THE NERVES AND anxiety that began to seep into Anfield on another crucial night in this Premier League title race were shredded in an instant by the sheer class of Alexis Mac Allister.
Perhaps he is the perfect embodiment of what Jurgen Klopp heralded at the start of this season as Liverpool 2.0.
The Argentina international is robust, precise and, as he showed with his stunning strike, capable of producing stunning match-winning moments.
It was a goal that arrived on 76 minutes, a time when Liverpool appeared to be at their most desperate for inspiration having been punished for an understandable lethargy.
Mac Allister stood up and with one gloriously controlled swing of his right foot, he arrowed a ball into the top right corner of the goal in front of The Kop.
Virgil van Djik had his hands raised in celebration – and appreciation – before it had even crossed the line.
The Liverpool centre back was right behind the strike and saw every millisecond of its perfect trajectory.
It was a goal that took Liverpool back to the top of the table when events in the moments beforehand threatened that.
For the guts of an hour this looked like one of those delightfully mundane evenings that would serve up three handy points for Liverpool in the midst of a pressurised title race.
When Darwin Nunez closed down Sheffield United goalkeeper Ivo Grbic in the 17th minute and saw the blocked clearance roll into the net off the striker’s backside, Jurgen Klopp’s team appeared to be on easy street.
It was the kind of moment that makes one set of supporters believe silverware is their destiny and confirms to the other that relegation beckons.
No wonder Sheffield United arrived at Anfield bottom of the table and 10 points from safety.
They are heading back to the Championship.
Liverpool were in cruise control from that point having been given a scare after just 30 seconds when Caoimhin Kelleher needed to show quick reactions with his feet to keep out a back-post header from James McAtee that could have easily squirmed past him.
Then Liverpool scored and it felt as though it was only a matter of time before it would become two or three and they could begin to rest weary limbs before a trip to Old Trafford on Sunday.
But as the minutes ticked away and that second alluded them their play became just a little bit more haphazard. The slickness in attack was missing and the sharpness behind them was lacking.
On 58 minutes their defensive sloppiness was punished when Joe Gomez failed to stop a McAtee cross with a feeble attempt at a tackle by the touchline.
Gustavo Hamer had peeled off the shoulder of Conor Bradley and when he headed the ball back across goal it took a wicked deflection off the Northern Ireland international’s outstretched leg and trickled through the legs of Kelleher.
Out of nowhere Liverpool were on the ropes.
Klopp responded by withdrawing Mo Salah, a brave move that will be forgotten and not pored over in the name of context or a narrative because of the result.
Klopp was asked before this game about keeping tabs on what Manchester City and Arsenal do in this three-way title race.
The Liverpool boss insisted he paid no attention and wasn’t even aware that both his side’s rivals were also playing in midweek.
It’s all about his own team and his own preparation.
What City and Arsenal (who beat Aston Villa and Luton Town, respectively) did last night is of no concern for Klopp and his players.
Of course it’s nonsense, and if you needed an example of how even serial winners cannot help themselves about keeping tabs on what others are doing, one clip from City’s self-produced Netflix series following them during last season’s Treble success highlights as much.
City players crowd around Kalvin Phillips in the dressing room at Nottingham Forest before they go out to warm up.
The midfielder has his phone on in the corner and it is showing Arsenal score two late goals at Villa Park to earn three vital points.
Even Pep Guardiola is curious and jumps on one of the benches to see over his players.
There are sighs and faces of exasperation.
You can be sure there were more than a few in north London and Manchester when Mac Allister stepped up here.
By the time Cody Gakpo made it 3-1 on 90 minutes Liverpool were back in control of this title race.
