Chelsea 4 Bolton Ws 3

If Liverpool are looking for signs of encouragement ahead of Tuesday's "mission impossible" at Stamford Bridge, it came in the shape of Chelsea's vulnerability to an aerial bombardment.

The Blues were cruising at 4-0 with little more than half an hour to go, but then began to look as defensively unsound as the Reds had been in the midweek Champions league clash.

When sub Andy O'Brien tapped in from close range, it looked like it would be no more than a consolation, but then Kevin Davies nodded a cross back from the far post for Chris Basham to toe-poke home and a few minutes later, Matt Taylor ghosted in to the near post to send a looping header over Petr Cech that set up an uncomfortable finale for the Blues.They only just smothered a late chance to preserve their victory.

Any repeat of those frailties against the Merseysiders this week and that 3-1 first leg lead will start to look  unexpectedly fragile.

"All of a sudden we got very sloppy and too relaxed and conceded three goals in nine minutes, which [should be] impossible against a team near the top of the table," said Hiddink. "There was a sequence of errors we made and we must not let it happen again."

Wherever the recent upsurge in form under Guus Hiddink is taking Chelsea, it is unlikely to be towards the Premier League title this season, even if they remain committed to their seemingly fruitless pursuit of top spot.

Hiddink's post-match comments following a 1-0 defeat at Tottenham three weeks ago betrayed a belief that the ultimate league prize must surely elude the Blues this time. There is now too much reliance on Man United dropping points for the campaign to end any differently than it has for the previous two seasons.

Perhaps that is why Chelsea began with nothing like Wednesday night's zest against a surprisingly adventurous Bolton and it took 25 minutes for the Blues to muster a serious shot on goal.

They even allowed the visitors some decent half chances - both Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander flashing presentable chances off target and that turned out to be a warning of things to come.

But five minutes before the break, Ballack set the Blues on their way with an incisive trade of passes with Salomon Kalou before sweeping the ball into the roof of the net from eight yards.

And three minutes into the second half, Lampard played in a low free-kick from the right edge of the penalty area that Didier Drogba side-footed home. Kalou, continuing to look sharp after an inspired performance at Liverpool, won the kick when his pace proved too much for Jlloyd Samuel.

Then Lampard earned and converted a spot-kick on the hour after his flicked centre from a Ballack pass was handled by Trotters defender Gretar Rafn Steinsson.

There was almost a repeat of his midweek goal heroics for Branislav Ivanovic, who won a header from a Malouda corner in the 63rd minute. This time, however, his touch was not enough to do the job by itself - it needed a predatory Drogba to tap home from point-blank range.

That should have been that. Instead it heralded more goals, but at the other end of the pitch, and Hiddink did not enjoy the way the afternoon turned.

Chelsea should have Michael Essien back for the return leg against the Merseysiders on Tuesday night. He was rested after his energetic subduing of Steven Gerrard at Anfield and will no doubt be asked to repeat the feat this week when the sides meet again. Also presesent should be Ricardo Carvalho, who lasted the 90 minutes in his comeback game after injury..