Dalglish hails 'fantastic' Bellamy after win at Chelsea

Craig Bellamy unfurled a glittering tribute to tragic pal Gary Speed as Liverpool continued their march towards Wembley.

Grieving Bellamy led the minute's applause for his close friend before kick-off - and then set up both goals for Maxi Rodriguez and Martin Kelly to send the Kop into the Carling Cup semi-finals.

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Bellamy, who sat out Sunday's 1-1 draw with Manchester City after he was devastated by Speed's death at the weekend, made an emotional comeback at Stamford Bridge.

His right-wing cross was turned in at the far post by the unmarked Maxi, and five minutes later Bellamy's free-kick was headed home by England Under-21 defender Martin Kelly.

And Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish, savouring his third win at Chelsea in 2011, paid tribute to Bellamy's graft saying: "We know he's a fantastic footballer and he had a hugely disappointing day on Sunday when Speedy, someone he regarded as a mentor, passed away.

"For someone to come back and play like that speaks volumes for him, but we're delighted with the way we played as a team.

"The way we are progressing is significant, especially in a cup that's been cheapened by the actions of the people who run it."

Liverpool, who held Premier League leaders City to a 1-1 draw at Anfield only 48 hours earlier, have reached the last four the hard way, winning on the road at Exeter, Brighton, Stoke and Chelsea.

Dalglish added: "At least we've got a home game now, but we deserved to go through and we've got our reward."

Midfielder Lucas Leiva will have a scan on his left knee today after being carried off following a collision with Juan Mata.

"We're not sure how serious it is," said King Kenny. "Rather than speculate, we're best waiting for a proper synopsis, but we need to get it scanned."

For 6,000 missionaries from Merseyside, Liverpool's richly-deserved win was all the sweeter on another wretched night for their £50 million turncoat Fernando Torres.

With just five goals in 33 appearances for Chelsea, the barren plodding of Torres was starkly at odds with Bellamy's heroic application in the fall-out from Speed's death at the age of 42.

Chelsea's third defeat in four home games has piled more pressure on Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas, for whom next week's must-win Champions League group decider against Valencia could now be breaking point.

Rattled AVB saw his side booed off and admitted: "Our home form is just not good enough."

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