FIVE MONTHS TO PROVE TRUE GHOSTBUSTERS

11 points clear but, as fear of the past haunts them, Liverpool still have...

LIVERPOOL have nothing to fear except fear itself. That and possibly the antics of their goalkeepers. Otherwise, they are in a formidable position. The reference point for awful collapses of Devon Loch proportions is Newcastle’s 10-point lead in 1995-96. They had accumulated that by Christmas.

We have barely opened up the advent calendars and Liverpool are 11 points clear. That is a gigantic lead. They may need it given the quality of Manchester City. Yet, though it feels quite wrong to address this a mere 14 games into the season, that elusive title, the end of that 30-year wait, becomes ever more tantalising with every win and every City slip-up.

At this stage in their record-breaking 2017-18 season, at the end of which they accumulated 100 points, City also had 40 points, as Liverpool have now, but an eight-point lead. That is the scale of what Liverpool are doing at present.

That said, they made a straightforward afternoon pretty fraught with the needless sending off of Alisson and inattention of Adrian. The Kop finished sweating on the result and the roar of relief which greeted the three points was much more pronounced than it should have been. ‘At times you could sense Anfield had to get behind them and that’s an indication of how we played,’ said Brighton manager Graham Potter.

He was right, in that Brighton were worthy opponents of a very good team. Yet no team can concede twice from similar set pieces in seven minutes and expect much. They finished particularly well but left themselves too much to do.

Still, Liverpool’s nerves were frazzled by the end. In added time, Adrian fumbled Pascal Gross’s header and, for an awful moment, it looked as if he would not recover. Neal Maupay was closing in and the ball was squirming around, ready to bounce across the goal-line. Just as the worst seemed about to unfold for the goalkeeper, he somehow snatched the ball to his chest and all Anfield exhaled in relief. If it is like this now, with such a substantial lead, how is it going to feel if City close the gap?

Which is why Jurgen Klopp keeps trying to put it all in perspective and make it all as routine as possible, despite the momentum gathering. ‘None of these 13 games we won this season was easy,’ he said. ‘We didn’t think that for a second. Not before the game, not half way through. We are concerned about different things. It’s not that we feel ourselves favourites in some kind of games

‘Result wise it’s an incredible period, for sure. But we don’t want to think about the last 14 games, we want to think about the next one, which is Everton, so a big one, another big fight.

‘We don’t think about the points gap or whatever. People told me we’re now 11 points ahead. Leicester play tomorrow, so it’s still eight, that’s how I see it. We don’t have to think about these kind of things.’

We don’t. But we will. Twenty two wins from their last 23 Premier League games is a quite unnatural state of affairs. Yet there is an inertia about this Liverpool side, not in the sluggish sense but in that, once they have got going, they are very hard to stop. Take the two goals that secured them their win. In the 18th minute, though, Trent

Alexander-Arnold lined up a free-kick, just outside the penalty area, on the right hand side. It is not as though you do not know what is coming: Virgil van Dijk was hovering. A veritable colossus, even stood alongside the not inconsiderable Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster, he is an intimidating force. The ball, as we all know, would be dinked in by Alexander-Arnold in the direction of Van Dijk’s forehead.

Everything transpired precisely as anticipated. Van Dijk timed his run to baffle Webster, rise above him, connect firmly and loop a header over Mat Ryan. It was really very simple.

As it was six minutes later; a corner this time, on the left hand side. Alexander-Arnold, again, to take it, in-swinging to the near post. Who might he be aiming at? His man was there, sprinting into the correct spot, adjusting his forehead, meeting the ball and directing it with a force that flummoxed Ryan again. It was, of course, Van Dijk. This time it was Dunk grappling with him to little effect. Yet again, utterly predictable yet apparently inevitable in its conclusion.

Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane both had fine chances in that first half and the Senegalese really should have scored, with Ryan saving well and being generally excellent. This is where the game should have been secured.

Yet there also signs of Brighton’s fight. Davy Propper’s shot forced a good save from Alisson and Gross’ cross rolled across goal, past an inattentive Liverpool defence begging to be turned in before eventually being cleared.

Nevertheless, throughout the second half it seemed Liverpool were meandering to victory. Dunk did head just wide in the 54th minute but then had to deflect Oxlade-Chamberlain’s shot in the 65th minute to prevent what looked a certain third goal for Liverpool.

Then came the odd turn of events which inject urgency into the final 12 minutes. There was a long ball from Brighton, for which Leandro Trossard battled with Dejan Lovren. The Brighton forward got a flick on it. Alisson, way out of his box, seemingly panicked and stuck out a hand. It was neither clear the flick would even make the 30 yards or so to goal nor that it was accurate but the Brazilian judged otherwise. A red card was inevitable, so Oxlade-Chamberlain was sacrificed and Adrian came on.

It did not start well. He was busy lining up his wall when Dunk, quite legitimately, after referee Martin Atkinson whistled, opted to take a quick free-kick and simply passed it into the corner of the net. Liverpool protested, not least the embarrassed Adrian, but in vain.

Adrian then saved well from Aaron Mooy in the 87th minute but then there was that added-time fumble which had Anfield aghast. Liverpool would survive that scare. Just the five months to go to see if they can exorcise the real ghost that haunts them.

LiverpooL (4-3-3): Alisson 5; Alexander-Arnold 8, Lovren 7, Van Dijk 9, Robertson 7; Henderson 7, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Adrian, 78min, 5) 8, Wijnaldum 7; Salah 7 (Lallana 68, 7), Firmino 6, (Origi 77, 6) Mane 7. Sent off: Alisson (76min). Subs (not used): Milner, Keita, Gomez, Shaqiri.

Brighton (4-4-2): Ryan 8.5; Montoya 6 (Alazte 68, 6), Webster 5.5, Dunk 6, Burn 6; Gross 7, Propper 6.5, Stephens 7, Mooy 7; Connolly 6.5 (Maupay 75, 6), Bissouma 7 (Trossard 7). Subs (not used): Button, Duffy, Murray, Schelotto. referee: M Atkinson (West Yorkshire) 7.