They tried to make us feel like bastards. Painting our existence at the very top of the table, as a mistake that bore an illegitimate being. As if we have to answer for why our total points amassed so far had the cheek and temerity of surpassing all the other teams’. And at times yesterday admittedly, in the first forty-five minutes Liverpool did look like a dysfunctional family, all over the pitch having a run around so as to keep away from the house. While running around, most of the possession was being kept, but effective forays towards the Blackburn defence were as scarce as Paul Ince’s wins in the last ten matches. The only real effective foray of note had Yossi Benayoun beating their offside trap, winning metres towards goal but had a brilliant tackle by the ex-red and Academy graduate Stephen Warnock thwarting him while pulling the trigger.

While Liverpool kept possession in the first-forty five minutes, it was Blackburn who went closer to open the score. Steven Gerrard gave up possession through a sloppy pass that was intercepted by Gamst Pedersen, who after a few steps unleashed an almost unstoppable stop. Pepe Reina was as alert and effective as ever, as he pulled one great save and thwarted the ball against the crossbar. Having very little to do, Reina must even find it hard to keep warm in such temperatures, but yesterday once again he proved his worth for the side as he prevented Liverpool going one goal down, and the already fragile morale of his team-mates crash to the floor.

Liverpool were adjusting better in the second forty-five minutes and Xabi Alonso tested the once England number one. Ensuing this test of their keeper was another test of Liverpool’s luck as Paul Robinson’s save journeyed into the path of Benayoun, whose instincts had him lurking around. At a point blank range he tried to scramble the ball in, but inexplicable the ball slipped away from the net and Blackburn got away with a corner. Shortly after though, Alonso swapped power to precision, and this time the only result was a goal. Liverpool finally broke an iceberg that has prevented them to score in two consecutive games and looked to have been blocking their minds. Ten minutes later, it was Benayoun who looked to have secured Liverpool the three points. Unleashed on the right by Dirk Kuyt, Benayoun this time had the better of Warnock, and from a pretty narrow angle he managed to get the better of Robinson and the logic of protractors.

Soon Liverpool found themselves in a smooth territory but like most of the times, this was too much for them. Six minutes from times, they let in a goal for the first time in league football since Pavulychenko did it for Tottenham back on the first day of November. This time though, while a certain air of tension returned back, Liverpool did not give up any points and the same tension was diffused by the captain Gerrard, as with an open goal at his mercy, just outside the penalty area he side-footed home. Albert Riera started it all as he let Nabil El Zhar free and committed Robinson to block from outside his area through his feet. Riera quickly picked up the pieces to then pass to Gerrard for the wrapping up of points and the top position.

And for now, till next Saturday I will enjoy that, along a couple of Christmas parties.