Chelsea throttles West Ham; Liverpool held at Bolton
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-03 11:34

CHELSEA ADVANTAGE

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho felt his bigger squad would always have an edge over West Ham's battle-weary troops.

"This is a very difficult period for every team but especially those without the squad to cope," he told the Chelsea Web site. "I told them before the game, their defenders played 270 minutes in one week. Drogba, Crespo, Robben, (Damien) Duff, they play half of it."

Liverpool's run of 10 consecutive league wins came to an end but it could have been worse as they twice had to come from behind at a ground where Bolton have lost only once in the league this season.

Tunisian defender Radhi Jaidi headed Bolton into an early lead before Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard won and converted a penalty to level for the European champions.

Former Liverpool striker El-Hadji Diouf gave a combative Bolton side a 2-1 lead after 71 minutes with Luis Garcia hitting the second equalizer with eight minutes left.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez told the club's web site: "I am very disappointed because we did a lot of things to win the match and we deserved to win.

"Bolton are very difficult to play against and they had a lot of free-kicks and throw-ins and you can't play the football you want to play."

Down at the wrong end of the table, Sunderland look all but relegated with six points from 20 games.

They had Steve Caldwell dismissed on the hour, while one of Fulham's three subs, Steed Malbranque, was forced off by injury in a game they won with two Collins John strikes after a spectacular Liam Lawrence opener for the visitors.

Birmingham stay second from bottom on 16 points, one behind Portsmouth, who were playing Blackburn Rovers in a late kickoff. West Brom remain on 19 points after Villa's Czech forward Milan Baros converted a late penalty at the Hawthorns.