But the Argentine’s struggle for form was encapsulated by his afternoon when, despite a typically tigerish performance in which he was one of Liverpool’s better players, it was his mistake that led to Chelsea taking a game-transforming 59th-minute lead.

Mascherano dawdled too long in possession and the hosts instantly broke, Deco feeding Drogba whose low cross from the left was turned in at the far post by Anelka.

The last meeting between these sides was the eight-goal Champions League thriller here in April.

But with both teams aiming to rebuild confidence after defeats during the past week – Ancelotti laughingly considered under pressure by some after Chelsea’s loss at Wigan Athletic last week – the first half reverted to the competitive, error-strewn encounters that have infuriated neutrals over recent years.

Benitez admitted he had never seen his Liverpool struggle as badly as they did in the opening 45 minutes in Florence, and the visitors began the game determined to make amends.

But while Chelsea were the more threatening of a fairly even first half, Pepe Reina was not extended to any great degree, Drogba and Anelka both directing headers at the Liverpool goalkeeper.

Drogba’s theatrics, and yet more poor marking at set-pieces, almost proved costly for Benitez’s side on 34 minutes when the Ivorian conned referee Martin Atkinson into awarding a foul against Jamie Carragher.

From the resultant free-kick on the touchline, Deco’s delivery from the right was header over by the unmarked Michael Ballack from barely six yards.

It wasn’t until five minutes from half-time that Liverpool managed to finally work Hilario, Gerrard releasing Dirk Kuyt down the right whose cross was headed at the goalkeeper by Fernando Torres.

Cech was caught out by a long-range Fabio Aurelio free-kick on Liverpool ’s last visit, but his deputy Hilario ensured there was no repeat with a smart save low to his right to turn around Albert Riera’s ambitious 35-yard shot shortly before the break.

There were shouts for a penalty moments later when Drogba clambered over Skrtel at a Liverpool corner, although the award would no doubt have been more likely given had the challenge been the other way around.

After falling behind, Liverpool mounted a strong challenge during the final quarter, but Torres’s miserable afternoon capped by the Spaniard miscuing his solitary clear opportunity harmlessly wide from 15 yards.

And with the visitors pressing for an equaliser, they were caught out on the counter-attack during injury time when Drogba muscled his way beyond substitute Aurelio and Carragher to the byline and Malouda turned the ball home from close range.

There wasn’t even the crumb of a late consolation for Liverpool, with Benayoun, lively after emerging from the bench, sending an easy chance wide and Hilario then saving spectacularly from Gerrard.

But there was to be no way back for Liverpool. Now Benitez must hope the same does not apply to his side’s title challenge.