Liverpool restored their lead at the Premier League summit against Wolves.
Luis Diaz opened the scoring on 15 minutes by turning the ball home from Diogo Jota’s heel flick after Mohamed Salah had sent in a low delivery.
The Reds extended their lead before the interval as Diaz was brought down by Jose Sa in the penalty area, allowing Mohamed Salah to convert tidily.
But the visitors struck back midway through the second half when Matheus Cunha unleashed a stunning long-range effort to reduce their deficit.
Arne Slot’s side consolidated their seven-point cushion over Arsenal ahead of back-to-back trips to Aston Villa and Manchester City in the next seven days.
Here were the key talking points from Anfield:
Title nerves finally kick in
Arne Slot’s formative months at the helm saw Anfield exuding a rare calm.
Gone were the days when this famous stadium would find itself whipped up into a frenzy as it did at regular intervals during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.
But as the prospect of a 20th championship creeps tantalisingly closer, the nerves have officially been ramped up among battle-scarred Kopites.
They have been here before, several times in fact, and know how a sizeable margin for error can soon disintegrate as they hold off their title-chasing rivals.
Arsenal, rather than Manchester City, continue to hunt them down and it was for this reason that the most revealing moment arrived in the closing stages.
With 10 minutes remaining, Andy Robertson’s pass back to Alisson saw the anxiety-ridden home supporters vocalise their feelings of consternation.
The left-back’s attempt to allay their fears, by gesticulating a calming signal, did little to assuage them as Wolves continued to pile on the pressure.
Virgil van Dijk has previously urged supporters to ‘enjoy the ride’ of the title race but that threatens to prove easier said than done in the next 13 matches.
Does Konate need a reset?
More than most, Ibrahima Konate will be glad to be rid of this past week.
Usually a composed figure alongside Van Dijk in the heart of Liverpool’s defence, the France international has endured difficult back-to-back outings.
After being caught cold for both goals in the Merseyside derby, Konate followed it up by struggling to keep Matheus Cunha on a tight leash during the first half.
Wolves’ talisman drew an early booking from his opposite number, whose attempts to stifle his run from the halfway line was to drag him back.
Only referee Simon Hooper’s leniency prevented Konate from replacing Curtis Jones on the suspension list for a second foul on Cunha before the interval.
Appeals by the visitors’ players for the 25-year-old to be issued with a second yellow card fell on deaf ears before he was hooked by Slot during half time.
It mirrored a situation in last season’s Anfield derby where Klopp withdrew him just moments after he was lucky to avoid a dismissal for a halfway line foul.
Konate’s place in the starting line-up is still beyond reproach but his latest outings suggest that a reset might be in order to ensure he keeps that spot.
Diaz thrives in natural habitat
Cody Gakpo’s knock prompted a rethink on Liverpool’s attacking options.
Slot elected to hand Diogo Jota a rare starting berth in the frontman position, allowing Luis Diaz to occupy the newly-opened void on the left-hand side.
The Colombian has often thrived in that wide role but has found opportunities there limited due to competition for places in the Reds’ well-stocked armoury.
A star turn against Bayer Leverkusen aside, opportunities in the central role have failed to yield the returns both he and his manager would have liked.
Back in his natural habitat, however, Diaz thrived with a first goal of the calendar before winning the penalty for Mohamed Salah to double the lead.
Granted, his opener was hardly a classic, scuffed past Jose Sa in front of The Kop early in the first half, but it marked his first strike in 11 appearances.
It also took his tally for the season in all competitions up to 13 goals, matching his overall return last term despite having played 15 games fewer to date.
Diaz appeared set for a standout campaign at the start of Slot’s reign and this outing suggests that he still can – but only if he is given the right opportunity.