Guatered

Mignolet wanted a touch too, about a minute in. Lucas took it off his toe. Greedy. At risk of being pedantic - isn't it 53 passes though? (Not touches). Makes it even more impressive. Embarrassing for United just how easy we make it look there.

Top scorers in the top 5 leagues in Europe though. That's mad. At least until the Madrid derby today. That's a stat to savour alright.

Yeah, maybe they persuade Rio to stay on. Getting Scholsey back in. Go on tour.

Who needs to qualify for Europe anyway when you can get lucrative friendlies in the Middle East, America or China? http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/feb/28/manchester-united-lucrative-friendlies-champions-league-europa-league I'd be seriously worried if I was a United fan reading that. Makes clear where the priorities are for the club. And hard to see how mid-season friendlies like that could do anything except harm to the team.

I think that's a good way of summarizing it, and why I'd have players such as Pele and Maradona in my top 5. I was just suggesting that an interesting side argument to this is to consider changes in the levels of play as time goes on. No disrespect to the greats of the past was intended.

They should have just put that fact in as Liverpool have scored more goals in the first half of games than Man United have in the whole season. Nicer way to put it Actually, looking at the league table, by my admittedly dodgy maths, we've scored more in the first half of games than all other teams in their full 90 minutes, except for the top 3.

I absolutely accept that the majority of great players from the past would reach the levels of fitness of top players today if they were somehow to travel forward in time. Not all though - George Best springs to mind. My guess is that his talent would have allowed him to excel in today's game at an early age, but his lifestyle would have stopped his progress possibly even early today when top players have the diets and fitness regimes that they do. You're probably most right about if Messi or Ronaldo went back in time they would suffer assaults from defenders, though frankly I doubt centre-halves in those days ever came up against strikers with the combination of speed and strength that Ronaldo at least has. He'd probably learn to cut out the diving and rolling around sharpish to be fair. Anyhow - my point isn't to deny that players from earlier times would generally adapt quite easily to the modern given the advantages and support that today's players have. I'm just suggesting that it's interesting that the actual level of skill required to be a top player will have increased greatly over the last few decades. That fact can be more easily seen in other sports such as athletics or swimming where a clear objective fact (such as finishing time) can be compared between eras. Harder to do in football, but I would suggest that it will still be there.

For this kind of argument, how do you factor in the different eras that players played in? For example - I'm pretty sure plenty of the greatest players from earlier eras would struggle to get into even championship level teams today. Largely due to changes in levels of fitness, but also just general advances in technical abilities required to play the game. Watching matches from earlier eras, it's hard not to argue that the standard of play and in particular defending is of a lower standard. Hardly conclusive evidence, but it's some of the blooper reels for the 1970 Brazil team - one of the most feted in history - is quite amusing. . Those bloopers don't lessen the incredible achievements of that team, but some of the mistakes are frankly amateurish by today's standards, and that is from the team far ahead of any other at that time. Pele's stats from his era don't lie (training matches aside) so clearly his talent was truly remarkable, but at the same time it's hard to imagine his tricks befuddling too many defenders today. Obviously the level of talent are relative, so the most outstanding players of each era deserve all the acclaim they receive. And of course if they achieved all they did without the advantages today's players have (training, dietary advice, etc). But it's interesting to think that in terms of their actual level of technical skills and fitness, most of the greats of the past would look totally out of place in the current game. And equally, if you sent one of the current greats - say Messi - back in time, they'd likely look even more remarkable - if their team mates could keep up with them. Anyhow, for a top 5 - and partly on that basis - I would have Messi and (today's) Ronaldo as all time greats. And though it was before my time, it seems that Maradona in 1986 was the closest any player ever was to winning a World Cup on his own. So he'd be my number 1. Pele has to be in there, and Zidane would be in there for the moments of magic in big games (headbutt included).

That penalty save against Stoke is still one of the best moments of the season. And given some of the highs, that's saying something.

I like Wenger better in theory than in practice. i.e. when I don't hear from him for a while and think about what he's done and how's gone about it, I can't help but admire him. But then when he starts moaning about some decision and stamping his feet, I go right off him again.

Agreed. Arsenal have a special ability to mess things up just when it looks like they might win something, but also go on a run just when things look like they might fall apart altogether.

Keita claims that before signed for Valencia he was in advanced negotiations with us. A strange one, since he's not really like the other players we were chasing, but hard to see why he'd make it up http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2014/02/03/primera/1391449894_218193.html

Yep, plus on every incident yesterday Kompany had his elbow in his throat. Both were fouling each other. Kompany was just that bit better in the air. No shame in that. Skrtel has had some weak games this year but he made some fine challenges yesterday and if any defender deserves criticism it is Sakho. But to be honest I think overall it was a good performance against at a fantastic team, and we're still far ahead of pretty much any of our expectations at the start of the season.

Very nearly didn't go out to watch the match, wasn't feeling optimistic. But what a performance! Celebration for Flanno's goal the best moment in a Liverpool game for several years. Can't fault a single player, and I thought Allen and Henderson were fantastic. It's a curious thing how other players step up in Gerrard's absence.

I think managers can make mistakes by being to defensive, and make mistakes by being too defensive. Rodgers hasn't got the mix quite right yet, but if he's going to err one way or the other, it may as well be in being too attacking. Aside from what it means for our league chances, that was the most fun game of ours I've seen in a long time. Certainly the game I can remember enjoying the most in which we haven't won. We're a very entertaining team at the minute, and whilst our position in second is far from secure, I think we're doing well with a squad which still needs some strengthening.

Aside from the result, that's the most entertaining game I've seen in a while. There was more entertainment in the last 10 minutes than in most full matches. I think if hadn't have got a draw, it would have been a damaging one, especially for Rodgers as we were clearly wide open after his substitutions. On a side note - I've sometimes thought the criticism Owen gets is over the top. Not any more - he's unbelievably bad as co-commentator. Annoying, bland, and not even competent. Fair play to Mignolet, not many keepers will concede 3 and still be considered to have played well.

Unlucky with hitting the post. One of the best aspects of the game was our high pressing, especially in the first half, and he was key to that.

That save was one of the most enjoyable moments in a Liverpool game for quite a while. That really is a dream start for him.

Dominated the game. Hit the woodwork a couple of times. Conceded late penalty. Penalty saved. Maybe this season could be different?

Beeb reporting that he is now considering bringing a legal case: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23550760 They're not ones to go in for idle speculation. Sounds like we're on solid ground legally, but if he were to go down this route it would surely be a case of no way back in terms of his relationship with the club/fans. Just read this has already been discussed! Ah well. It's depressing though how this is dragging out, with new headlines everyday...

I'm surprised Sterling got so many. My memory of this season was more of him being impressively tidy, but not quite so incisive; obviously with the hope that he'll have more cutting edge in the future - but 6 assists is a decent haul.

I presume that refers to this interview here? http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20130611/mundo-barsa/luis-alberto-declaraciones-barca-b-liverpool-sevilla_54375886460.html It does seem a bit odd that he would specifically recommend Deulofeu to go on loan to Sevilla, just when he might leave. Also I've no idea who El Arrabato is but it's probably safe to say he's not as good as the Beatles. Which means Luis Alberto is probably going to join us.

Report in Mundo Deportivo that Barcelona have decided not to take up the option to buy Luis Alberto (the player Balague linked us to), and that we're in pole position to sign him now (and apparently have been following him for years) http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20130607/mundo-barsa/luis-alberto-fuera-barca-b-apunta-liverpool_54375444517.html

That journalist has the best byline pic in the business.

I heard somewhere this week - think it was the Guardian podcast - linking us with Begovic. Apparently Stoke are prepared for him leaving this summer, hence signing Butland. Not seen much of him, but Begovic is very highly rated.