The good, the bad and the ugly 90 minutes.

Chelsea 4 Liverpool 4 (7-5 on agg)

Did you see it at the pub? On the couch at home? Even better, were you at Stamford Bridge? An affirmative to any of the above and you were lucky enough to watch one of the most entertaining 90 minutes of football you're likely to see for a long time. Chelsea and Liverpool served up an absolute cracker last night, an 8-goal thriller that contributed to a 7-5 aggregate score that poured scorn on the pundits who suggested this would be another pair of tight ties from these familiar Champion's League combatants. 17 goals in the last three games could hardly have been predicted from a duel that provided only 5 goals from the preceding 7 encounters in this most auspicious of club competitions.

There are a few good reasons for this uncharacteristic glut of goals. Liverpool exploded out of the traps, as you would expect from a team chasing a 2-goal deficit from the first leg. Bolton had showed the way at the weekend with 3 goals at the Bridge against a defence that included John Terry (who was missing for this game) so there was clearly cause for optimism in the ranks of the Anfield side going into the game. As Liverpool opened up in search of more goals then they were always likely to come under threat at the back and that combined with a bit of poor positioning from Reina, a thunderbolt free kick from Alex and Lampard's general ability to be where it counts, when it counts all contributed to the quantity of times we saw the net bulge.

The game had everything. Moments of genuine quality juxtaposed with Sunday league howlers made it an unpredictable encounter that seemed to swing from one possible outcome to the other every 5 minutes. Liverpool looked to have given themselves a chance in a first half during which Chelsea didn't turn up until 5 minutes before the interval. After the break (and a proper haranguing from Hiddink) Chelsea were much improved and seemed to have finished the tie off with a brace of their own. Once Lampard had put the home side ahead one got the feeling it was all over bar the shouting. Well, shout Liverpool did. Long and loud and clear. Somehow, incredibly, they managed to get their nose in front in the tie again with goals from the much maligned Lucas (who did a decent job in for the injured Gerrard) and Dirk Kuyt. For a few edge-of-the-seat minutes another goal would win the tie for Liverpool and you wouldn't have betted against them getting it either, despite Benitez having taken the largely ineffectual Torres off earlier. It wasn't to be though as another goal from Lampard killed off those last Liverpool hopes and ensured the blues march onwards to face the majestic Barcelona in the last 4. If those games are half as entertaining as this one was, you can bet I'll be waxing lyrical about them here as well.

As for Liverpool, well, their focus now switches solely to the Premier title their fans crave so much. Perhaps this ability to concentrate on one tournament will give them a real chance of clawing back United's lead at the top. It depends, of course, how Sir Alex's charges get on at the Dragao tonight. Benitez can be very proud of his players. A one-man team? Not a chance. Although you cant help but wonder what might have happened had Gerrard been fit...