Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch saw red as Chelsea progressed to the semi-finals of the Carling Cup thanks to second-half strikes from Frank Lampard and Andriy Shevchenko.
Lampard's deflected 59th minute opener was followed, seconds later, by a moment of madness from Crouch who was red-carded for a disgraceful two-footed lunge on Mikel John Obi.
Referee Martin Atkinson immediately dismissed the England striker who unleashed a four-letter tirade at Chelsea fans before disappearing down the tunnel.
Crouch will now miss Liverpool's home clash with Portsmouth and the visits to Derby and Manchester City over the festive period.
The Carling Cup has never been high on Rafael Benitez's hit-list and he underlined that by putting out a side which did not contain England midfielder Steven Gerrard and Spanish striker Fernando Torres.
Gerrard, laid low with a stomach complaint, was certainly missed by the Merseysiders - who showed little drive in a goalless opening half largely controlled by the home side.
But Chelsea's failure to break the deadlock was largely due to the agility of Liverpool's reserve goalkeeper Charles Itandje.
In the 11th minute he denied Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou when Andriy Shevchenko's low cross had invited him to try his luck from just inside the penalty area.
However, the Liverpool goalkeeper had to rely on his shoulder to prevent Lampard scoring in the 24th minute.
Alvaro Arbeloa's attempted clearance fell to Lampard's feet on the edge of the penalty area but the England man could not finish the job.
A minute later Chelsea had to rely on Petr Cech, playing his first game in the competition this season, when a move involving Andriy Voronin and Crouch set up Lucas.
The Czech international keeper, at fault for Arsenal's winner in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday, produced a fine diving save to deny the Liverpool midfielder.
But they were the only real highlights in a first half littered with poor passes and choked by a packed midfield.
Chelsea continued to look the more likely to score but Lampard was still finding his range when he sent a 20-yard shot high into the crowd in the 52nd minute.
Less than 60 seconds later, Itandje denied Michael Essien, back from his three-match suspension, with a flying one-handed save as the Ghanaian's 18-yard effort looked destined for the corner.
Liverpool's attacks were sporadic at best but they were almost gifted a goal in the 55th minute when Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho, playing his first game since breaking a small bone in his back against Everton in early November, failed to reach Cech with a back-header.
The ball fell straight into the path of Crouch but the lanky striker could not lift the ball over the advancing Chelsea keeper.
But four minutes later, Chelsea were in front. Mikel found Shevchenko with a clever pass and the Ukraine striker put Lampard in the clear thanks to a neat first touch.
The England midfielder's shot was half-stopped by Jamie Carragher but the ball ballooned up and over the stranded Itandje to register Lampard's 99th goal for the club.
But the game erupted in the worst possible way within a minute when Crouch inexplicably decided to launch himself at Mikel right in front of the home dugout.
The two-footed lunge was high and dangerous and Atkinson had no hesitation in dismissing the England striker - to the fury of Benitez and the player himself.
Mikel was later replaced by Michael Ballack, who was returning to action for the first time since April.
In the intervening period, the Germany captain underwent two ankle operations - but he showed no ill-effects as Chelsea went in search of a second goal.
Indeed, it was Ballack's header down to Shevchenko in the final minute of normal time which allowed the Ukrainian to drill an angled shot past Itandje to put Chelsea into the last four of the competition.
Lampard's deflected 59th minute opener was followed, seconds later, by a moment of madness from Crouch who was red-carded for a disgraceful two-footed lunge on Mikel John Obi.
Referee Martin Atkinson immediately dismissed the England striker who unleashed a four-letter tirade at Chelsea fans before disappearing down the tunnel.
Crouch will now miss Liverpool's home clash with Portsmouth and the visits to Derby and Manchester City over the festive period.
The Carling Cup has never been high on Rafael Benitez's hit-list and he underlined that by putting out a side which did not contain England midfielder Steven Gerrard and Spanish striker Fernando Torres.
Gerrard, laid low with a stomach complaint, was certainly missed by the Merseysiders - who showed little drive in a goalless opening half largely controlled by the home side.
But Chelsea's failure to break the deadlock was largely due to the agility of Liverpool's reserve goalkeeper Charles Itandje.
In the 11th minute he denied Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou when Andriy Shevchenko's low cross had invited him to try his luck from just inside the penalty area.
However, the Liverpool goalkeeper had to rely on his shoulder to prevent Lampard scoring in the 24th minute.
Alvaro Arbeloa's attempted clearance fell to Lampard's feet on the edge of the penalty area but the England man could not finish the job.
A minute later Chelsea had to rely on Petr Cech, playing his first game in the competition this season, when a move involving Andriy Voronin and Crouch set up Lucas.
The Czech international keeper, at fault for Arsenal's winner in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday, produced a fine diving save to deny the Liverpool midfielder.
But they were the only real highlights in a first half littered with poor passes and choked by a packed midfield.
Chelsea continued to look the more likely to score but Lampard was still finding his range when he sent a 20-yard shot high into the crowd in the 52nd minute.
Less than 60 seconds later, Itandje denied Michael Essien, back from his three-match suspension, with a flying one-handed save as the Ghanaian's 18-yard effort looked destined for the corner.
Liverpool's attacks were sporadic at best but they were almost gifted a goal in the 55th minute when Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho, playing his first game since breaking a small bone in his back against Everton in early November, failed to reach Cech with a back-header.
The ball fell straight into the path of Crouch but the lanky striker could not lift the ball over the advancing Chelsea keeper.
But four minutes later, Chelsea were in front. Mikel found Shevchenko with a clever pass and the Ukraine striker put Lampard in the clear thanks to a neat first touch.
The England midfielder's shot was half-stopped by Jamie Carragher but the ball ballooned up and over the stranded Itandje to register Lampard's 99th goal for the club.
But the game erupted in the worst possible way within a minute when Crouch inexplicably decided to launch himself at Mikel right in front of the home dugout.
The two-footed lunge was high and dangerous and Atkinson had no hesitation in dismissing the England striker - to the fury of Benitez and the player himself.
Mikel was later replaced by Michael Ballack, who was returning to action for the first time since April.
In the intervening period, the Germany captain underwent two ankle operations - but he showed no ill-effects as Chelsea went in search of a second goal.
Indeed, it was Ballack's header down to Shevchenko in the final minute of normal time which allowed the Ukrainian to drill an angled shot past Itandje to put Chelsea into the last four of the competition.
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