In the final minutes of Liverpool's 3-1 victory over Leicester City, the cry of "Liverpool, top of the rankings" echoed throughout the Anfield stands. There is a sense that coach Arne Slot's team is on its way to achieving something special this season.
In previous seasons, Manchester City's excellence required perfection from any team that wanted to win the Premier League. However, this season, it is Liverpool who are leading the race for the title.
"It sounds strange, but I think we started well. We threatened Leicester for six minutes, but then there was a moment when we underestimated the situation and immediately conceded a goal. We had to work hard after that to get back into the game," said the Dutchman.
The 1-1 draw with Everton left Pep Guardiola's side 14 points behind leaders and playing one more game. Chelsea's last-minute defeat to Fulham also gave the "Red Brigade" another chance to accelerate.
That is the opportunity they have seized, if not with both hands, at least enough confidence to prove that they are the team most formidable at the moment. Liverpool are now seven points clear of second place and have played one game less.
When the final whistle blew over Leicester, Slot's celebration was quite modest. The Liverpool head coach quickly stressed the importance of staying calm, even as their title journey was on the rise.
"It's a pretty boring answer and as a coach you have to play one game at a time and know how many games you have to play. There are many high-quality teams. If this happened in the Eredivisie (the Dutch national championship), I would say OK, that's right" - Slot replied when asked about the Premier League title chances.
Liverpool fans understand that being top of the table at Christmas does not always mean winning the title. However, with such a big advantage at the moment, the "Red Brigade" being stripped of the championship will be a huge regret.
Slot's side were not at their best against Leicester, but they overcame a test in heavy fog on Merseyside on Boxing Day. Now, their title contenders have become more certain than ever.
