Liverpool: The last time Liverpool went top of the Premier League their fans were in tears. There was only euphoria as they returned to the summit with an emphatic victory over Watford Sunday. It has been an arduous journey in the two years since a draw at Crystal Palace put Liverpool a point clear of Manchester City in May 2014. That was when Dwight Gayle ended Brendan Rodgers’s title hopes in a notorious 3-3 draw. Only one player, Lucas Leiva, started that night and began in the side that put Liverpool back, temporarily at least, on their perch. So much has changed, as underlined by the compelling, destructive nature of this 6-1 win. This feels like unchartered territory for Liverpool in the Premier League era. They have had a few title challenges in the last 26 years — three, maybe four at a stretch — but none similar to what is emerging this season; none that carried such credibility and authority in early November; none that possessed a side of such panache and fluency. The most recent bids that materialised in 2014 and 2009 evolved, a surge in the second half of a season offering hope in spring. In those campaigns they were chasing down superior teams before falling short. There was a sense of surprise more than belief. This feels different. It is different. Very different. Suddenly, there is a prospect of Liverpool not only being front-runners but the side their rivals fear most. The Watford manager, Walter Mazzarri, declared Liverpool the best team they have faced so far — a significant compliment given his side has already played Arsenal and Chelsea. Arsenal’s draw with Spurs presented the opportunity, but that made what followed for Liverpool more of a test. The pressure will only intensify as the expectations swell, so the response should not be underestimated. Given the chance to go top going into the international break, Liverpool brutalised Watford, scoring three before half-time, and threatening far more before Sadio Mane headed Jurgen Klopp’s side ahead on 27 minutes. That they had to settle for six — Philippe Coutinho, Emre Can, Roberto Firmino with two, along with Mane, and Georginio Wijnaldum with his first for the club — was actually a travesty given the chances created. They have now scored 30 goals in their 11 games, which is more than any previous Liverpool side at this stage of a Premier League season. To give that some perspective, Kenny Dalglish’s league title winning side of 1988, which many regard the most lethal attacking unit in Anfield history, had scored only one more after 11 games. Klopp’s team has scored at least four in five of their fixtures so far, and most impressively look as though they are capable of doing so before half-time when they are in full stride. And do not underestimate the aerial strengths of this side as much their fleetfootedness, particularly with Firmino and Mane terrorising centre-halves.
If there remains one seed of doubt it is the lapses of concentration in defence, but to hear Klopp stating without a hint of irony that his side “could have played better when winning 5-0” summed up where Liverpool are it.
A year ago Klopp was chastising his own fans for leaving the stadium too soon. You would not want to miss a second of what this enthralling side might do next. They may not win the title, but they are going to part of the argument for the foreseeable future. “Liverpool top of the league,” sang the Kop. It felt much better than last time. In fact, for those who have been waiting too long for a side capable of ending what will soon be a 27-year wait it felt as good as at any time since they last won this darn thing.
