It was a game of contrast and paradox between Liverpool and Manchester City; While Manchester City, the league champions had the possession, Liverpool the league leaders had the goals in the pulsating Sunday match that might eventually decide who wins the league.
It was Manchester’s tiki taka versus Liverpool’s blitzkrieg styles of play; of the sublime versus awesomeness. But in the end Liverpool got the needed points to take what now looks like an unassailable lead.
With an eight-points lead into the international break, Liverpool can afford to look over their shoulders and shout ‘catch us if you can’ to the rest.
Maybe it is too early in the league to start talking about who wins it. But Liverpool need to beware of the pitfalls of the past when they usually slip from the lofty heights through their own making.
For now, Liverpool can take some time off to savour their sweet victory over the tjtle holders while coach Pep Guardiola may have to think what went wrong with his tiki-taka style. Maybe he would think of tinkering the play pattern though he openly praised his wards for how they played, the scores notwithstanding.
Having won against their fiercest rivals, Liverpool are now in the ascendancy and may not expect much from the rest of the opponents. That is not to say that they will take lightly their face-off with Leicester and Chelsea who are now second and third respectively.
Liverpool must not forget that last season they fritted away a 10-point lead and could still unwilling to do so this season. The lead was not cut by losses but by accumulating too many draws. They must keep winning and not look back.
But in reality you only look back when you walk alone and Liverpool have never walked alone
