There is a school of thought that suggests before a team can win a championship, they first have to lose one.
But it will be of little consolation to Rafael Benitez’s side right now that the lessons being learned in their quest for a first Premier League title since 1990 will stand them in good stead for future years.
Tuesday’s remarkable 4-4 draw against Arsenal dealt a damaging blow to Liverpool’s championship challenge in a manner that perhaps encapsulated their league campaign.
Here was a game in which Liverpool were vibrant going forward, created numerous chances but ultimately paid for not taking enough of them. A game at Anfield that should have been won but ended in an unnecessary draw. A game in which Benitez was without one of his most talismanic performers – this time Steven Gerrard – through injury.
There were glum faces among the home support at the final whistle. But given the rollercoaster nature of an engrossing scrap for the title, the only guarantee over the final month of the campaign is there will be further twists and turns to come.
Having twice led Valencia to the Spanish crown, Benitez knows exactly what to expect, and reassured his players in the immediate aftermath of Tuesday’s match to retain their confidence and ensure they capitalise on any United slip-ups.
But they will need to reprise the disciplined, controlled performances of earlier in the campaign rather than continue in the dramatic, carefree way that is gathering new friends if not silverware.
Witness Arsenal’s fourth goal, substitute Theo Walcott racing away on the counter-attack to feed Andrey Arshavin for a simple finish after Liverpool had criminally left only person back in defence in pursuit of a winner.
A Benitez side just doesn’t concede goals like that. It was evidence the Anfield outfit are currently playing more with their hearts and their heads, a situation the manager is always keen to avoid if possible.
Of course, such passion play isn’t always a bad thing, and allied to an unshakeable self-belief it helped Liverpool threaten a remarkable Champions League comeback at Chelsea and come from 1-0, 3-2 and 4-3 down to earn what could prove a vital point against Arsenal.
But Benitez would sooner his team had not put themselves in that position in the first place.
Suddenly, Liverpool are the great entertainers, United the pragmatic, dour results machine.
Benitez’s side have scored 27 goals in their last eight games, a run that started with the ruthless Champions League demolition of Real Madrid.
That, though, has come at the cost of defensive solidity, with a rearguard that had conceded only 11 goals in their previous 16 games having leaked the same amount in their last four.
Why the sudden change? Yes, Benitez has loosened the shackles a touch, and their attacking players are approaching peak form at the right time.
But the results, and the type of individual mistake that gifted Arshavin his first three goals on Tuesday, betray inevitable nerves at this stage of the season and the desperation to claim the club’s first title in 19 years and prevent United from drawing level with Liverpool on 18 championships.
Much emphasis has been made of the possible impact of the war of words between Benitez and Sir Alex Ferguson.
Yet mind games don’t win the title – it’s the strength of mind of the players in coping with the pressure and expectation during the run-in that makes the difference. United have that quality in abundance – Liverpool, by and large, do not. Yet.
With games against Hull City, Newcastle United, West Ham United, West Bromwich Albion and Tottenham Hotspur to come, there’s no way Benitez’s side will throw in the towel.
But it will be of little consolation to Rafael Benitez’s side right now that the lessons being learned in their quest for a first Premier League title since 1990 will stand them in good stead for future years.
Tuesday’s remarkable 4-4 draw against Arsenal dealt a damaging blow to Liverpool’s championship challenge in a manner that perhaps encapsulated their league campaign.
Here was a game in which Liverpool were vibrant going forward, created numerous chances but ultimately paid for not taking enough of them. A game at Anfield that should have been won but ended in an unnecessary draw. A game in which Benitez was without one of his most talismanic performers – this time Steven Gerrard – through injury.
There were glum faces among the home support at the final whistle. But given the rollercoaster nature of an engrossing scrap for the title, the only guarantee over the final month of the campaign is there will be further twists and turns to come.
Having twice led Valencia to the Spanish crown, Benitez knows exactly what to expect, and reassured his players in the immediate aftermath of Tuesday’s match to retain their confidence and ensure they capitalise on any United slip-ups.
But they will need to reprise the disciplined, controlled performances of earlier in the campaign rather than continue in the dramatic, carefree way that is gathering new friends if not silverware.
Witness Arsenal’s fourth goal, substitute Theo Walcott racing away on the counter-attack to feed Andrey Arshavin for a simple finish after Liverpool had criminally left only person back in defence in pursuit of a winner.
A Benitez side just doesn’t concede goals like that. It was evidence the Anfield outfit are currently playing more with their hearts and their heads, a situation the manager is always keen to avoid if possible.
Of course, such passion play isn’t always a bad thing, and allied to an unshakeable self-belief it helped Liverpool threaten a remarkable Champions League comeback at Chelsea and come from 1-0, 3-2 and 4-3 down to earn what could prove a vital point against Arsenal.
But Benitez would sooner his team had not put themselves in that position in the first place.
Suddenly, Liverpool are the great entertainers, United the pragmatic, dour results machine.
Benitez’s side have scored 27 goals in their last eight games, a run that started with the ruthless Champions League demolition of Real Madrid.
That, though, has come at the cost of defensive solidity, with a rearguard that had conceded only 11 goals in their previous 16 games having leaked the same amount in their last four.
Why the sudden change? Yes, Benitez has loosened the shackles a touch, and their attacking players are approaching peak form at the right time.
But the results, and the type of individual mistake that gifted Arshavin his first three goals on Tuesday, betray inevitable nerves at this stage of the season and the desperation to claim the club’s first title in 19 years and prevent United from drawing level with Liverpool on 18 championships.
Much emphasis has been made of the possible impact of the war of words between Benitez and Sir Alex Ferguson.
Yet mind games don’t win the title – it’s the strength of mind of the players in coping with the pressure and expectation during the run-in that makes the difference. United have that quality in abundance – Liverpool, by and large, do not. Yet.
With games against Hull City, Newcastle United, West Ham United, West Bromwich Albion and Tottenham Hotspur to come, there’s no way Benitez’s side will throw in the towel.
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