverpool to stretch the field and take the ball where they didnt want to. It had been over seven months since Liverpool had played 45 Premier League minutes at home without scoring and as the half-time whistle grew nearer, at 0-0, tension started to creep in at Anfield. Then the creeping exploded. When Steven Gerrard received the ball in front of the Kop he made one small mistake, miscontrolling it, then a bigger one, slipping to retrieve it, and then the rope-a-dope was on as Demba Ba sprinted in alone to deliver a knockdown punch. One nil Chelsea. It was a scene from Liverpools not so distant past, one that wouldnt have been out of place last season when many a team would come in and force a maturing Liverpool into a mistake. It was those mistakes that helped Liverpool learn and progress but even they had been stunned with such a rapid climb that had brought them so tantalizingly close where suddenly those mistakes were far more costly than when the likes of Downing, Carroll and Adam were on the payroll. Such progression meant they now had to face up to something they hadnt really seen. Adversity. And it was delivered in the cruelest of manners with Gerrard, the catalyst for so much of their success this season, falling to his knees in the middle of his favourite place on earth. There was a second half still to play but Liverpool never looked the same. They had never been behind for longer than 35 minutes since their last game against Chelsea but once again that total was overtaken against the familiar foe. Suarez had a shot well saved and Joe Allens volley almost went in but Chelsea were resilient throughout, delivering a true knock-out punch just before the final bell when Willian tapped home. An under-the-weather Mourinho sprinted down the touchline again while Rodgers crossed his arms and looked on. Chelsea had done the double on Liverpool when many teams couldnt even beat them once. Liverpools fans headed to the exits heads full of emotions about the title race, knowing the title was still in reach but now out of their hands. They will feel they can get to 86pts with two remaining wins but Man City, all too familiar with winning leagues on goal difference, can now get to that mark as well and should if they can finally get over a huge hurdle for that club and win at Goodison Park next week. Chelsea, still two points behind Liverpool, are likely out of the race but, once again, showed a team what you have to become to be winners. Without Petr Cech, John Terry, Ramires, Eden Hazard, Samuel Etoo and others, they had shown the style and character it takes to succeed in the biggest of games. Liverpool are rightfully anxious to win the league because it has been over two decades since they last did so, but, equally, they should be anxious knowing that a giant powerhouse, supposedly in transition, are getting stronger by the week. This was a weaker Chelsea yet still they set the standard you must match to be champions. They will, likely, spend many more future sunny Sundays in late April wrapping up title bids rather than ripping up those of their opponents. Sleep well, Brendan. You may never have a better chance than right now. Kobe Bryant Shoes Deals . With one week left in the regular season, Cornish - voted The Toughest Player To Bring Down - is a leading candidate for the CFLs Most Outstanding Player award. He has rushed for 1,799 yards and could break Willie Burdens club record for rushing yards in a single season with a 98-yard performance against the B. Kobe Bryant Shoes For Sale . Lack replaced an injured Roberto Luongo late in the first period then watched defenceman Chris Tanev score the winning goal midway through the third as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Jets 2-1 in a tight NHL game. https://www.cheapkobebryantshoes.com/ .Y. -- The Montreal Canadiens have had few reasons to celebrate this season as they have been mired near the basement of the Eastern Conference.CHICAGO -- Reto Berra had the jitters before his first NHL game. It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. "I was really nervous, but right before the game when I was sitting in here," Berra said, "I just said, Go out, play your game and have fun. You have nothing to lose. "I put that excitement and nerves into positive energy." Russells shot from the blue line clanked off the crossbar and past Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford, ending Calgarys 10-game losing streak in Chicago. The Flames won at the United Center for the first time since March 2008. "I saw a body in front and tried to get a hard shot off," Russell said. "I dont think hes seen it. Fortunately it went in." "The last few games weve played well but havent got rewarded," Russell added. "Tonight, we had a grinder-style game. Especially coming into a barn like this, I hope we can grab some momentum off this." Mike Cammalleri and Curtis Glencross scored in regulation for the Flames. Calgarys T.J. Galiardi missed on a second-period penalty shot. Chicagos Marian Hossa scored a power-play goal with 4:19 left in the third period to tie it at 2. Patrick Kane also scored for the Blackhawks, who had won three in a row. Crawford made 27 saves. The 26-year-old Berra was recalled from Abbotsford of the AHL on Saturday after the Flames waived Joey MacDonald. The 6-foot-4 Swiss goaltender was acquired in the trade that sent defenceman Jay Bouwmeester to St. Louis last April. Berra was sharp against the Blackhawks, making a handful of point-blank and flashy stops. "Im very proud for Reto," said Flames coach Bob Hartley, who has coached in Berras home country. "He played tonight the same way I saw him play a full year in Switzerland. Obviously, its not the same calibre, but the poise he showed throughout the game. "He never got rattled. The perfect control on every shot. The two shots that beat him were perfect shots. Great win." After a slow start this season offensively, Chicago had scored 24 times in its previous five games. But the Stanley Cup champions showed little of that explosive skill and tempo against Calgary. Clearance Kobe Bryant Shoes. Although Chicago fired 44 shots at Berra, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville thought there werent enough quality opportunities. "We did put pucks at him, but we didnt get enough rebounds and we didnt get enough traffic," Quenneville said. "Certainly, he was pretty good at controlling those rebounds tonight as well." The Blackhawks outshot the Flames 18-11 in the scoreless first. Berra coolly swept away Chicagos routine chances and turned in a couple of tough stops, including a quick glove save on Andrew Shaw with 5:00 left in the period. Calgarys best chance came with 1:28 left, but Dennis Widemans shot capping a 3-on-2 break was smothered by Crawford. Galiardi was awarded his penalty shot -- the first for Calgary and first against Chicago this season -- at 4:06 of the second after he was hooked from behind on a breakaway by Hossa. He fired wide on the attempt. Kane opened the scoring, beating Berra on Chicagos 23rd shot at 6:25 of the second. After cutting across the top of the Calgary zone, Kane moved to the left faceoff circle and wristed a shot through a screen that fooled Berra on the short side. Cammalleri tied it just 50 seconds later. Left open at the edge of the crease, Cammalleri was able to deflect Widemans shot from the right point in midair and past Crawford. Cammalleri has seven points in seven games since returning from an upper-body injury that sidelined him for the start of the season. Glencross gave Calgary a 2-1 lead at 2:16 of the third on a shot that sailed past Crawfords glove, clanked off the right post and landed in the net. Glencross cut in from left wing and gained a step on Chicago defenceman Sheldon Brookbank. He fired from the circle and Crawford fanned on a glove save attempt. NOTES: Calgary also recalled D Chad Billins from Abbotsford, but he was a healthy scratch on Sunday. ... The Blackhawks were set to leave for Washington following the game, and will visit the White House on Monday to be recognized by President Barack Obama for their 2013 Stanley Cup title. ... Chicago C Michal Handzus missed his fifth game with an upper-body injury, but has resumed skating. ... Sitting out for Calgary were C Lee Stempniak (foot), D Mark Giordano (ankle) and D Chris Breen (abdominal). ' ' '