CHELSEA caught Liverpool day dreaming at Stamford Bridge yesterday and by the time the Premier League leaders woke up to the possibility of defeat it was staring them in the face. For once, in fact, Liverpool were stared down and lost away from home for the first time in two months, having been beaten 3-0 at Blackburn early in November.

In the end Roberto Di Matteo's swift, incisive exploitation of a mistake by Thomas towards the end of the first half proved sufficient to bring Chelsea the victory their hard working, thoughtful performance merited. If the 5-1 rout Chelsea suffered at Anfield in September, their first defeat under Ruud Gullit's management, had marked the start of an autumn, slump yesterday's win confirmed the strength of their mid winter, revival.

Chelsea have won three of their four holiday games and drawn the other. But for their inability to hold a 2-0 lead against Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday Gullit would have enjoyed the perfect Christmas and New Year.

Yet to the last yesterday Stamford Bridge feared that Chelsea's generous habits at home, where they had not kept the opposition out since August, would come to Liverpool's rescue. Right up to the closing seconds, when a shot from Stan Collymore was blocked by Dan Petrescu before it could reach Frode Grodas, hearts were in mouths on and off the field.

The Liverpool manager, Roy Evans, thought his team deserved to get something from the match and there were moments when the vision of John Barnes promised them at least a point. But Robbie Fowler, who has been suffering from a ankle injury, still did not look fully match fit and when he has problems so do Liverpool.

Fowler's early claims for a penalty, after falling over Grodas's challenge appeared thin. The striker later drew a double save from the Chelsea goalkeeper, but the last minute caution Fowler received for raising a foot to the Norwegian summed up his frustration.

For all, their precise passing patterns, this was one of Liverpool's less perceptive performances. Too often Steve McManaman took the ball into cul de sacs when it was not being ferried back and forth in areas which were never going to do Chelsea much harm.

For both sides, the turning point came shortly past the half hour when Neil Ruddock began to rub a strained hamstring. He soon gave way to Dominic Matteo and the middle of the Liverpool defence had lost its beef Chelsea, of course, still had Frank Leboeuf, back as sweeper with Gullit putting himself on the bench.

Never one to pass up an opportunity, Mark Hughes began to turn Matteo with an alacrity which he had found well nigh impossible against Ruddock. As a consequence, a Chelsea attack which had been suffering from the old problem of not getting men forward quickly enough, and in any sort of numbers, now began to prosper.

After 39 minutes Hughes gathered a long pass from Leboeuf swung past Matteo and would probably have scored but tore David James's alertness in coming off his line to block the Welsh man's shot. Two minutes later another shot from Hughes's went just wide, but that was to prove the extent of Liverpool's salvation.

In the 43rd minute Matteo, again coming under pressure from Hughes, slipped the ball short to Michael Thomas, whereas Ruddock might simply have hoofed it clear with half time so close. Not that Matteo could be blamed for what happened next as Thomas, head down and blinkered, tried to play the ball square to his right. Di Matteo, making a smooth interception, coolly slid the ball past the advancing James.

Petrescu should have put the game beyond Liverpool's reach at the start of the second half but shot into the side netting after Craig Burley's quick free kick had found the Romanian baring past Phil Babb on the right. With a quarter of an hour remaining, Gianfranco Zola and Dennis Wise, who had replaced Scott Minto, set up Hughes for a shot which James turned on to the crossbar.

Chelsea were in growing need of a second goal at that point. Such was the growing influence of Zola, Di Matteo and Burley that their narrow lead had begun to look safe. But in the 67th minute Evans decided that if he had lost beef at the back he might as well add Patrik Berger up front. The Czech's first touch sent Collymore through, but only to miss the target.

That was generally the tale of Liverpool's New Year's Day. For Anfield, 1997 can only get better.