When a freaky and strictly illegal goal went against them early doors, they could have choked.

When an added-time strike out of the blue reduced their lead to the slimmest of margins, they could have bottled it.

When Jurgen Klopp’s old chum, the wind, did its work with a vengeance, they could have lost their rhythm.

Instead, the chasers kept their composure, responded to the pressure with professional excellence.

Sunday's 4-2 home win over Burnley was never a breeze, but it was the sort of riposte that should at least send a draught of pressure down the road to Manchester City. Forget the chat about tightening nerves on Merseyside, this is a Liverpool team that is taking the title race down to the May wire.

Mane delighted Liverpool fans when he gave them the lead for good on the half-hour (
PA Wire)

And with Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane dividing the spoils of four - and Mohamed Salah a persistent danger - it was a reminder that this attacking triumvirate is capable of leading Liverpool to ultimate success. For the slightly unexpected bonus, look no further than the effervescent contribution of Adam Lallana, who will now play a key part in the eight-game finale.

Even though they conceded their first Premier League goals in a month, the defensive unit was also reassuringly solid.

Ashley Westwood’s opener - direct from a corner - can be excused because James Tarkowski was saddling up keeper Alisson at the time. Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s late hit was decent, and the product of one of the rare moments of defensive uncertainty.

In the vast expanse of time between those two Burnley successes, Liverpool were generally dominant.

Firmino tapped in a vital equaliser, then made the points safe with 22 minutes left (
Liverpool FC via Getty)

Granted, they had some assistance from uncharacteristically shoddy rearguard work from Sean Dyche’s team - and from keeper Tom Heaton, in particular.

First, he somehow failed to deal adequately with a Salah cross that eventually reached Firmino in formality territory for the equaliser.

And then, after having no chance with Mane’s super-confident finish when Charlie Taylor’s challenge on Salah spat the ball into the Senegalese striker’s path, Heaton was culpable for Liverpool’s third in the second half.

Clearly not a graduate of the Ederson/Alisson school of distribution, Heaton hooked a kick straight to Salah and when Taylor again intervened, the outcome was familiar. The ball fell to Firmino who finished with the outside of the right boot and an outsized smile.

It actually was a breeze at that point, but Gudmundsson’s cameo from the bench changed that for a moment or two in the closing stages. It was only a moment or two, mind, because Daniel Sturridge soon persuaded a cute pass ahead of Mane and he collected his second after going around a frazzled Heaton.

Liverpool were furious the Burnley opener wasn't disallowed for a foul on Alisson (

Cue the customary Klopp frenzy.

He might protest that the expectation and pressure is not getting to him personally, but he seemed particularly fraught at times here.

Heaven knows what his mood must have been like when the gale force numbers started appearing on the forecasts yesterday morning. But the wind has not been put up his team.

This is an accomplished unit who have lost just once in 30 league matches. They can return to the top of the table with a victory at Fulham next Sunday and City’s fixture in hand takes place at Old Trafford.

Pep Guardiola’s team might well be odds-on with the bookmakers but this is a race that remains too tight to call.

There is little to choose between the respective schedules - although City have a busier time overall - and the squads still look strong. And while there might be the odd blip, the odd wobble, the odd hiccup, the chances of either choking look slim.

Sit back and enjoy it.

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