As the seconds ticked away in the first Merseyside derby of the season, Liverpool were heading for a 0-0 draw that would leave them four points behind leaders Manchester City. "RIP the title race," was the consensus on Twitter. Not that it was a surprise - most felt that Liverpool had done well to extend a vastly superior City side as far as December.

Then Divock Origi scored that truly bizarre goal in the 96th minute, Liverpool beat Everton 1-0 to cut the gap to two points, and after an uncharacteristic City implosion found themselves seven points clear at the turn of the year.

Expectations were raised, the goalposts were not so much moved as blasted to a different continent, and suddenly if Liverpool did anything but win the title it would be the biggest "bottle-job" since that time a revved-up Kevin Keegan went off on one in 1996.

So, here we are, in March and after Sunday's disappointing 0-0 draw in the second Merseyside derby of the season, Liverpool's eight-point lead has become a one-point deficit. Sure enough, Liverpool are being accused of a lack of nerve, of steel, of bottle - that most British pre-occupation. Jose Mourinho, speaking on beIn sports was among those on Sunday who identified Liverpool's lack of killer instinct. Social media, naturally, was abuzz with the sentiment.