Six years ago today, Liverpool played Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, throwing away a three-goal lead and with it, any slim chances that remained in the race for the Premier League title.
The real damage had been done beforehand v Chelsea, of course, but the night summed up the defensive fragility of the side Brendan Rodgers had created.
Glen Johnson was the right-back, with Jon Flanagan at left-back, while Martin Skrtel partnered Mamadou Sakho usually but occasionally Kolo Toure in the middle. Simon Mignolet was ever-present between the sticks.
When you compare that to Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, it really is chalk and cheese.
Gary Neville says that this is the primary difference between Brendan Rodgers’ 2013/14 title challengers and Jurgen Klopp’s rampant 2019/20 version.
“If you look back to that team, there are some comparisons with this current Liverpool team,” Neville said on Sky Sports’ The Football Show, cited by the Express.
“The difference being that the back five that this current Liverpool team have got is just absolutely head and shoulders above the back five that the team that we saw there had, if you just put them down side by side.
“But if you look at [Raheem] Sterling, [Daniel] Sturridge and [Luis] Suarez, I know that we rave about [Sadio] Mane, [Roberto] Firmino and [Mohamed] Salah and rightly so, they’re absolutely breathtaking.
“But that front three, Suarez is as good as it gets, I think is as good as it gets, we know what Raheem Sterling is like, Daniel Sturridge in terms of his quality in and around that.
“Then obviously in midfield you had Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson, so that team does have some similarities in qualities to the current Liverpool team but the back five that the team has now with Alisson and [Virgil] Van Dijk and the two full-backs is just outstanding.
“That’s the big difference.”
The difference will be proven, of course, when the season is allowed to resume!
With a 25 point lead, this current Reds outfit is one of the best the Premier League has ever seen – and were on track to set a points record before COVID-19 curtailed the term.
Right now, all we’re worried about football wise is officially wrapping up the title in any way, shape or form!