A first-half goal from Xabi Alonso ended Chelsea's 86-game unbeaten home league record and put the Reds three points clear at the top of the table.

Alonso struck in the ninth minute when his 20-yard shot deflected off Jose Bosingwa to leave goalkeeper Petr Cech flat-footed.

Carragher told Sky Sports 1: "It puts us top of the league and should give us a confidence boost.

"There's a long way to go but psychologically it should give us a big lift. Before today I'd probably say Chelsea were as good as anyone in Europe with the way they've been playing this season."

Asked about the significance of breaking Chelsea's four-year run, the defender said: "It was a great record but obviously it couldn't go on forever. They had to lose sometime and I'm just delighted it was us.

"We're top of the league now, there's a long way to go. Chelsea and Manchester United have been up there for the last four or five years but hopefully we can bridge that gap this season."

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Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez was particularly delighted by his players' cohesion and mentality.

He said: "I think it was really good, we knew the statistic (Chelsea's record) so we were trying to change it. Thanks to the players, and the fans, the players kept going until the end.

"The players' mentality, their work-rate, working together and everybody doing the right things - that was key."

As for the increased expectation following the win, Benitez added on Sky Sports News: "For me I will say the same - one game at a time. We're in a good position and we will try to keep going."

Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari admitted a game of this importance was always going to be won by the most clinical team.

"Tomorrow when we're in our training centre I will say some things about the game today, but it's not about losing or not losing - the problem for me is losing three points (not the unbeaten record).

"We had some very good chances to score," Scolari added on Sky Sports News.

"They are in front of us in the league now, that is the reality."