2-0 up at home with 30 minutes to go against relegation haunted Sunderland, Liverpool were well on their way to a comfortable victory on Wednesday.
Think again.
The Black Cats fought back late on, pinning Liverpool in their own half following Ki’s 75th minute header which made it 2-1, but the Reds held on to move second in the standings and they now sit just one point behind Chelsea with seven games to go.
Liverpool welcome title rivals Chelsea and Manchester City to Anfield in April, as a pivotal few weeks lie in store for the Merseyside club. Captain Steven Gerrard bagged the Reds’ first goal against Sunderland with a stunning free kick, but he urged his team to hold their nerve late on in games down the stretch.
(MORE: Liverpool 2-1 Sunderland - Nervy Reds go second, seal seventh-straight win)
Gerrard hopes Liverpool learn this lesson fast in the closing games, but all season the Reds have succumbed to sloppy defending which has let them down on several occasions.
If there’s one question mark surrounding their title credentials right now, it’s their inability to keep clean sheets.
Liverpool have recorded just two shutouts in their last eight games and have conceded 39 goals in 31 games. Nobody in the top five has let in more goals than that, as Brendan Rodgers’ side must tighten up at the back if they’re going to take home the clubs first-ever Premier League title.
On the flip side, no team in the PL has scored more than Liverpool’s 84 goals. That domineering approach leaves them prone to conceding but if they’re going to beat the best teams when it really matters, silly mistakes like switching off at set pieces, as they did to let Sunderland get on the scoresheet, need to be cleaned up. ASAP.