Mario Balotelli had zero shots and created no chances against Chelsea as Liverpool lost again... was Brendan Rodgers wrong to drop seven players against Real Madrid?

THE STARTING SEVEN'S COMEBACK 

Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho, Mario Balotelli, Dejan Lovren, Jordan Henderson and Glen Johnson returned to Liverpool's starting XI

So, was it worth it? In a word, no. 

Brendan Rodgers erred on the side of caution against Real Madrid on Tuesday, dropping seven players in the Champions League match to focus on qualifying for next year's competition.

Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling and five other regulars were removed from Liverpool's starting XI at the Bernabeu, saved from a defeat that seemed inevitable against the European champions.

That sacrifice in Madrid was all for the benefit of Jose Mourinho's visit to Anfield on Saturday, but it made little difference as Mario Balotelli and Co looked mediocre against a ruthless Chelsea side.

Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield to leave Rodgers' side 15 points adrift of the Premier League leaders

LIVERPOOL'S TWO STARTING XIs

1-0 loss vs Real Madrid at the Bernabeu:

Mignolet, Moreno, Toure, Skrtel, Manquillo, Can, Lucas, Lallana, Allen, Markovic, Borini  

 

2-1 loss vs Chelsea at Anfield:

Mignolet, Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno, Gerrard, Can, Henderson, Coutinho, Sterling, Balotelli

Win, and Rodgers could have been hailed a tactical genius. Lose, and Liverpool would be 15 points shy of the Barclays Premier League leaders with a quarter of the season gone.

In the end, it seems the Liverpool manager all but forfeited a game at the Bernabeu to lose at home against Chelsea four days later.

Gerrard, Sterling, Balotelli, Philippe Coutinho, Dejan Lovren, Jordan Henderson and Glen Johnson were those to return to the starting XI.

Balotelli is yet to score in the Premier League since making his £16million move from AC Milan, and his Match Zone statistics speak volumes. 

The striker did not manage a shot on or off target, and did not create a single chance or a cross.

The former Manchester City striker was, however, caught offside four times as his heat map shows he barely registered a touch in the visitors' box. Rodgers has little option but to stand by his £16m investment while Daniel Sturridge is injured after undergoing calf surgery.

Balotelli's heat map shows the Liverpool striker barely got near Chelsea's goal on Saturday at Anfield

NO-GO FOR KOLO

Kolo Toure, who kept Cristiano Ronaldo quiet at the Bernabeu, was dropped in favour of Dejan Lovren against Chelsea.

Sportsmail columnist Jamie Redknapp felt for those that were held back with the Chelsea match in mind, saying: 'When you grow up, you dream about playing against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu.'

Sterling got to experience that unique feeling for 21 minutes as a second-half substitute on Tuesday night, but the 19-year-old is another going through an unfortunate spell at Liverpool.

He has not scored in 12 games for club and country and, with his only shot of the match on Saturday, could not outwit Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois from inside the box.

Sterling has struggled to reproduce the spark that terrorised teams in the Premier League last year.

He continues to be frustrated following the debate over his fitness during England international duty.

At the back, Kolo Toure, a man that kept Cristiano Ronaldo relatively quiet on the Ballon d'Or winner's own patch, was dropped in favour of Lovren, who failed to keep a lid on Chelsea's Diego Costa with fellow centre-back Martin Skrtel.

Liverpool captain Gerrard, whose infamous slip in this fixture last year led Mourinho to insist it 'gave the title to Manchester City', was left frustrated against the boys in blue once more. 

Sterling had plenty of action down the left but could not take his one chance against Chelsea on Saturday

Gerrard and his regular first-team peers were denied a full outing on one of the biggest stages in football at the Bernabeu, and for what? To register their third defeat in the space of seven days.

Liverpool lost against Newcastle United at St James' Park last week and face Crystal Palace next at Selhurst Park. 

It is the stadium where they squandered a three-goal lead last year to draw 3-3, which all but confirmed their title death and left the now-departed Luis Suarez in tears.

Challenging for the Premier League title is almost certainly out of the question for Rodgers, who must now put all his energy into qualifying for the Champions League once more.