Liverpool 4-1 Chelsea

Liverpool avenged their FA Cup Final defeat with a comprehensive demolition of Chelsea in the reds final game at Anfield this season.

The reds have sometimes struggled at Anfield to get the result that their dominant displays deserved, but tonight they got the result and the margin could even have been far greater.

Despite not getting on the scoresheet Andy Carroll once again was the reds star of the show with a committed and dominating display.

Liverpool were without both Steven Gerrard and Jose Enrique with minor injury concerns, but returned to a 4-4-2 formation with Carroll and Suarez up front.

Chelsea had made a number of chances but elected to utilise their £50M striker, former red Fernando Torres, in their line up.

But it was John Terry, the much derided figure of English football, who provided the perfect comedy moments of the first half - nutmegged three times and hugely responsible for Liverpool storming to a 3-0 lead within the first half hour of the game.

Carroll and Suarez were providing a handful for the Chelsea backline and Suarez jinked in to the box from an angle before forcing Essien to play the ball in to his own net in the 19th minute.

Six minutes later, Terry slipped and Henderson powered through to place his shot past the Chelsea keeper.

Three minutes later and the reds even scored from a corner.  Andy Carroll heading the ball back in to the danger zone and Agger firing in.

Stewart Downing managed to hit the crossbar with a dipping shot and in injury time in the first half, Carroll was elbowed by Ivanovic - the referee pointing to the penalty spot.  Downing stepped up to take the penalty but it rebounded off the post - sealing what has been a throughly miserable season for the former Aston Villa man.

The second half saw Chelsea score an early goal - a soft chest in by Ramires when the reds defence, or even Reina, should have cleared the crossed free kick with ease.

But Liverpool returned to dominate the rest of the game, with Carroll in a particularly passionate display.

In the 61st minute, the reds ensured there would be no Chelsea fightback when Jonjo Shelvey reacted well to Turnbull's clearance and fired a controlled shot in to the net.

The reds could have added to their goal tally and Andy Carroll was unlucky not to get a deserved goal.

Maxi Rodriguez was subbed off late on and waved goodbye to the Anfield crowd - his future lies elsewhere next season.

The Liverpool players were applauded on their lap of the pitch at full time.  Despite the reds relative disappointment at failure to mount a title charge, two cup finals, one trophy and a return of European football next season are all indicators of progress and are a signal of a solid first season back in charge for Dalglish.

Liverpool travel to Swansea for the final Premier League game of the season at the weekend.