Chesea lost two vital points which saw Liverpool's Luis Suarez bite the arm of Bransilav Ivanovic and then score a last-gasp equalsett lot leve the Blues feeling deflated after the 2-2 draw at Anfield.
Chelsea can justifiably feel aggrieved that the last-gasp header from Luis Suarez which secured the draw was beyond the six minutes added on at the end of the match by Kevin Friend.
The loss of two points might prove vital in the race for Champions League qualification places and the they will also feel that Suarez should not have been in the pitch had Friend or a linesman seen him bite Branislav Ivanovic's right arm during a tussle on 66 minutes.
Chelsea had looked secure at the back with the clock ticking down, albeit by allowing Liverpool to keep possession which ultimately cost them, but in the seventh minute of stoppage time, a right wing cross by Daniel Sturridge was met powerfully by the Uruguay hit man who arrowed a near post header past Petr Cech.
The Blues were never behind in the pulsating tie, opening the scoring through Oscar on 26 minutes before Sturridge got a second half equaliser. Eden Hazard restored the lead from the penalty spot before controversial Suarez finished the game on a high for the Liverpool fans.
Liverpool had a glorious chance, on five minutes to score when former Blue Glen Johnson latched onto a ball from Luis Suarez but his first touch, just inside the Chelsea area, was not good enough and he poked the ball wide of Petr Cech, but also wide of goal.
Jordan Henderson flashed the ball over the Chelsea crossbar a minute later as the home side pile on the pressure to breach the Chelsea rearguard.
Chelsea finally got an effort on goal on 14 minutes when Oscar toe-poked the ball from the byline to Pepe Reina after the Brazil midfielder combined well with Juan Mata.
The Kop were certainly trying to instigate a Rafa Benitez love-in with their chanting of the former manager.
Benitez, who previously professed not to hear crowd chants was quick on two occasions to wave back.
Ramires forced a clumsy punch out from Reina with a long-range effort as the Blues started to assert themselves with periods of possession.
The visitors reaped their reward on 27 minutes when, from a set-play corner from Mata on the right, Oscar escaped the attentions of Jamie Carragher and arrowed a powerful header into the goal close to Reina's near post to put the Blues on up.
It was Oscar's 10th goal of the season, the second run the league. second league.
Luiz struck a fierce 30-yarder two minutes later which Reina fumbled, but collected luckily just in front of the line on the second attempt.
Five minutes before half time and Cech produced a brilliant stop from Suarez just inside the penalty area as the Blues failed to close down a quick counter-attack from the home side and almost paid the price.
Thirteen seconds into the second half, and Liverpool should have been level.
Half-time sub Daniel Sturridge se up Steve Gerrard and clipped the ball towards goal, but Cech stuck out his left boot to deflect the ball away for a corner.
A minute later and former Chelsea striker Sturridge let fly with a venomous left-foote from a full 25-yards which beat Cech all ends up but not his left upright and the ball pinged off then woodwork and out to safety.
But the England striker would not be unbowed and on 53 minutes he had levelled the match with a simple tap-in from close range. But the goal was created in clever fashion after Stewart Downing on the edge of the Chelsea area passed to Suarez and the Uruguay strike chipped the perfect curler into Sturridge's and he made no mistake.
But the Blues were soon back in front.
Goal provider Suarez was soon goal-creating villain as he was adjudged to have handled the ball in his penalty area on 57 minutes. Referee Kevin friend immediately pointed to the penalty spot and after a minute of waiting round for Friend to stop chatting to Carragher, up stepped Eden Hazard to ram the kick to into Reina's right-hand corner, sending him the wrong way in the process.
Suarez, in an attempt to get a grip on the game on 66 minutes, actually bit the arm of Ivanovic as the two tussled in the Chelsea penalty area.
No official saw the incident which could lead to a post-match investigation.
Chelsea's first substitution came with 13 minutes to go with Yossi Benayoun replacing
fans' favourite Hazard. The thousands of Chelsea fans responded to the loss of Hazard by chanting to Benitez "You don't know what you're doing."
Brendan Rodgers responded by replacing Downing with Johnjo Shelvey a minute later.
Shelvey announced his presence by being poked seconds later for scything down Oscar who was instantly replaced by Victor Moses.
Shelvey had a great chance to level the match when a crisp counter-attack with five minutes to go left the former Charlton Athletic midfielder with a free shot on goal, but he
Sliced his shot into the side anything instead.
With a minute remaining, the interim Chelsea boss brought on Frank Lampard, taking off Mata.
Six minutes of added time gave Liverpool extra impetus to force a draw and Shelvey, Gerrard and Suarez had half-chances before a last-gasp header from Suaraz at the near post salvaged a point for the home side.
The Blues are now in fourth spot, a point ahead of Spurs and a point behind Arsenal.
Liverpool
Reina, Johnson, Enrique, Agger, Suarez, Gerrard, Coutinho, Henderson, Downing, Lucas, Carragher.
Subs: Jones, Assaidi, Sturridge, Coates Shelvey, Coady, Skertel
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Ramires, Ramires, Torres, Mata, Oscar, Mikel, Hazard, Azpilicueta, Bertrand
Sub: Turnbull, Lampard, Moses, Ferreira, Terry, Ba, Benayoun
Referee, Kevin Friend.
Ends