Excited by a title race that isn’t black and white, but hopefully red all over

AS Torres’ second went in, to give the jammy Scousers their laboured win against a Chelsea side unfairly reduced to ten men, few could resist the temptation to declare this the week that the title race finally became a proper Red v Red death-match for the first time in almost 30 years. If Rafa can avoid reproducing his Keegan impression, that is.

Or perhaps their Spaniard In The Works will be Torres instead; an acquaintance of John Aldridge tells me Aldo has been directly told that Torres is getting increasingly unhappy about some major beef at Anfield, which may see the light of day in print any day now.

Normally I would say “one can but hope” but I have become very wedded to the prospect of this north-western battle royale, not least as the crown of England’s historic Champions of Champions is at stake.