Premier League Cann Table 1995 – 2019

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So, Cann Tables. Seasons on the X-Axis, points on the Y-Axis. A way to look at the actual points gaps season by season. Liverpool's points total was really good in 2018-19, especially compared to the rest of the league save one side, compared to the previous couple of seasons, compared to Liverpool over the past two decades and more. I, unsurprisingly, wondered how much.

The above shows the last 24 seasons, the Premier League's history minus the first three seasons, when there were 22 sides in the division.

And it looks as if the league is getting more spread out.

4th place has remained fairly consistent – you need right around 70 points for an almost-assured Champions League place, as it's seemingly always been. But City are putting up record points over the last two seasons, with Liverpool hot on their heels in this one; it's gonna take more to win the league these days. The range between 5th and 17th is getting steadily wider – better sides at the top, fewer truly terrible sides at the bottom. But there has usually been at least one or two hilariously bad relegated teams over the last few seasons – no one to the level of Derby's record low in 2007-08, but consistently one if not two sides below 30 points over the last five-to-ten seasons.

And then there's Liverpool, bouncing their way across the upper echelons of the division. Peaks and valleys.

We're all well aware that Liverpool finished with the highest points total for a second-place side in 2018-19. That Liverpool finished with the third highest Premier League points total ever, behind only City in this season and the last.

What else, what else…

• It's the largest gap between a second and third placed side: 25 points. The previous high was 19 in 2011-12, when the Manchester sides finished even on goal difference with Arsenal leading the trailing pack far behind.

• It is just the fifth time in the last 24 years that the title has been decided by a point or less: 1997-98 and 1998-99, Arsenal over United and United over Arsenal; Chelsea over United in 2009-10; and City over United on goal difference in 2010-11. The gap between 1st and 2nd has been reasonably substantial since: 11 points in 2012-13, two points in 2013-14 (sigh), eight points in 2014-15, ten points in 2015-16, seven points in 2016-17, and 19 points (!!!) in 2017-18.

• Liverpool's average points totals from the last 24 seasons is exactly 69 points. The average points total for 4th place over the last 24 seasons is 68.96. I'm just saying.

• Maybe most meaningfully, this was Liverpool's third largest season-to-season improvement, 22 points better than last season, behind only the 24 gained from 2004-05 to 2005-06 in Benitez' first and second seasons and the 23 in 2012-13, Rodgers' first and second seasons. Incidentally, Liverpool regressed by 14 points in 2006-07 and 22 points in 2014-15.

More like "potentially" most meaningfully, I guess. Because consistency. Consistency is the next step. That and Manchester City.

Liverpool 2-0 Wolves

Goals:
Mané 17' 81'

That was a wild 20 minutes, huh? Minutes which didn't have an awful lot to do with this match.

Liverpool ending the season with the title was always unlikely, even going into the final day with a chance. And then Liverpool took the lead here with City at Brighton still level, a near-carbon copy of Wijnaldum's first goal against Barcelona on Tuesday. This time, Alexander-Arnold controls the cross-field pass rather than needing to win it back via press, beats his defender and whips in a low cross, one which is deflected but deflected right to Liverpool's late runner into the box. Sadio Mané this time, his 21st of the league campaign.

And then Brighton scored, or so Anfield thought, the stadium slowly erupting into delirium while the television commentators tried to confusedly explain. And then Brighton did score. Which, holy hell this might actually happen.

Reader, it did not.

City scored right away in riposte. And then again. And then twice more in the second half for good measure. As the Liverpool match went to *whatever*.

Sigh.

City have been doing this for months, but there's still the insanity of the run-in. Phil Foden's first and only league goal in a scrappy 1-0 over Tottenham a month ago. City the worse side at United four days later until all of a sudden they weren't. Agüero's winner at Burnley barely two centimeters over the line two weeks ago, then Kompany's hapax legomenon against Leicester last week. And now responding immediately to conceding on the final day with your rivals already ahead. Responding with fury, with fire and blood.

Manchester City won 14 straight to take the title by a single point. They last dropped points on January 29. I mean, fuck, what are you gonna do? They *sigh* *deep breaths* deserve it. Or bought it. Whichever. Both.

Anyway.

So, yeah, once City scored, this very much became a last-day game. And one coming five days after beating Barcelona 4-0, somehow overhauling an 0-3 by force of will. The team could feel it because the crowd knew it and the team could feel it because their legs felt like lead weights.

So the final 50 minutes were kind of crap. Klopp's hollering, both before and after the interval. At least Liverpool are keeping possession, if sloppy in the final third, until they aren't, with all seven of Wolves' shots between the 36th and 73rd minutes.

But Liverpool did enough, and Alisson came through when needed, denying two clear-cut chances from Jota, to keep Liverpool in front and a 21st clean sheet, winning the Premier League Golden Gloves in his first season in England.

And we finally got another Liverpool goal ten minutes from time, a goal which saw Mané go level with Salah (and Aubameyang) for the Golden Boot and Alexander-Arnold set the record for assists from a Premier League defender. You know the routine: Alexander-Arnold cross, Mané header at the back post after the cross just eludes Salah. A second goal, in the final 15 minutes to thankfully put the match to bed. We've seen a few like them before.

2-0, we're done here, everybody clap and smile and maybe have a sneaky sob.

So we've got Salah, Mané, Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, and Virgil van Dijk – PFA Player of the Year and now Premier League Player of the Year – deservedly earning individual accolades. And we've got Liverpool on 97 points, having lost just one league match all season. A total that's 22 points and two places better than last season's, while still maintaining the remarkable run in Europe.

No side's ever taken 97 points and not won the league. No side's ever gotten to 90 and not won. The gap between Liverpool in second and Tottenham in third is 25 points, bigger than the gap between seventh-place Wolves and relegated Cardiff.

It's not fair. But life ain't either. Plus, let's be honest, it's very on brand.

We'll do more season review stuff in the coming weeks, and we've still got a Champions League Final to look forward to. At the moment, and even believing that's there was damned little chance going into the day, it's hard to encapsulate the contest or the campaign. It's sad now but it was good. Damned good. Incredibly good. Probably the best Liverpool I've seen, regardless of the points tally or how the season ends.

And that's still present tense. Because it ain't over yet.

Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea

Goals:
Mane 51'
Salah 53'

That was a magnificent performance.

2-0, with both goals scored in the second half and in quick succession, may not necessarily suggest so. But Liverpool were incredibly impressively good throughout, and I'm still sat here in awe of it.

Okay, so it's 0-0 for the entire first half. Which, not great. In keeping with some recent frustration. But.

Liverpool are getting chances. Salah's first-time shot after a lovely Keïta pass and Mané cross too close to Kepa. Firmino poking a wicked free kick at Kepa, but also inches offside. Crosses just eluding Liverpool attackers, Chelsea defenders sticking out a leg just in time as attackers charge at goal. There's goals in this here game.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are coping reasonably well with Chelsea's sporadic press, as the front three and more attacking midfielders challenge when the ball's in Liverpool's defensive third before retreating into that frustratingly deep, frustratingly organized shape. No giveaways, no stupid. Which is always encouraging.

And Liverpool are doing enough to stop potentially dangerous Chelsea counters, whether it's Fabinho tackles or van Dijk and Matip in the air or Alisson beating away crosses. Liverpool know they need to win and proceed accordingly with both structure and tempo, but continue to ensure there's far fewer chances for stomach punches. As they've done for the vast majority of the season.

So it's 0-0 when we restart after that first half, and while it's been mostly encouraging, we're mostly full of terror because we're always full of terror. I promise, it was not bad. We might be afraid, because we've been conditioned to be afraid, but Liverpool feel like they're gonna keep doing Liverpool.

And for two glorious minutes, we get a reminder of this side in full flow. We get a reminder of Liverpool at their sword-wielding best. The side that takes names and stomps souls.

We get an opener from Sadio Mané, featuring Liverpool doing everything good that Liverpool does in attack. Constant probing possession. Spread wide to Salah, run at the box. Interplay between Salah, Firmino, and Henderson, the latter refusing to give up on the bounce of the ball. A cross from the byline, a header at the back post. Like so many we've seen come before.

And we almost immediately get a second from Mohamed Salah. Which, good lord. I know Mo Salah hasn't played all that well lately, constantly an inch or a millimeter off of what'd go perfectly last season. I also know that only Mo Salah scores that goal in this side. Van Dijk, cross-field and over the top. Salah, one on one with Emerson, who still retreats despite Salah's struggles. He gets onto that left foot. And he absolutely spanks a shot from absolutely nowhere past Arrizabalaga.

Goals from sustained build-up and crosses, and goals from Mohamed Salah doing literally unbelievable things. Sounds about right.

Of course, then we're jolted back to reality. Five minutes of utter terror. Two moments that should have been Chelsea goals: Hazard twice breaking Liverpool's usually reliable offside line, hitting the post with the first and denied by Alisson on the second. Maybe there's complacency involved, but there's also a Chelsea substitution: Higuain replacing Hudson-Odoi, shifting Hazard ostensibly back to the left. Where he probably should have played from the off.

There has been a lot of good done by Liverpool this season. But there has been a lot of luck as well. And this might well be a different match – it's at least a different Anfield – if Hazard pulls one back. Yes, yes, different season, but I can't help remembering Arsenal last season. 1-0, then 2-0. But then 2-1 and 2-2 and 2-3 and come the hell on.

But this time, van Dijk hollers and Keïta gets his foot on the ball. Liverpool basically stop everything, dominating possession for the next few minutes. Liverpool replace Keïta and Henderson with fresh legs in Milner and Wijnaldum. And Liverpool completely controls the final 30 minutes. You can't call it coasting, because Liverpool never stop running, never stop pressing, and have a few more sights at goal, but for the most part, it's game over and a slow slow death for another opponent. As we got on Tuesday. No muss, no fuss, three points, back on top.

So, yeah. It's basically everything you want to see. Liverpool, determined and resilient in attack despite early frustration, eventually getting the needed minutes of magic. Liverpool, determined and resilient in defense, in control for the vast majority but also doing enough to hang on during the frightful five.

And that's just in isolation. You cannot forget the context. City have cantered to another win just prior, strolling 3-1 at Palace, to leapfrog Liverpool in the table. And Liverpool are up against Chelsea – not only a decent side who can counter-act a lot of what Liverpool want to do, not only the toughest opponent left to face in this league campaign, but you know and I know and they know that this is also a fixture with far too much PTSD attached. This time of year. This spot in the standings. And this opposition.

And Liverpool did exactly what they needed to. Again. A seventh win in a row in all competitions, a fifth in the league, unbeaten since January 7.

This team just will not stop. And you cannot help but love them for it, no matter what may come.

Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham

Goals:
Firmino 16'
Moura 70'
Alderweireld OG 90'

And you thought Liverpool's last match was lucky. Good lord the season's gonna kill us all.

It is very hard to talk about the football match when things like this happen.

In a lot of ways, we've been here before. Liverpool are decent for most of the first half and open the scoring early, Firmino's wonderful header from Robertson's even more wonderful cross. But Liverpool don't get a second despite a handful of half-chances, and Liverpool's only shot on-target is that Firmino goal. They're once again up against a deep defense, with Spurs switching to a back three to both contain Liverpool and because they've barely got any available central midfielders.

And Liverpool increasingly fumble and frustrate. And Spurs improve, because Spurs are not Fulham or Burnley or Everton or Leicester or West Ham, especially after Spurs switch to 4-4-2 at halftime. Now it's Liverpool increasingly pushed back, the fullbacks far less of an outlet with Eriksen and Rose on the wings and Tripper and Vertonghen solidly behind.

We get angrier at Liverpool's midfield's inability to create, especially when paired with increasingly less destroying, not even doing what they're there to and at least keep possession. We get angrier at the lack of substitutions, Fabinho still on the bench, Keïta and Shaqiri seemingly not even in plans.

And an equalizer feels coming. Liverpool are doing *enough* – Van Dijk constantly heading away, Robertson's crucial block on Eriksen's rebound after Alisson saves Kane's wide angle shot, Matip thankfully scrambling Eriksen's cross behind rather than into his own net – but we're rightfully nervous.

Then it comes. Sure, Harry Kane's barely fouled and takes the free kick with the ball still rolling, Trippier's damned close to offside, and Eriksen mis-hits his pass inside but it somehow falls perfectly for Lucas Moura. Multiple bad and unfortunate things needed to happen for Spurs to equalize. But Spurs equalized. Just as Leicester and West Ham did in those maybe costly draws, just like Fulham did two weeks ago.

Thankfully, we got what we got two weeks ago. Which did not feel like happening until it somehow happened.

Fabinho finally comes on, as does Origi. Liverpool push and press and both van Dijk and Firmino should have scored from the same corner and Origi's free kick is deflected barely wide and Mané's almost but not quite found by van Dijk with a long clearance. It is actually better, spurred into action by Spurs' goal.

There should have been a winner here. And it should have comes from Tottenham. Liverpool, full bore for a second goal, are leaving themselves wide open. Tottenham break when Liverpool lose possession in the final third and it's Rose to Kane to Son to Sissoko, two on one against just Virgil van Dijk. But van Dijk's angles are perfect because van Dijk's almost always perfect, baiting Sissoko into a shot when unable to release Son, ballooned over. To make matters seem more lost, Dele Alli's curling an effort just off-target two minutes later.

This is the way the world ends. With a draw at best and maybe a loss and there's no way City are dropping points in two matches let alone one.

Until Liverpool get a corner, and Robertson corrals the clearance and Alexander-Arnold whips a cross to Salah at the back post. Header saved, but saved onto Alderweireld, rolling past and under Lloris just before 90:00 hits the clock.

Pandemonium. Which, I certainly do not hesitate to add, is more than deserved after the way this fixture ended last season.

And we live to see another day. Liverpool remain two points ahead of City, albeit having played one more match, as we go into April. The season lives on to kill us on another day.

And it's thanks to yet another late winner. 3-2 Paris St-Germain, 1-0 Everton, 4-2 Palace (which somehow became 4-3), and now 2-1 Tottenham. All winners in the 90th minute or later. Not to mention 1-1 Chelsea in the 89th minute or 2-1 Fulham in the 82nd minute or maybe necessary two-goal cushions at Palace and in both matches against Burnley.

Are they flukes if they're multiples?

So no matter the sometimes sloppiness and more times of frustration. No matter the same again, almost punished again. No matter the struggles in attack or the odd mistake in defense, or the questionable decisions with both line-ups and substitutions.

This is a team that does not give up. And that's by far the most important quality at this stage of the season. That might well be the only quality worth mentioning at this stage of the season.

Six matches left.

Liverpool 2-1 Fulham

Goals:
Mané 26'
Babel 74'
Milner 81' [pen]

And breathe.

Good lord. I cannot believe Liverpool have gotten away with that.

The narrative was perfect. Just perfect. You couldn't write it better. And somehow, it doesn't come to fruition.

We start with the same old problems seen in basically every away match of 2019 except Wednesday. West Ham, United, Everton all over again. A mountain of possession, another deep defense that Liverpool strains to get past. Even when Liverpool open the scoring midway through the first half, unsurprisingly through Sadio Mané, with his 11th goal in the last 11 games.

But they don't get two. What looked certain to be a thorough whooping after 30 minutes looks a 1-0 grind at best by 60 minutes. Both pace and passing tail off as opportunities dwindle. Crosses and corners aren't finding Liverpool's players, and those are what Liverpool increasingly turn to. Firmino and Salah are particularly off-color, the former struggling to link up with his line-mates and the latter tackled in the final third time and time again.

Still, it's probably going to be okay, because the opposition ain't gotten shit going forward.

Until they do.

To be slightly fairer to Fulham, it felt possible for ten or so minutes before the goal, the home side starting to actually unsettle Liverpool. It felt more Liverpool complacency than anything else, but Sessegnon for Seri gives also Fulham another threat. Fulham have the ball in Liverpool's goal in the 65th minute, a counter-attack following Firmino's sloppy pass in the final third ending with Anguissa's shot redirected home by an offside Ayite, who then has a fast break shot blocked by Lallana.

But Liverpool steadies. And then Liverpool just absolutely Liverpools.

Milner, just on a substitute, hacks a Sergio Rico goal kick up and behind. A goal kick which came from Sadio Mané hitting the crossbar. Van Dijk leaves it for Alisson, who leaves it for van Dijk. Whose header back to Alisson is soft and with back spin and falls instead to Ryan Babel for a tap-in.

Let's go through that again. James Milner, Liverpool's most experienced player and one of the few title-winners in the squad. Virgil van Dijk, who we all rightfully called the best center-back in the world just three days ago. Alisson, who's literally saved Liverpool, the position Liverpool have had the most problem with for years.

And Ryan Babel, ex-Liverpool player and punchline, now a kitchen-sink option mercenary for a team near-certain to be relegated.

Oh, yeah, and Liverpool did this against the 19th-placed side in the division, on their third manager of the season, who'd lost ten of their last 11 matches, who'd only taken two points off top-ten sides: a draw against Watford back in September and dawn with Leicester in early December.

While smack in the middle of a title race where their competition just does not stop winning.

*chef kissing fingers emoji*

But then Liverpool go and ruin it less than seven minutes after Fulham's equalizer. Salah's into the box and gets it wrong again, his shot straight at Sergio Rico, but Rico palms it down rather than catches, Mané steals in, and Rico hugs Mané to the ground. And Milner, who'd started the calamity seven minutes earlier, absolutely nails the penalty down the middle. And we're done here, with Salah still somehow unable to score, a couple of efforts off-target and a clear-cut chance too close to Sergio Rico.

So, yeah. It is hard to think anything other than this is a different season than all the seasons before. A different Liverpool. A Liverpool that doesn't 4-4 with Arsenal or slip against Chelsea. It was not good and it doesn't really bode well and there are still those regrettable draws over the last two months but Liverpool still won and Liverpool go into the international break atop the league by two points.

There are still seven games left to break our hearts. Manchester City is only behind on games played, and can break said hearts through no further fault of Liverpool.

No matter. Ride the fortune as long as it'll last. And continue to believe that the best remains possible.

Liverpool 4-2 Burnley

Goals:
Westwood 6'
Firmino 19' 68'
Mané 29' 90+3'
Gudmundsson 90+1'

Liverpool often face adversity when playing Burnley. And somehow usually thrive.

The reverse fixture: a 3-1 win after conceding first, stifled for over an hour but immediately replying to Burnley's opener. Last season: 2-1 at Burnley thanks to Klavan's late winner after Burnley equalized in the 87th minute and a 1-1 draw after Salah canceled out Arfield's opener. And at Anfield in 2016-17, another comeback win after conceding in the opening seven minutes.

It's yet another comeback win after conceding first. After conceding stupidly and unfairly and the world is ending it's happening again the title's gone and we're all gonna die. It's Liverpool behind, but not for long, and then Burnley not in the match.

This opener takes some beating. A corner that never should have been, but Jöel Matip gets his wires crossed on a hopeful hoof forward. Alisson fouled by two different Burnley players as Westwood's cross comes in, uncalled, as Westwood's cross goes directly into Liverpool's goal. For Westwood's first goal for Burnley, his first goal in three years. For the first goal that Liverpool have conceded in 517 minutes of football. A day after Manchester City opened the scoring in their match with one of the most offside goals you'll see. Six minutes into today's match.

So that didn't start well.

It finished just fine.

Firmino equalizes within 13 minutes, tapping in after both Tarkowski and Heaton muddle up Salah's low byline cross. Mané gives Liverpool the lead after Lallana's pressing blocks a Burnley clearance, falling straight to Salah, tackled by Taylor but the rebound rammed home. Firmino extends that lead after a period of dominance without reward, another rebound from another Taylor tackle on Salah, this time set up by Heaton's goal kick going directly to the Egyptian.

Burnley give us a tiny fright, Gudmundsson pulling one back in the first minute of added time, Liverpool switched off and failing to clear before Vydra slid in his fellow substitute, but Mané relieved it two minutes later, rounding Heaton when put through by Sturridge's wonderful through ball from the flanks.

4-2 is somehow closer than it should have been and a wider margin than it should have been.

Liverpool could easily have scored more, but Mané hit the crossbar from about four yards out late on, Burnley made a few last-ditch interceptions and blocks that didn't fall directly to Liverpool players, and Liverpool's attack – read: Mohamed Salah – still isn't firing on all cylinders despite those four goals. And fortune almost made full amends for Burnley's opener, with Liverpool getting help for three of their four goals. Either Tarkowski or Heaton should have cleared before Firmino's tap-in; Bardsley could have avoided Lallana's pressing, with both Lallana's block falling straight to Salah and Taylor's tackle falling straight to Mané; and Heaton's goal kick going directly to Salah, again with a Burnley tackle setting up Mané. Three unassisted goals, with the last touch coming off Burnley defenders.

It wasn't quite Bournemouth or Watford, as a rampant Liverpool attack utterly dismissed an opponent. But it's still four goals. And still three points.

And once again, there are parallels with recent matches. Palace at Anfield, as Palace score first but Liverpool score four. But Burnley were nowhere near as threatening as Palace, both because Burnley does not have Palace's players and because Liverpool's defense was even more in control despite conceding twice.

Burnley took just three shots. Three. And they were lucky to get that. There was that corner. Hendrick from distance in the 34th minute, swiftly blocked. That late, unnecessary consolation. Virgil van Dijk, with help from his friends, allowed no more. It's weird to say when scoring four and conceding two, but Liverpool's defense remains Liverpool's best feature.

Still, Burnley did beat Tottenham two weeks ago, did draw 2-2 at Manchester United a little over a month. They've scored in six of their last seven games, with at least two in four of them. Sean Dyche remains the most hateable anti-football warlock, especially now that Stoke and Tony Pulis are out of the league.

So, regardless of the score line, it wasn't the most coherent performance. It wasn't the most thorough attack, but again a multi-goal performance at Anfield, as against both Bournemouth and Watford. Lallana, in a surprise start, might well have been Liverpool's most impressive player, a needed link between midfield and attack, especially since crosses were almost an impossibility in that wind. But Firmino and Mané both scored twice; Salah did *okay* despite failing to score for the fifth game, at least in position to get chances and set up teammates even if again too often tackled by a last defender as at Everton; Fabinho remains almost as crucial to protecting Liverpool from counters and long balls as Virgil van Dijk; and Robertson was more influential than usual, needed with Alexander-Arnold off-color.

It was good enough. Good enough to get all three points, good enough to keep Liverpool just a point behind Manchester City. More than good enough, because at this point of the season, the points are all that matters. Somehow get goals, somehow keep the other guys from doing so. By any means, etc. And it's even more encouraging that Liverpool, yet again, did so despite a set-back through little fault of their own, despite conceding with the match barely started.

The chase, now that it's become a chase, remains on. When it could easily have been lost by a less resilient side.

Liverpool 0-0 Everton

We watched this exact match a week ago. It annoyed then, and it annoys even more now.

Like Manchester United, a point's more than good enough for the home side. A point's great, not only because Liverpool have been a better side all season long and are higher in the table and can absolutely gut you if you let them (hi Watford) but because of where Liverpool are in the table and what Liverpool could possibly achieve this season.

Keeping Liverpool from achieving that is worth far more than three points. Which is exactly how I'd feel in the same situation.

So, yeah. 0-0. Again. The fifth draw in the last seven matches. 1-1, 1-1, 0-0, 0-0, 0-0. Not enough shots; just ten taken today with only three on-target. The lone clear-cut chance saved, Salah taking the angle too tight to Pickford. Three last-man tackles from Everton, from Coleman, Keane, and Digne on Salah, Salah, and Fabinho.

Liverpool profligacy and an opponent defending as if their lives depended on it. As if 0-0 was a World Cup winner. Again. Can't blame 'em.

As against United, Liverpool started well enough. And as in the M62 Derby, it's a typical start for a Merseyside Derby. Blood and thunder and pressing and running and it looks like there will be goals or red cards or maybe both and then everything just ebbs away. Liverpool get frustrated, Everton get emboldened.

So many passes go awry in the final third. There are the misses and those last-man tackles, all three due as much to poor Liverpool control as fantastic Everton defending. Alexander-Arnold's crosses are nowhere near as effective today. Mohamed Salah amazingly can't control in the final third. Nor can Mané. Joel Matip's Lego Head puts a free set play header off-target. Etc. Etc. Etc.

As against United, substitutions baffle. Of course you bring on Firmino and sure, Milner for Wijnaldum makes sense I guess, but Lallana for Mané? With Shaqiri and Keïta on the bench? Unsurprisingly, the game gets worse as the game goes on, both due to Liverpool's disjointedness and Liverpool's overwhelming frustration, while Everton's subs – Richarlison, Tosun, and Andre Gomes – actually improved their side. Everton are probably the better side over the final 20 or so minutes.

Of course, that's the point where Liverpool usually win it. See: Sadio Mané in the 94th minute, Divock Origi in the 96th. But no such luck today. And, yes, I absolutely mean luck. But I also mean bad attacking and worse finishing.

Liverpool had a seven-point lead on Manchester City when they met exactly two months ago. Now, City are a point clear, in addition to their superior goal difference. And it's the goals that have done it. Those 1-1s and now these 0-0s.

Yes, there are still nine matches left. There have been nine matches since Liverpool traveled to City. A lot can happened in nine matches. But we all remember the times we've been here before. Goals drying up and too many draws ruined Liverpool title charge in 2008-09. and you can't help but worry that it's happening again.

Liverpool 0-0 Manchester United

Opportunity lost.

We're more than familiar with terrible Liverpool-United matches. It's almost par for the course, especially since Mourinho. They're ugly as hell, no one plays well, as just as often as not, no one wins.

This was perfectly in keeping with that. Jose Mourinho might as well still be United manager.

But Manchester United at least had their reasons. Not only are Liverpool frequently capable of cutting open sides very open, but United had to deal with three injuries in the first 45 minutes, with Pereira replacing Herrera, Lingard replacing Mata, and Alexis replacing Lingard, all before halftime. I especially liked how Solskjaer went with a rushed-back-from-injury Lingard instead of Alexis, then needed to replace him with Alexis 18 minutes later.

So there's that. That, and Liverpool have not been good when sides have bunkered deep lately. See: 1-1 Leicester and West Ham, even 0-0 Bayern.

Liverpool were especially not good today. And especially in attack.

Credit where due and all that, but Liverpool were utterly awful in open play. With United sitting deep and narrow, Liverpool forced play wide, time and time again. James Milner, used at fullback with Alexander-Arnold just back from injury, had the most touches and played the most passes by far. I like James, you like James, everybody likes James, but that's not usually a recipe for success.

Liverpool played 26 crosses, about eight more than usual per match and 19 more than United played today. Milner was responsible for 17. Three found Liverpool players, with all three from corners.

I don't like when Liverpool's attack is based around crosses. It doesn't usually go well.

Two of Liverpool's grand total of seven shots came from open play. And both of them were from very, very far away. Just one of Liverpool's seven shots was on-target, one of those very, very far away shots from Daniel Sturridge a minute or so after coming on. It's the first time Liverpool have put just one shot on-target since a 1-2 loss against Palace back in April 2017.

That's now two matches in a row without a Liverpool goal. With a combined total of three shots on-target in those two matches. And at least Liverpool created decent opportunities against Bayern, for what that's worth. They very much did not today.

It certainly did not help that Firmino went off through injury in the 31st minute, casualties claimed on both sides, but that can't be the sole excuse. This ain't the first time we've complained about attacking fluency this season.

We can blame the midfield for not being creative enough; we can blame the front three for being off-color, with both Mané and Salah very below par and an very-underused Sturridge pretty much anonymous. We can blame almost every player for the lack of movement, for individual errors, for resorting to crosses too quickly and too easily; we can blame management for devising the attacking patterns or lack thereof. We can blame lots of things.

Even with all those United injuries, and Liverpool's possession dominance, Liverpool could well have lost that match. They probably would have in previous seasons. United had the only clear-cut chance of the match: Pogba's tame set play header at Alisson. Liverpool needed Alisson to charge out to deny Lingard getting onto Lukaku's 40th minute through ball, the play which saw Lingard injured. Matip had a set play own goal correctly ruled out for offside, but just. And Smalling probably should have gotten on the end of Lukaku's vicious cross in second half stoppage time.

That's far more than Liverpool can claim in attack. An indirect in-box set play all fouled up in the first minute, a wild Salah free kick from a great position after Matip's run in the 16th minute, off-target headers from Jöel Matip's Lego Head in the 44th and 71st minutes, and that's about it.

There's a reason that Liverpool have never had consecutive 0-0 draws under Jürgen Klopp. Because one of Liverpool's successive games without scoring has seen the opposition score at least once.

So there's that. This title challenge has been built on the defense and on clean sheets, after all.

Long story short, no one really played well, especially in attack. Players were complacent, build-up slowed, unpressured passes went every which way but well, no one could beat their marker, no one could create anywhere near a moment of magic. Crosses and set plays, the first, last, and only options of resort. Even the substitutions confused: Sturridge rather than Shaqiri with Salah going up front in the first half, Henderson not removed for Shaqiri and a change to 4-2-3-1 until the 73rd minute, Origi replacing Salah with ten minutes to play.

United had to make three changes before halftime and played with Rashford on one leg for the entire second half. And Liverpool couldn't push or punish them.

But at least Liverpool didn't lose.

That's now two games without a goal. Four draws in the last five matches. We'd like to pretend that there's no such thing as pressure, but Liverpool are not making it easy for us or themselves. Liverpool probably should have beaten at least one or two of Leicester, West Ham, and Bayern. Even matches previous – the helter skelter at Palace, the narrow win over Brighton – weren't especially great. Haven't been especially great for about, say, a month now. Since Manchester City's win over Liverpool reduced a seven-point gap to four.

And now that gap at the top of the table couldn't be narrower. One point separates Liverpool and Manchester City having played the same number of matches. City have a vastly better goal difference. City have a marginally harder schedule: still in all four competitions, at least until today's League Cup final, and a trip to United to come while Liverpool's only top-six games are at Anfield.

A draw at Old Trafford's not the worst result. But a draw at Old Trafford probably isn't good enough either.

Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth

Goals:
Mané 24'
Wijnaldum 34'
Salah 48'

I'm not gonna lie. I got worried when Liverpool opened the scoring. For the third straight match, Liverpool poured forward from the opening whistle. For the third straight match, the opposition were pushed back, but the opposition also dropped back, happy to try to contain and control in their own half from the start. And, for a while it worked, until Sadio Mané opened the scoring. For the third straight match.

Just as against Leicester, just as at West Ham. And, yes, we remember what happened from there.

But this wasn't Groundhog Day again.

The morale of the story may be "well, it's Bournemouth." And, yes, they are a lot more open side than Leicester or West Ham.

Yes, but.

Bournemouth are usually a more attacking team, especially as "rest-of-the-league" sides go. Bournemouth do concede, regularly – only the bottom four sides have allowed more goals this season. Bournemouth had lost seven consecutive away games going into this, letting in two goals in all seven.

But Bournemouth were also trying to do what both Leicester and West Ham did: concede possession, concede territory, clog the middle of the pitch, especially in the defensive third. Bournemouth were much ore a 4-5-1 than their usual 4-4-1-1/4-4-2. Bournemouth made six interceptions in the first 23 minutes, and cleared the ball from inside their own box on nine occasions. The only space Liverpool consistently found was on the flanks, especially though Robertson and Milner. Which, to be fair, has worked in the past, but is not where Liverpool are at their most effective and can also leave Liverpool susceptible to counter-attacks.

Still, that's where Liverpool's opening goal came from, as well as from a set play, even if basically in name only. Bournemouth cleared the first ball in from Milner's corner, but Keïta reclaimed, Milner crossed, and an almost-but-not-quite offside Mané headed past Boruc. Simple as that.

Bournemouth failed to keep Liverpool at further bay, as Leicester did, or try to take the game to Liverpool, as West Ham did. Liverpool kept coming. That Liverpool midfield kept pressing, and in the 34th minute, Keïta's tackle pushed the ball to Mané, then over the backline by Robertson, delightfully controlled and then finished even more sumptuously by Wijnaldum, a jaw-dropping chip over Boruc.

That's what Liverpool had been missing. The comfort of a second goal, especially one scored in the 34th minute. A goal from Liverpool's midfield, a fourth runner into the box so the defense can't focus on that front three. Now we can play Liverpool's game.

Also, good finishing is really, really good. I'm almost not surprised Liverpool needed a goal that special to get a second after the previous two matches.

It's a formality when Liverpool get their third, one of those lighting four-pass moves that breaks opponents backs, one of those lightning moves that Liverpool finds more often when they've already scored one or two. Milner's throw-in, Mané's shift inside, Keïta's remarkable pass in behind to Firmino, and a back heel just as good for Salah to run onto, of course finished into the far corner.

This is the Liverpool we know and love.

But if this was truly Liverpool at its most imperious, we've have gotten more from there. A lot more. Salah's goal was Liverpool's first clear-cut chance. They'd go on to get three more – one headed wide by Mané, the other two shot too close to Boruc on fast breaks in the final five minutes. And Salah slammed a shot off the crossbar. And Keïta ballooned the best chance he's had to score his first Liverpool goal. And. And. And.

Meanwhile, there were few if any "ands" for Bournemouth.

This is the difference that a functioning midfield makes. Wijnaldum, back in the side after missing the last match, and Keïta, increasingly excellent with increasing game time. Fabinho, more and more accustomed to playing as the deepest in a three rather than a two-man partnership, the metronome at the base, the protection against counters through the middle. Keïta had a hand in all three goals: hockey assists on the first and third, pressing to start the move for Liverpool's second. He also led the side in touches, tackles, and ball recoveries. Wijnaldum scored that second and created three chances, one clear-cut.

It was the best that Liverpool had looked in the 4-3-3 in months, and while the midfield was a big part of that, the front three played theirs as well. Goals for both Mané – his fourth in four games – and Salah. Four chances created, one clear-cut and assist, for the terrific Firmino, also denied a deserved goal late on.

But Alisson also made two good, if routine, saves and a couple of necessary punches and clearances. Neither Milner nor Robertson were exposed despite spending the majority of the match in Bournemouth's half. Matip, like Keïta, looks increasingly comfortable, this his fourth consecutive start after not playing for more than a month prior. And van Dijk remains van Dijk; yes, yes, the defending, but I will also forever rue Firmino not passing to him in the 80th minute, the 6'4" center-back charging down the pitch alongside the three-on-two fast break. You always feed the big man when he joins the fast break.

So much for Liverpool's nerves. So much for Liverpool cracking under the pressure. So much for Liverpool's crisis.

Sure, it's only Bournemouth – a side that Liverpool had beaten 4-0, 3-0, and 4-0 in the three previous meetings. But similar could be said about West Ham last Wednesday. Similar can be said about a lot of sides in this division.

Liverpool beat the one in front of them this week, winning a match by multiple goals for the first time in 2019. And they'll need to play similarly against the next one. And the one after that. And the one...

Liverpool 4-3 Crystal Palace

Goals:
Townsend 34'
Salah 46' 75'
Firmino 53'
Tomkins 65'
Mané 90+3'
Meyer 90+5'

Did you miss last season's Liverpool? Did you miss the cardiac arrest?

So many memories.

Getting brick-walled in the first half by 11 men behind the ball. An opposition goal from a first counter-attack and first shot on-target. Liverpool somehow going on to concede twice more, from a set play and a late, late scramble. Three incredibly regrettable goals from just three opposition shots on-target.

Liverpool haven't conceded three goals in a match since last season's Champions League final. They hadn't done it in the league since the 4-3 win over City almost exactly a year ago. They hadn't done it against a non-top six side since the opening day of last season.

But!

At least Liverpool can't stop scoring either, once they finally make the break-through. Mohamed Salah can't stop scoring, his 15th and 16th in the league to continue leading the division, with six in the last six games in this regression of a second season. We get goals from all of Salah, Mané, and Firmino, for just the third time this season and only the second in the league. For the first time since *checks watch* Liverpool's last home game.

We get you score, I score, we all score. We get happy. We get angry. We get multiple heart attacks.

There are reminders, multiple reminders, but it's not quite last season's Liverpool.

No matter the threat of dropping points against a side that you shouldn't be dropping points against, a side that's given Liverpool multiple problems in recent meetings, managed by a frequent foil and, yes, former manager.

No matter going behind, going into halftime behind. No matter conceding from one of the easiest set plays you'll see. No matter conceding three times, three very last-season-Liverpool goals, from just three opposition shots on-target.

No matter the scares, no matter the set-backs.

No matter the pressure of leading the league.

This season's Liverpool does not crumble so easily. This season's Liverpool still isn't last season's Liverpool. Take the lead? Fine, we'll come back. Get an equalizer against the run of play? We're not done here yet.

But holy wow were we frightened.

We were frightened when Townsend gave Palace the lead in the 34th minute despite Liverpool having something like 90% possession before hand. The press fully engaged with the front six all chasing, the press broken by McArthur somehow retaining possession then finding van Aanholt in space, to Zaha one-on-one with Milner, Zaha to the byline and Townsend to the penalty spot for the cut-back.

We were frightened when Palace equalized at 2-2 after Liverpool's flurry to start the second half. Salah gets Liverpool back in the game within a minute, cheekily poaching van Dijk's deflected shot from distance with an outside-of-the-boot flick; Firmino gives Liverpool the lead with a bobbling deflected shot after good work from Robertson and Keïta.

We're celebrating. We're thankful. We're proud of this season's Liverpool's perseverance, skill, and fortune. But then we're punished. Thanks to Palace's first corner and the easiest header that James Tomkins will ever have, rising highest when Ayew pins van Dijk out of position and neither Fabinho nor Keïta can cover.

0-1, 2-1, 2-2. The specter of dropped points despite having a lead, something that plagued Liverpool often last season. The specter of dropped points against Crystal Palace, against Roy Hodgson, when the gap with Manchester City is still uncomfortably narrow and City are facing the worst side in the division tomorrow.

But it ain't over yet. And fortune continues to favor the good. And Mohamed Salah continues to be in the right place at the right time. Sustained possession, Fabinho wide to Milner, but his byline cross too close to Speroni. But! Speroni – 37 and making his first start in 13 months – tips it up rather than out. But! Mohamed Salah is on hand to jam it in from an actual inch out, most likely going over the line for an own goal anyway but let's not take chances here.

Phew.

It looks like we're done here when Mané finally finishes one of Liverpool's multiple fast breaks, slamming in from a wide angle in the 93rd minute, but there are no easy minutes today. Not when James Milner's been sent off a few minutes before because a second yellow on Zaha – who tormented the stand-in right back whenever given the chance. Not when we're finishing with ten men, with Adam Lallana in central midfield and with Firmino then debutant Rafa Camacho as replacement right-backs.

Not when we're emulating last season's Liverpool.

So we're left to sweat and shake and swear when Max Meyer scores in the final minute of injury time, with a right-flank cross into Wickham laid off perfectly, substitute to substitute. We're sweating and shaking and swearing as we play past the 95th minute, with the game ending on van Aanholt's shot from distance, sent gratefully into the stands rather than the back of the net.

But then we're celebrating again, as we've done in the vast majority of matches this season. Because Liverpool's won again, not in the way we've become accustomed to, but as hearteningly and necessarily as every win's been this season.

For all faults, for any faults, this Liverpool team does not stop. And that alone – no matter the talent and no matter the fortune – makes them different than any other Liverpool side in recent memory.

Liverpool 5-1 Arsenal

Goals:
Maitland Niles 11'
Firmino 14' 16' 65' [pen]
Mané 32'
Salah 45+2' [pen]

We've lived through three full days of nothing but title talk. A seven-point gap with supposedly all-conquering Manchester City. A six-point gap with Tottenham, which could be nine because of their loss to Wolves earlier today. We're midway through the season and Liverpool top the league.

That's a lot of pressure for a Liverpool side which has capitulated in similar conditions in previous seasons. And that pressure's massively compounded by Arsenal opening the scoring in the 11th minute. Liverpool are forced into trying to play out from the back, not with heavy Arsenal pressing but with passing lanes very much blocked off. It's not quite lackadaisical but Liverpool certainly aren't at their sharpest. And they're warned a minute earlier when Fabinho's cross field pass is intercepted, with Iwobi's shot saved by Alisson. Less than a minute later, Lovren's skied clearance is picked off, Iwobi to Kolasinac to Iwobi, a low cross behind van Dijk and Robertson to Maitland-Niles at the back post.

It's the earliest goal Liverpool have conceded this season. It's just the third time they've conceded either an opening goal or a first-half goal in the league. It's absolutely a setback.

It ain't a setback for long.

Three minutes, in fact. There's Firmino, following up Salah's run into the box, in place to tap in following two deflections after Salah's tacked by Kolasinac. He played the pass into Salah and kept going, and he emphasized the finish with yet another no-look goal. Then there's Firmino again, slaloming through Arsenal's defense after Mané's pressing led to possession, putting both Mustafi and Sokratis on their butts before beating Leno. Two goals in two minutes from a player who hadn't scored at Anfield since April, scrappy then sublime.

There's Firmino, and there's Liverpool, in the lead against one of the tougher opponents they'll face this campaign – one of three sides to take points off of Liverpool in the first half of the season – less than five minutes after conceding first.

And from there, it's Arsenal against Liverpool at Anfield as usual. A fixture that's finished 4-0 and 3-1 in the previous two seasons, and memorably finished 5-1 in 2013-14.

Mané adds a third in the 32nd minute when Arsenal initially clear a corner but can't handle the second cross in, Robertson perfectly to Salah at the back post, touched directly into Mané's stride. Salah adds a fourth just before halftime, from the penalty spot after being pulled down in a similar manner to that against Newcastle.

From 0-1 to 4-1, against the fourth- or fifth-best side in the league, in less than 35 minutes.

The second half's a formality, as it was in this fixture last season. Arsenal are in damage control mode. Liverpool get a fifth just about midway through, a second penalty in the match and third at Anfield in two games after going more than a year without a single spot kick at home in the league. Firmino takes it this time and Firmino gets his hat-trick. Firmino gets his first Liverpool hat-trick, the fifth player to do so under Klopp. Salah, Firmino, and Mané all score in the same game for the second time this season, the first in the league, after doing it eight times last season. Liverpool give Mané, Wijnaldum, and Robertson a bit of rest, Liverpool don't do anything stupid, and Liverpool take it easy for about half an hour, which is absolutely fine by me, especially considering the next match in five days, and especially after that first half. Especially after going behind in that first half.

Liverpool have played eight games this month. In 28 days. Two a week for four straight weeks. And they've won every damned one of them. Two by a 1-0 margin, one by a 2-0 margin, and five where Liverpool scored at least three and won by at least two. Five clean sheets, two 3-1 wins, and this 5-1 win.

December usually sucks, because fixture congestion almost always sucks. December went a long way in dooming title challenges in both 2008-09 and 2013-14. December has definitely not sucked this season.

Compare that to the month that Liverpool's rivals' have had. Chelsea and Arsenal – the latter prior to today – each lost twice. Tottenham burst into life over the last 10 days, but then completely fell apart in the last third of today's loss. And City have lost three of their last six in all competitions, with three of the last four in the league.

Liverpool are unbeaten. In all of December and through 20 games of the league campaign. And Liverpool will go into 2019 at the top of the league, by at least seven points.

2018 has been very good, which makes it very, very possible that the 2018-19 season will be very, very good. But there's still the small matter of 2019, of the eighteen league matches still to come. The first of which will be against the team most likely in second at the time, who also happen to be the defending league champions.

Liverpool at Wolves 12.21.18

3pm ET, live in the US on NBC Sports

Last four head-to-head:
1-2 Wolves (h; FA Cup) 28.01.17
3-0 Liverpool (a) 31.01.12
2-1 Liverpool (h) 09.24.11
3-0 Liverpool (a) 01.22.11

Last three matches:
Liverpool: 3-1 United (h); 1-0 Napoli (h); 4-0 Bournemouth (h)
Wolves: 2-0 Bournemouth (h); 2-1 Newcastle (a); 2-1 Chelsea (h)

Goal-scorers (league):
Liverpool: Salah 10; Mané 7; Shaqiri 5; Firmino 4; Milner 3; Sturridge 2; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Origi, Wijnaldum 1
Wolves: Jimenez 5; Cavaleiro, Doherty 3; Jota, Neves 2; Boly, Jonny, Moutinho, Traore 1

Referee: Craig Pawson (LFC History) (WhoScored)

Guess at a line-up:
Alisson
Clyne Lovren van Dijk Robertson
Wijnaldum Fabinho
Shaqiri Firmino Mané
Salah

We're about enter the absolute meat of the festive season, but Liverpool have it easier than most, with five days until the next match and the most rest days of any side during the next two weeks. They aren't the softest of fixtures – Arsenal at home, City away, and this match, away at an unsurprisingly competent promoted side – but Liverpool will at least have a few days off between each.

So I'm unsure just how much rotation we'll see tomorrow. But this season's Liverpool often has me unsure as to how much rotation we'll see, in any match.

Milner may return tomorrow. Alexander-Arnold will probably be back for the next match, although this comes too soon. So chances are Clyne stays at right back. And both Matip and Gomez are out for a few more weeks, so unless we're throwing one of the babies in, Lovren and van Dijk will remain the center-backs. Otherwise, it'll basically be first-choice available in every position. The questions are whether Klopp thinks all those first-choice players can handle the work load, who Klopp actually considers first-choice, and what formation they'll be playing in.

So, as has become typical with this season's previews, I've thrown my hands up and guessed almost exactly what we saw against United, but with Shaqiri coming in for Keïta. Because why the hell not. But I wouldn't be surprised to see Henderson in midfield, or 4-3-3. I wouldn't be surprised to see a couple of near-permanent players rested, whether it's Robertson or Wijnaldum or Firmino or Mané. Sturridge remains an option up front, in either preferred formation used this season.

Having four games over 13 days will tell us quite a bit about how Klopp sees this squad. And how good this squad actually is.

Meanwhile, Wolves. Before the start of the season, they threatened to be one of the strongest promoted sides in recent memory, and so far they've proven to be so. They're currently seventh, a point behind United in the race to be best of the rest. Sure, they wobbled in October and November, losing five and drawing once, but have won three in a row since, including a 2-1 home win over Chelsea.

Nuno Espirito Santo has stuck with a three at-the-back formation of late, whether 3-4-2-1, 3-4-3, or 3-4-1-2. Tomorrow's suggested to be 3-4-1-2 given the way that 18-year-old Morgan Gibbs-White has played recently. He's likely to sit in the hole behind two strikers, but has also played as the most advanced attacker.

So it'll be something like Rui Patricio; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Moutinho, Neves, Jonny; Gibbs-White; Jimenez, Costa. Diego Jota is out injured, picking up a hamstring problem in last weekend's match. Adama Traore has been a substitute more often than not, but could be used for his pace on the counter, while Ivan Cavaleiro is another option in attack. Special mention for Liverpool Academy graduate Conor Coady, who's established himself as both a center-back – used primarily as a defensive midfielder when at Liverpool – and Wolves' captain.

Wolves have been excellent against the top-six so far this season, losing to Tottenham at home but beating Chelsea and drawing with City, Arsenal, and United. They're very good on the counter and good at not conceding, with only Tottenham, Chelsea, City, and Liverpool allowing fewer goals. They've only kept five league clean sheets but have only conceded more than twice in one match this season: the aforementioned 2-3 loss to Tottenham.

But Liverpool have been excellent against almost everyone, dominating few but beating most. Still, this isn't your usual match against promoted opposition, with Wolves far better than the usual promoted opposition and a packed fixture list about to get even more full. This can't be the place where Liverpool slip up.

Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United

Goals:
Mané 24'
Lingard 33'
Shaqiri 73' 80'

It was all set up for another Mourinho Moment.

I do not need or want to list the litany of disappointments and failures against Jose Mourinho's sides, whether at Chelsea or United. It has felt like voodoo at times, Mourinho's deal with the devil fully in focus.

This looked all set to be another example. Another example made especially worse because Liverpool were actually good.

Liverpool were doing the pressing and the possession and the rolling at an opponent like an incoming tide. After a fourth minute United set play that frightened, with Young's delivery past everyone into the net but Lukaku rightfully ruled offside, United couldn't get out, Liverpool kept coming, Liverpool kept shooting.

Sure, most of Liverpool's shots were from distance, because that's what Mourinho defenses force, but the goal felt coming because Liverpool kept coming. And then it came, wonderfully, in the 24th minute: Fabinho's delicious pass over United's five-man defense finding Mané's run, chest control, weaker foot goal past De Gea.

1-0, three-quarters of the match to go, this is gonna be fun. But then it wasn't. Out of nothing, United attack down Liverpool's right, the midfield bypassed, Lukaku with the ball on the flank, Dalot open behind Robertson for the low cross. But when the low cross came in, it's headed straight for Alisson instead of Dalot. Phew. Except not, because Alisson spills the ball when claiming, bouncing off his knee directly to Jesse Lingard. The goal keeper who's saved Liverpool multiple times already this season – including in the 92nd minute of the Champions League just five days ago – literally hands an equalizer to the most hated of rivals.

Life is not fair. It is not just that Mourinho's sides frustrate and shut down, but all sorts of evil somehow arises. Gerrard's slip. Ibrahimovic's late offside equalizer. Multiple 0-0s with missed chances and uncalled penalties. And now Alisson's flub.

And now we can go full Mourinho. Liverpool, still in control, still in possession. Liverpool, still shooting from distance, more and more with worse and worse result. To make matters worse, Fellaini replaced Dalot to start the second half, a shift away from the basically 3-4-1-2 to a basically 4-4-1-1, with Fellaini there to man-mark Firmino when out of possession and win headers when in.

Now we've actually reached Full Mourinho.

And we're frustrated. And we're pegging shots from nowhere that almost certainly aren't going in, first the forwards, then the midfielders, and then even the center-backs, with both Lovren and van Dijk even "trying" their luck. 29 shots by the 72nd minute, 15 of them from outside the box, 14 of them blocked. It's all set up for torture, it's all set up for pain.

But then Xherdan Shaqiri comes into the game. Less than two minutes later, Liverpool are in front. Less than ten minutes later, Liverpool are 3-1 up. With both goals from Liverpool's substitute.

It is better to be lucky than good. It is best to be lucky and good. Wijnaldum's long cross-field finds Robertson, who gets the ball to Mané. The run to the byline's dangerous. The cut-back can go anywhere after Matic's touch and De Gea's kick save. It falls to Shaqiri, who thankfully gets there before Clyne, smart enough to make the run into the box as United's defenders retreat to the six-yard box, his shot arrowing in off both Ashley Young and the underside of the cross bar.

Seven minutes later, that man again. Liverpool counter, Mané to Shaqiri to Firmino, laid off hopefully for Salah but again somehow magnetized for Shaqiri's boot, then magnetized to find a United defender and United's goal, a massive swerve off Bailly's knee beating De Gea.

It could not be more heartening for Liverpool, because it could not be more dispiriting for Manchester United. They've got to suffer through ten more minutes after Shaqiri seals the game – ten more minutes with more Liverpool chances, ten more minutes with Anfield alternately singing in full voice and shouting "Olé!" as Liverpool rub salt in all the wounds.

Now, Liverpool return to the top of the table. Now, Manchester United are closer to the 20th-placed side than to Liverpool, with 19 points separating the two teams as we enter the third week of December.

It is further evidence of Liverpool's strength in depth, with yet another crucial substitute goal. Two, in fact.

It is further evidence of Liverpool's versatility, with another return to the 4-2-3-1 formation, but with Keïta wide left, Mané on the right, Clyne making his first league start in forever, and Firmino pretty much everywhere. Shaqiri's entrance shifted Mané to the other flank, where he was able to set up Liverpool's winner, then Henderson's entrance saw Liverpool in a 4-3-3 to both shut down proceedings and counter more effectively.

It is further evidence that Liverpool have good players, with Fabinho superlative, Firmino and van Dijk not far off, Wijnaldum metronomic, Robertson still running up and down the touchline, and a sumptuous goal from Sadio Mané. All this without Salah having the impact we always hope he'll have.

It is further evidence that this might actually be Liverpool's time. The frustration ultimately ends if Liverpool keep doing Liverpool. The voodoo gets broken. The bad guys lose in the end. No matter the egregious error equalizer, no matter the fifty minutes of frustration. Mourinho can't do this every time, United can't do this every time.

Not to this version of Liverpool.

Liverpool 4-0 Bournemouth

Goals:
Salah 25' 48' 77'
Cook OG 68'

That was about a good as it gets.

Sure, we've seen more thorough beat-downs. We've seen more comprehensive performances. But that was comfortable, despite being away from home, in the midst of a run about about a million games a month, and with five changes and a different formation from Wednesday's similarly heartening win at Burnley.

Liverpool monopolize the ball for the opening 25 minutes until scoring, a well-taken but fortunate goal with Salah just offside on the rebound to Firmino's shot from distance. Liverpool then slowly invite Bournemouth forward but remain untested, limiting shots and dealing with multiple Bournemouth corners.

Then Liverpool pull away in the second half. The all-important second comes within three minutes of the restart via Liverpool's press. Firmino robs Lerma and feeds Salah, staying on his feet despite a foul from Cook, bursting past Daniels to score an archetypal Salah goal. The game-killing third comes midway through the half, cross field from Firmino to Salah to Robertson to Fabinho to Robertson, a vicious cross towards Mané pinballed into the net by Cook. The fourth is just rude, with Salah twice dancing around Begovic after receiving Robertson's pass following an interception, waltzing towards goal as three Bournemouth players retreat to the goal line, unable to prevent the tap in.

It's a rolling tide for the first quarter of the game, then an older brother holding the younger at arm's length while intermittently counter-punching to remind each of their station for the other three-quarters. And it's not as if Bournemouth are a bad side, massively improving on last season's performances, in a dead heat with Everton and United as "best of the rest."

Mo Salah scores a hat-trick, now joint-top scorer in the league despite having a "bad" season so far. Keïta and Fabinho start together for the first time – with all four of Liverpool's summer signings in the XI – even if the former played on the left flank. Liverpool demonstrated their depth, with five changes from Wednesday's side which had seven changes from last Sunday's side. Liverpool were versatile, with Keïta on the left flank, Milner at right back, and Firmino and Salah more of a strike partnership in a 4-2-2-2 rather than the 4-2-3-1 we've seen more often. Mané returned from the cut on his foot, Lallana returned from whatever injury kept him out this time.

It was a team-wide performance, with no scapegoats in the slightest and headlined by Salah, who'll take a ton of confidence from this productivity. He's now scored 42 league goals for Liverpool in just 52 appearances, the most of any player under Klopp and faster to the mark than any other Liverpool player in the Premier League era. And at the other end of the pitch, Liverpool kept its tenth clean sheet in 16 Premier League games, conceding just once in the five games since that annoying 1-1 draw at Arsenal. Liverpool continue with its best start to a top-flight campaign in the club's history, now top of the table for at least a couple of hours.

It wasn't great, but that's what makes it good. We've still not hit the dizzying heights of last season, but it's all coming together in these last five matches. Diligent and mostly comfortable in three of the five, a tenacious comeback in the fourth, and that Merseyside Derby. Still unbeaten, still neck and neck with Manchester City.

Right when the season starts to get serious.

Liverpool at Burnley 12.05.18

2:45pm ET, live in the US on NBC Sports Gold

Last four head-to-head:
2-1 Liverpool (a) 01.01.18
1-1 (h) 09.16.17
2-1 Liverpool (h) 03.12.17
0-2 Burnley (a) 08.20.16

Last three matches:
Liverpool: 1-0 Everton (h); 1-2 PSG (a); 3-0 Watford (a)
Burnley: 0-2 Palace (a); 1-2 Newcastle (h); 0-0 Leicester (a)

Goal-scorers (league):
Liverpool: Salah 7; Mané 6; Firmino 3; Milner, Shaqiri, Sturridge 2; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Origi, Wijnaldum 1
Burnley: Vokes 3; Barnes, Gudmundsson, Tarkowski 2; Hendrick, Lennon, Vydra, Wood 1

Referee: Stuart Attwell (LFC History) (WhoScored)

Guess at a line-up:
Alisson
Trent A-A Gomez van Dijk Moreno
Milner Henderson Keïta
Salah Sturridge Shaqiri

The first midweek league match of the season. The second of eight matches in December.

You have to assume there will be changes, will be rotation. But your guess is as good as mine as to how or whom.

What formation Liverpool plays is probably dependent on who plays. So let's guess a few absentees. There are two new injury doubts: Mané's got a cut on his foot which needed stitches, Robertson has a minor knock. Firmino's struggled for form. Liverpool have five available midfielders with Keïta fit and Henderson back from suspension.

With Mané potentially absent, Sturridge or Origi in line for a start, and all the central midfielders in contention, 4-3-3 seems more likely. I'm dubious of completely changing the midfield, but Fabinho's struggled in 4-3-3 and Wijnaldum's played more minutes than any other midfielder so far. So, there's the above guess, along with the preferred back four but with Moreno for Robertson, although I wouldn't be surprised to see Lovren or Matip either. But that's almost certainly going to be wrong in some places.

I wouldn't be completely surprised to see something more a 4-4-2 than the 4-2-3-1 we've seen lately, with two from Sturridge, Firmino, Origi and possibly Salah up front, but I'm also skeptical. If Firmino plays with another striker, it'll probably be 4-2-3-1. Origi's goal on Sunday is a wonderful story, but I doubt it makes him more likely to start matches, at least at this point.

Meanwhile, Burnley. Yikes. Karma catches up with you eventually.

Burnley had been the wizards of the Premier League in the previous two seasons. Over-performing both xG and xG against. A supremely difficult side to play again, allowing a ton of shots but very few good shots, and conceding surprisingly few goals while scoring *just enough.*

That hasn't been the case this season. At all. Well, they're still over-performing xG both for and against, although not by a ton. They've just been bad at the football. Only Huddersfield, Palace, Newcastle, and Southampton have scored fewer goals. Only Fulham has conceded more goals. They're 19th place, a point ahead of Fulham. They haven't won in more than two months, with five losses and two draws since the end of September.

And the only real line-up change from last season is Joe Hart in goal, so make of that what you will.

Burnley can't even blame injuries or absentees, other than Hart starting ahead of Nick Pope. They've again had one of the more settled sides in the league. Sure, Defour, Brady, and Tarkowski are doubtful for tomorrow's match, but the latter seems likely to start anyway and Burnley have experienced replacements for the two others.

If both Brady and Defour miss out, it'll probably be Hart; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Lennon, Westwood, Cork, Gudmundsson; Hendrick; Wood. Either Vokes or Barnes could start ahead of Wood up front. Maybe Burnley go more 4-4-2 with one of them paired with Wood in place of Hendrick. If Defour's available, he'll replace Westwood. If Brady is, he could play on either flank.

For all of Burnley's struggles, I remain nervous. A midweek match, with key players likely absent for Liverpool. An opponent who's given them problems in the past, no matter current form; last season's 1-1 at Anfield, the 0-2 at Burnley in 2016-17, even last season's 2-1 win at Burnley, decided thanks to Ragnar Klavan's only league goal for Liverpool, scored in the 90th minute. Liverpool are coming off a massive, morale-boosting win, but one achieved via fluke rather than force. Liverpool still aren't in the best form either, especially going forward.

We're reaching the point of the season where it doesn't matter how wins are achieved, with this many matches in quick succession, with crucial players needing rest or recuperation. Which, to be fair, is how we've felt for almost the entire season so far – a record amount of points at this phase of the season for Liverpool, but earned without ever truly impressing.

No matter. Just keep doing that. By any means necessary.

Liverpool 1-0 Everton

Goals:
Origi 90+6'

I cannot even. How are you even supposed to summarize that.

It's 0-0 for 95 minutes. It's a typical Merseyside Derby score line without being a typical Merseyside Derby. There are actual, honest-to-goodness chances. For both sides. There is actual, honest-to-goodness football. From both sides. Both sides press, both sides attack, both sides are denied goals only due to incredible defending or errant finishing. Four clear-cut chances from Liverpool, two from Everton. There are only a handful of vicious tackles, play acting, or any of the other ugly that's become all too typical in this fixture, although Everton had clearly retreated deeper and deeper in the second half, happy to maintain their point.

But it's still 0-0.

And then Liverpool have a free kick. It's unsurprisingly a scramble, seemingly ending with van Dijk's errant volley skyward rather than at goal. But it's one of those awkward, arcing efforts where the goalkeeper's not entirely sure whether he's going to need to tip it over. Jordan Pickford, with his wee little arms, goes to tip it over. And he completely fails, somehow pushing it onto the crossbar, deflecting directly to Divock Origi about a yard out from goal. Divock Origi, who has not played a league game for Liverpool since August 2017.

1-0. With the clock at 95:08.

I cannot even.

It's even better than a 4-0 riot. It's even better than Sadio Mané in the 94th minute at Goodison. It might even be better than McAllister's free kick from absolutely nowhere at the absolute death at their place, and that was more than 17 years ago. Just because of the comedy. The utter failure. The "why always us????". It could not be funnier. It could not be crueler. Supporting Everton must be the absolute worst. I'd feel bad except, well, you know.

So, yeah, we can analyze a bit, but where's the fun in that? Liverpool reverted to 4-2-3-1, the familiar iteration with Fabinho and Wijnaldum holding, Shaqiri on the right, Firmino in the hole but at least further forward than we've seen in more frustrated fixtures. Liverpool were better in attack, although it certainly helps that Everton wanted to press and attack more than other recent opponents. Liverpool still had problems in attack, at least in finishing. Mané firing over in the 12th minute, set up by Wijnaldum's final third regain and Salah's chip. Shaqiri in on goal later in the first half, set up by Fabinho's pressing tackle and Salah's through ball, the shot too close to Pickford. Mané in on goal in the second half, Fabinho again, this time flicking a long pass towards Firmino, chest control, through ball, shot pushed wide.

But at the same time, Liverpool were tested. Yerry Mina's set play header wide in the 4th minute, offside but uncalled. Alisson somehow denying Andre Gomes' header in the 21st, a point blank save then cleared off the line at the last possible second by Joe Gomez. Both sides looking to press, both sides sending their full-backs forward, both sides with spells of pressure and dominance with the ball trapped at the opponents end of the pitch meant we got a surprisingly open match, at least for the first half. It was more familiar in the second half, with Everton dropping increasingly deep, Everton increasingly happy to ugly the match, Liverpool increasingly frustrated and tired, but Richarlison remained a threat on the counter, supported by Sigurðsson and two attacking full-backs.

Klopp threw all but the kitchen sink at proceedings, bringing on Keïta for Shaqiri for increased dynamism in midfield and Sturridge for Salah for a more orthodox striker, then went with the kitchen sink in Origi for Firmino. Everton were happier to hold what they had, Lookman for Walcott – for increased counter-attacking pace – the only substitution that mattered until time-wasting changes at the very end. And despite Liverpool's efforts, because of Everton's efforts, this still looked likely to end in frustration, as in both Merseyside Derbies last season.

Then that moment happened. Jordan Pickford happened. Divock Origi happened, karmic payback for the career changing injury he suffered against Everton two and a half years ago.

Liverpool happened to Everton, as Liverpool seems to always happen to Everton.

The little brother just cannot get a break against the bigger. And I cannot stop laughing.

Liverpool v Everton 12.02.18

11:15am ET, live in the US on NBC Sports

Last four head-to-head:
0-0 (a) 04.07.18
2-1 Liverpool (h; FA Cup) 01.05.18
1-1 (h) 12.10.17
3-1 Liverpool (h) 04.01.17

Last three matches:
Liverpool: 1-2 PSG (a); 3-0 Watford (a); 2-0 Fulham (h)
Everton: 1-0 Cardiff (h); 0-0 Chelsea (a); 3-1 Brighton (h)

Goal scorers (league):
Liverpool: Salah 7; Mané 6; Firmino 3; Milner, Shaqiri, Sturridge 2; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Wijnaldum 1
Everton: Richarlison, Sigurðsson 6; Calvert-Lewin, Tosun, Walcott 2; Coleman, Keane 1

Referee: Chris Kavanagh (LFC History) (WhoScored)

Guess at a line-up:
Alisson
Trent A-A Gomez van Dijk Robertson
Fabinho Wijnaldum
Shaqiri Firmino Mané
Salah

Is the Merseyside Derby more or less fun when Everton is actually decent?

It's been a while since we were nervous going into this match. Even when Liverpool are off-form, Everton usually aren't much better. And Everton always come into the match with a massive inferiority complex. Sometimes it leads to last season's league meetings, a dire 0-0 at Goodison, an unfortunate and almost unfair 1-1 at Anfield. Slow, slow deaths rather than fire and fury.

But Everton have a new, more progressive manager. Everton are in good form. Everton press, Everton attack, Everton actually score. And Liverpool – despite still unbeaten in the league, despite still second in the league and actually almost keeping pace with Manchester City – are doing those things intermittently, are doing those things less than in the last season or two.

Everton are more free-flowing compared to previous iterations. Liverpool are grittier, uglier. Does this change the way either side almost always approaches the Merseyside Derby?

Wednesday's match at Paris St-Germain was something of an advertisement for this season's 4-2-3-1 formation. Or, at least, an explanation why Liverpool have been using that rather than the 4-3-3. If the attack's going to struggle, if chances are fewer and farther between, it makes sense to get more attackers who can create and shoot and score on the pitch. So it seems as if Liverpool will do so again.

That Henderson is suspended after last week's red card seemingly makes that more likely. Fabinho hasn't looked great as the holding midfielder in a three-man unit. Wijnaldum can play there, but hasn't so far this season. Chances are we see those two as a pairing, but Wijnaldum-Milner-Keïta isn't completely out of the question if Klopp decides to stick with the 4-3-3. That should, at least, be a more dynamic unit than that deployed in France. And even in the 4-2-3-1, Fabinho or Keïta seems a valid question now that the latter is fit, with Wijnaldum capable of playing in a more reserved role and Keïta more likely than any other Liverpool midfield to break lines and add to the attack.

Just do more of the attack, Liverpool. Fix the attack, Liverpool. The defense is doing more than fine at the other end of the pitch.

Meanwhile, Everton. The first of the rest outside the top five, a point ahead of Manchester United. Marco Silva's got Everton doing well enough at the sharp end of the piych – 10th in the league in xG, sixth in shots taken, doing more through volume rather than precision – but they're much better in defense, fourth in shots allowed, eighth in xG allowed, and fifth in goals allowed. Much better defensively, I'll add, under Marco Silva than "defensive manager" Sam Allardyce.

Everton's defense starts in midfield. It starts with Idrissa Gueye, superlative at closing angles and taking the ball away from the opposition. That sort of one-man midfield wall makes me nervous given Liverpool struggles progressing from midfield to attack when in possession. Gueye's the sort of midfield who'll cut out all those entry passes to Salah and Firmino when Liverpool try to advance into dangerous attacking positions.

Get around Gueye and that's a defense that can be gotten at, whether it's Andre Gomes' lack of extra protection or Coleman and Digne's attacking from fullback or Keane's ability to commit errors at unwelcome times or Yerry Mina still acclimatizing to Everton and to England. It's getting around Gueye that's harder than it seems.

The XI seems likely to be Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Mina, Digne; Gomes, Gueye; Walcott, Sigurðsson, Bernard; Richarlison. That's the side used against both Chelsea and Cardiff in the last two matches. Ten of those 11 started the three previous matches as well, with only Zouma preferred to Yerry Mina. Everton have no real injuries and a fairly settled XI. Maybe Lookman replaces Walcott or Bernard, or Tosun or Calvert-Lewin start up top with Richarlison on the flanks, but that's about it. I find it hard to believe they'll change tack that much going into this.

As crucial as Gueye is to Everton's defense, Sigurðsson and Richarlison are to Everton's attack. Richarlison on fast breaks, Richardlison on the end of crosses and through balls. Sigurðsson from distance, Sigurðsson from set plays, whether the corner cross in or direct free kicks. Six goals each, through just 13 matches. Everton's top scorer last season was Wayne Rooney, who scored all of ten goals through the entire campaign.

Everton are dangerous opponents. Everton are an honest-to-goodness decent side. But, then again, I'm yet to be convinced that form actually matters in this match. Everton haven't won a derby since 2010, when Roy Hodgson was Liverpool's manager. Everton haven't won at Anfield since 1999, when Trent Alexander-Arnold was 11 months old. Until proven otherwise, Everton need to demonstrate they can do more than ugly up these matches. Everton still need to prove that they can compete.

However, this is the Everton side best-placed to compete in a very long time.

Liverpool 3-0 Watford

Goals:
Salah 67'
Alexander-Arnold 76'
Firmino 89'

The Liverpool "it ain't great but hey we won" train continues apace.

3-0 absolutely flatters Liverpool. More than two-thirds of that game was not fun. 69% possession in the first half, no shots until the 39th minute. Somewhere between a six- and eight-man back line from Watford more often than not and no space for Liverpool's attackers to even get on the ball, whether it's Salah again up front and marshaled by both center-backs, or Firmino dropping so deep he's taking the ball off of center-backs, or Henderson passing backwards, or etc etc etc. All the frequent complaints when Liverpool stutter and stumble so far this season.

There was a little bit of a flurry at the end of the first half, with Firmino's snap shot, Mané's acrobatics, and Salah's set play header all saved by Foster, but it certainly was nowhere near convincing. Not even during that six-minute spell.

Meanwhile, Watford had the ball in the net in the second minute, Deeney flicking on a goal kick to an narrowly offside Deulofeu, in behind van Dijk. Watford forced the toughest save of the first half, Pereyra's blast denied by Alisson in the 39th minute. Watford could have had a penalty when Robertson *may* have unnecessarily fouled Hughes in the 55th minute – even replays didn't confirm whether contact actually happened.

But then Liverpool did a good. Finally. Firmino, pushing into the final third, receives the centered pass from Robertson, looks up, and finds Mané in behind with a through ball, perfectly timed and weighted. Mané's center finds Salah, somehow, with three defenders lurking in proximity, his first-time shot at Ben Foster awkwardly, the keeper unable to get down or kick clear.

That's seven goals in the league, through 13 games, with two more in the Champions League. Seven goals, despite a change in position, playing closer to center-backs for the majority of the season. Seven goals, despite being more closesly marked, with the entire league well aware of what Mo's capable of doing. Seven goals, despite being "off-form." Well, off-form compared to last season's wonder show.

And once Liverpool scored, it wasn't long until Liverpool switched to 4-3-3, with Milner replacing Shaqiri. Get the goal, open the opposition, free the front three. And then Liverpool were off, first from a set play and then, finally, from a counter-attack.

Dead ball situations are crucial to breaking down packed defenses. And Trent Alexander-Arnold, even when not in the best of form, is very good at dead ball situations, rifling a free kick similar to that against Hoffenheim last season. Nine minutes after Salah opened the scoring. From frustration to comfort in the space of two shots in less than ten minutes.

Henderson's second yellow – which definitely seemed coming for a good five-to-ten minutes – gave us a touch of drama in the final ten minutes, but there was no real riposte from Watford before Liverpool added a third, Robertson tearing down the left on the break, eluding a desperate tackle, centering for Mané. Denied by Foster, but cheekily headed in by Firmino. So much for Firmino's lack of form or finishing as well, I guess.

And here we are again. As against Palace, Brighton, Huddersfield, Fulham, etc. Stolid but solid. And just potent enough. It's getting harder to say that better is coming. It's getting harder to blame new acquisitions for Liverpool's change in formation, especially since Fabinho didn't even start.

Maybe this is the new normal. But, still unbeaten in the league, just two points behind Manchester City and having dropped just four points through a third of the campaign, it's hard to complain about results. If not the process.

Liverpool 2-0 Fulham

Goals:
Salah 41'
Shaqiri 53'

A match in keeping with the rest of Liverpool's season so far.

Liverpool absolutely merited a win, but we're still nowhere near what Liverpool feels capable of. The attack's ragged more often than not. Clear-cut chances remain hard to come by. 4-2-3-1 still seems something of a band-aid, a way to fit both Fabinho and Shaqiri into a more comfortable formation despite sometimes feeling as if it's at the expense of Salah and Firmino, the former less influential up top, the latter dropping incredibly deep to link play.

And Liverpool remained lucky, as they've been for the majority of the season so far, both in their opening goal just before halftime as well as not already being behind before scoring it. For all of Liverpool's unsurprising possession, Fulham had the best chance of the opening half-hour, a goal kick from Sergio Rico, a flick-on by Mitrovic, Sessegnon somehow through Gomez's attempted tackle and one-on-one with Alisson only to push his shot wide. Play continued in a similar pattern, Liverpool possession and infrequent Fulham counters until a corner for the away side in the 40th minute, taken short, with a marginal – very, very marginal – offside decision ruling out Mitrovic's "goal."

Fulham are rightfully annoyed. It's just about offside, but you've seen them missed. And Liverpool are clever. Alisson immediately spreads play out to Alexander-Arnold. Look up, Salah's sprinting. Salah gets the pass, charging down the right flank – again, where he's far more likely to do damage. Salah's in behind, one-on-one with the keeper. And you know what happens in that situation.

And Fulham's game plan is boned. Teams have continued to bunker against Liverpool even after Liverpool takes a 1-0 lead this season – see: Palace, Brighton, Huddersfield, etc – hoping to capitalize on a counter or a set play or a mistake. The potential for 1-1 remains almost as good as 0-0 or 0-1 against Liverpool, especially at Anfield. A draw's all you've got the right to legitimately hope for anyway.

But now Liverpool start to turn the screws a bit more, especially after halftime. And it only takes eight minutes for 1-0 to turn into 2-0. Fulham, so close to opening the scoring on a set play. Liverpool, sealing the game on a set play. Alexander-Arnold's corner is cleared out to van Dijk, controlling on the left flank. Fulham start to come out. Liverpool see it and destroy it, Robertson's cross pin-point to an open Shaqiri on the back post, Fulham's defensive line shredded, a volleyed tap-in under no pressure.

2-0 is not 1-0. Liverpool *knocks on every piece of wood in arm's length* don't drop two-goal leads anymore.

From there, cruise control. Possession's easy. Fulham gets nothing, smothered and covered, limited to two shots from distance over the final 35 minutes, both from outside the box, Schürrle immediately blocked, Mitrovic nowhere close. Liverpool have a couple of chances, but Robertson and Firmino have shots saved and we get a bit more "close but no cigar" on a couple of counter-attacks. Same as it ever was: a little frustrating that Liverpool aren't out there slicing heads off, but more than good enough to get the needed result.

No matter the issues, Liverpool won, comprehensively if not dominantly. It was all but a formality when Liverpool scored a second, if not when Liverpool scored the first.

It was like Cardiff, but without both the opposition's consolation and Liverpool running up the score in the last five minutes. It was like Crystal Palace, the same result but that was away from home with this at Anfield. It was like Brighton, in a little too close for comfort for too long but never seemingly seriously in doubt.

It was Liverpool, still nowhere near what we think is Liverpool's best, but Liverpool absolutely good enough. Whether that will be enough in matches to come remains to be seen.

Liverpool v Fulham 11.11.18

7am ET, live in the US on NBC Sports

Last four head-to-head:
3-2 Liverpool (a) 02.12.14
4-0 Liverpool (h) 11.09.13
3-1 Liverpool (a) 05.12.13
4-0 Liverpool (h) 12.22.12

Last three matches:
Liverpool: 0-2 Red Star (a); 1-1 Arsenal (a): 4-1 Cardiff (h)
Fulham: 0-1 Huddersfield (a); 0-2 City (a); 0-3 Bournemouth (h)

Goal scorers (league):
Liverpool: Mané 6; Salah 5; Firmino, Milner, Sturridge 2; Matip, Shaqiri, Wijnaldum 1
Fulham: Mitrovic 5; Schürrle 4; Seri, Sessegnon 1

Referee: Paul Tierney (LFC History) (WhoScored)

Guess at a line-up:
Alisson
Gomez Lovren van Dijk Robertson
Shaqiri Henderson Keïta
Salah Firmino Mané

There are no easy matches.

Tuesday was supposed to be easy. The lowest ranked team in Liverpool's Champions League group. A team Liverpool beat 4-0 two weeks earlier. A 0-2 loss, conceding twice in seven minutes before spending the next hour throwing water balloons at a brick wall and expecting damage to result. Little creativity, no potency.

There are no easy matches. You come correct or you pay for it.

That said, Fulham are not good. Incredibly not good, sitting at the foot of the table, having one just once in the league back at the end of August. Having drawn just twice, the last coming six weeks ago. Surprisingly not good, considering they spent more than any club except Liverpool last summer.

So how are Liverpool going to punish Fulham? How are Liverpool going to respond to Tuesday's failure?

We'll have a few more players to pick from than on Tuesday. Keïta, Henderson, Lovren, and Gomez are all available after injury and illness concerns. Shaqiri's back in the squad, left out for Red Star due to political concerns. Liverpool can revamp the faltering, workmanlike-and-little-more midfield – the biggest problem area so far this season – which *should* help Liverpool create more and better chances, although Liverpool will still need to finish them.

So does that mean Keïta comes in, a more willing and able late runner into the box, a more dynamic offensive player, a more thorough and forceful presser? Or Henderson, usually better in matches against the lesser lights, his passing and possession able to pin sides deeper and deeper. Or Shaqiri, the most creative midfielder so far, even if he's played as a winger or #10 more often in his short Liverpool career?

Maybe Liverpool stick with the 4-2-3-1 which worked reasonably well when hosting Red Star and Cardiff. Shaqiri can play as the #10 or on the right, Salah out wide or up front, Firmino as the #10 or up front – although Firmino's lack of form has almost been as big an issue as the midfield. Fabinho's looked far, far better in this formation and, in theory, could play next to either Keïta – who played in this formation at Red Bull – or Henderson.

Or maybe we get the more familiar 4-3-3, with either Fabinho again adjusting to Liverpool's preferred formation alongside two others or Henderson as the deepest midfielder, bracketed by two from Keïta, Wijnaldum, Milner, and Shaqiri.

Liverpool, unlike in the last couple of matches, have more options thanks to the return of a couple midfielders. And, as a lesser concern, I also wouldn't be surprised to see Gomez continue at right back, both with Alexander-Arnold out of form and with Lovren – not Matip – available after missing midweek. I say "lesser concern" because, despite conceding twice at Red Star, the defense still ain't broken. Conceding a corner – just the second of the season after Tottenham's very late consolation – and an incredibly fortunate shot from distance ain't the end of the world. Nor does it suggest underlying issues.

Fulham have underlying issues. In every phase of play. Fulham should be a lot better than they've been.

That's a good squad. Mitrovic and Schürrle in attack, with five and four goals respectively. Seri and Anguissa in midfield. Ryan Sessegnon – still only 18 – as a winger or full back. £100m spent last summer.

Mitrovic and Schürrle – the only players with more than one goal – aside, they should score more goals than they have. They be more coherent in passing and possession. They've the tools and players to press the opposition more but haven't. They've conceded in every match this season except the first League Cup round against League Two Exeter, they've conceded at least two in all but two league matches. Their Expected Goals Difference is second-worst in the league, their Expected Points is third-worst.

It is confusing. And you'd think that if results don't change soon, Slavisa Jokanovic will be out of a job.

After trialling multiple XIs and formations, Jokanovic went with what's seemingly the best fit at Huddersfield on Monday. 4-3-3, with Sessegnon – who'd been playing more often as a winger – back at left-back; Cairney, Anguissa, and Seri as a three-man midfield for the first time this season; and Vietto, Mitrovic, and Schürrle all up front.

And they lost 0-1, again unable to get going in attack, unable to break down a Huddersfield side that admittedly gave Liverpool similar problems, unable to turn a possession advantage into chances, and also conceding an unfortunate fairly early own goal.

That said, I'm still guessing the same XI as in that match. Maybe I'm playing Football Manager here, but these still seem Fulham's best players in the formation most likely to succeed. Bettinetti; Fosu-Mensah, Odoi, Marchand, Sessegnon; Cairney, Anguissa, Seri; Vietto, Mitrovic, Schürrle.

We've got a Liverpool with key players returning, possibly rusty, probably not match-fit, but still likely to help the side. We've got a Liverpool needing to respond to a setback earlier this week. We've got a Liverpool that's yet to perform to potential but still unbeaten, still only two points off first, still with 27 points from a possible 33, the best return at this point in many a year.

And we've got opponents who are bottom of the league, massively underperforming, coming off a loss to potential relegation rivals. At Anfield.

There's one way this should go. Whether it's another narrow win where we lament some things that didn't go right or an absolute whomping. It should be a Liverpool win all the same.