On 68 minutes and already 1-0 up courtesy of a William Gallas half-volley, Argentinian striker Crespo displayed all the qualities which has made him one of the world's deadliest hit-men.
Latching onto a Asier del Horno throughball wide on the left, Crespo arched his run, skipped past Steve Finnan and unleashed an extraordinary left footer from the edge of the penalty area, the ball whipping across the surface and across the body Jose Reina into the Liverpool goalkeeper's far corner of the goal.
The Spaniard saw red with eight minutes remaining for flooring Arjen Robben but by then the game was effectively over.
Chelsea are now 21 points ahead of the Reds in third place and 15 ahead of second-placed Manchester United.
It might not have being a title decider. But try telling that to both sides.
Liverpool, with two games in hand desperately needed to win and started with more conviction, but it was the Champions who had the decisive strikes on goal and reaped the rewards.
Had Liverpool been able to convert their superior possession in the first half, then they might have got something from the game.
On 17 minutes, and after a bout of pressure from Liverpool, Sami Hyypia was unlucky to see a glancing header fall wide of the Chelsea goal.
Chelsea's first effort on goal came two minutes earlier when Robben's weaving run saw his shot zip past the right upright.
But against the run of play, Chelsea forced a corner on 35 minutes. Up stepped midfield maestro Frank Lampard who pitched in an outswinging ball.
Liverpool failed to attack the ball cleanly leaving centre-back Ricardo Carvalho to nod towards goal.
The ball fell invitingly to right-back Gallas, free in the six-yard box. The French defender reacted quickest and half-volleyed the ball under the body of Reina.
A minute later and Joe Cole could have hit the second when, after winning an edge of the box tackle, he took one step into the area and hammered the ball into the Liverpool side-netting.
Chelsea did have the ball in the net a minute before half-time after John Terry belted a powerful header on goal. Reina stopped the ball but it ricocheted into the path of Crespo who tucked the ball home. But he was adjudged to be offside.
The second half started with a booking for Michael Essien and on 52 minutes Steven Gerrard produced quality technique to let fly a shot on goal which Petr Cech did well to hold.
Crespo's wonder goal then put the Londoners on course for a valuable victory but all hell broke loose on 82 minutes.
Reina rushed out from his area to clobber substitute Eidur Gudjohnsen on the side of the pitch. As referee Alan Wiley decided to show a yellow card to the goalkeeper, Robben appeared to say something to the player.
Reina reacted by putting his hand to Robben's face and the Dutch wingman fell to the ground. Wiley then produced a straight red card to send the keeper from the pitch.