The seven match unbeaten run found its brick wall through the surroundings of North London, giving way to the eight defeat of the Premiership campaign. The Emirates Stadium proved once again to be as welcoming to Liverpool as much as an asylum after a long trip. It is hardly the most hostile stadium imaginable, as the calculating orders of Arsene Wenger can be probably heard from the very back row, but it seems the silence of the place has once again undone the men playing in red. Fittingly enough with the settings, circumstances and short history of the place, on the fourth minute of supplementary time, the man in the middle, the man in black proved to be as providential as a deportation officer, when a blatant handball by Cesc Fabregas was looked over to deny Liverpool one last chance to shoot at goal just outside the penalty area.

Coming from two straight defeats, Arsenal were feared to be like a wounded animal raring to take its own revenge, but really they resembled more a tamed animal, with Liverpool resembling a guard, keeping a stern eye on them rather than taking them on. Once again, the total commitment could be felt but equally enough the lack of flair was apparent as simple passes went astray and with some small exceptions Liverpool managed to get in the face of Arsenal after going a goal down, without ever going to the jugular.

The real backbone of the unbeaten run has been the stubbornness of the back four and the agility of Pepe Reina, with clean sheets subsequently being a tangible result and the springboard for five wins from seven matches. When the back four were undone to the extent of affording Diaby a whole goalmouth to gape at on the 72nd minute, it was always going to be a tall order to extend the unbeaten run. It was only Ryan Babel that seriously threatened to do so when with one delightful touch, he lost his marker and let go a vicious shot that Manuel Almunia did exceptionally well to tip delicately over the bar. Other loose balls bounced kindly enough in the path of Maxi Rodriguez more than once but the Argentine reacted with askew shots.

The little window that in the circumstances had the panoramic view of the third place has been now firmly shut. The race for the fourth place is getting more jumbled, and looks set to be won from the team who will drop the least points. A trip to the City of Manchester Stadium in more than a week’s time will enlighten us whether yesterday was a case of the particular Emirates stadium being very unwelcoming and one place too high to climb for this season, or the travel sickness persisting through out this current season.

Saturday night, I was sitting there at this acoustic gig, and this one song summed up the season that we have been all going through. We travelled afar with someone we love, and then something bad happened, and you just couldn’t point your finger where this altercation has actually happened. But you’re going back in the car for the long road, and there’s hardly a word, not even a glance and her eyes are fixed on the black tarmac. And the radio is obviously not working. There are just hisses that admittedly are an apt soundtrack for this situation. Depression and tension are the new horse and carriage. And who you thought is unique, is just another run of the mill shite, who pays to get suntanned.

But the team that Rafa built seems to be no other run of the mill. It’s got its limitations, but deep down there is a heart beating that after a seemingly cardiac arrest, it’s getting back, beating like a drum machine with the occasional cymbals accompanying the consistent beat. The man who is personifying all this is the Dutchman Dirk Kuyt, who has been pilloried and mocked this season as much as Carra used to be in his early days. But this lad, puts his head down to graft and only puts it up to head in a perfectly taken Steven Gerrard corner.

The new cult hero, The Greek in capital letters, was having a solid start, but then a rush of blood to his head cut short his presence in his first Merseyside derby. Lady Adversity was staring Liverpool in her eyes, but the adrenaline of the new Liverpool heartbeat kept it going, and if it weren’t for the final whistle it would probably be still going now, a going 48 hours afterwards. There was commitment coupled with adroitness. Hope coupled with conviction. Midfielders ended up as right-backs, and scorers ended up as goal-line clearers.

The nagging doubt that this run of form is purely a false dawn is now turning into a conviction that this is part of a long run of form synonymous with Rafa’s reign. The back four are immaculate, clean sheets being the order of the day as white sheets on hospital beds. The home form at the moment is superior to what it was at this time last year.

Notwithstanding, the two games in hand Manchester City possess Liverpool are now in the driving seat for the admittedly last minute ticket for the Champions League. This current Liverpool side looks to be a creature of habit, it has gone through desperate runs where losing became a habit, but is now on the ride of a sizable wave, and riding the wave on a board rather than getting all wet no matter the size of the wave is all that this side wants. The back four will have to be reshuffled but the current habit of a clean sheet can be the catalyst of bigger things to come.

If anything, the same radio that was sending only hisses, is now functioning properly and there are tunes that makes you nod your head unknowingly.