Chelsea's John Terry (left) is sent off by referee Phil Dowd for a tackle on Everton's Leon Osman (not in photograph) during their English Premier League match at Goodison Park Stadium, Liverpool, yesterday.

LIVERPOOL, England (AP)

Chelsea captain John Terry was sent off for a wild challenge yesterday as the Blues missed a chance to reclaim top spot in the Premier League after drawing 0-0 at Everton.

Instead, Liverpool, who drew 1-1 at Arsenal on Sunday, remain a point ahead in the standings thanks to their crosstown rivals' resilience despite not fielding a recognised striker against Chelsea.

Goodison Park had erupted in celebration in the 84th minute when Steven Pienaar bundled the ball into the net, but the Everton midfielder was adjudged to have been offside before stealing the ball out of goalkeeper Petr Cech's hands.

The Blues looked unsettled and had three more players booked for dissent after Terry saw red for a one-footed diving lunge on Leon Osman in the 35th minute that will likely earn him a three-match ban.

Reckless challenge

"My feeling at the time was that it was a reckless challenge," Everton manager David Moyes said. "Osman is nursing a really sore ankle from the challenge, which will make him a doubt (for Middlesbrough on Friday)."

Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari was fuming in the tunnel at half-time with broadcaster Setanta claiming he shouted, "Are you afraid?" at referee Phil Dowd - seemingly a reference to the jeers from the home crowd that followed the tackle.

Still fuming after the match, Scolari didn't want to risk being punished by the Football Association for criticising Dowd.

"The Chelsea management have a number of issues with a number of the decisions during the game and they feel it is better not to say anything that gets them into trouble," Chelsea media chief Steve Atkins told reporters. Cech was more accepting of Dowd's decision.

"He made a decision and we have to live with that," the Czech Republic goalkeeper said.

Terry, who captains England, was also sent off in the 3-1 win at Manchester City in September, although he won an appeal against the decision.

Yesterday's draw, which owed much to Cech thwarting Everton's second-half aerial threat, halted Chelsea's top-flight record run of 11 consecutive away wins - eight under Scolari this season - but the Blues have now only collected six points in their last five games.