After a dreamlike win, Liverpool may be just one more sleepless night away from the title

There may have been silence in the stands, but Jurgen Klopp’s side are now on the verge of providing the loudest celebrations

There wasn’t that familiar roar at the end, but there was the realisation that this may be the sweetest feeling anyone has felt at Anfield for 30 years.

That is the knowledge that Liverpool are one result from a first title since 1990. They may even be one night from a first title since 1990; one sleep, as the modern phrasing goes. That comes after a performance that was so perfect it may as well have been a dream.

All attention turns to Stamford Bridge on Thursday. That is now a proper event. As far as the final decisive act of the title, it could well be that Manchester City “lose it”, rather than Liverpool win it.

That will be the case if Chelsea win or draw against Pep Guardiola’s side.

It would mean Anfield isn’t the stage for the sweetest feeling of all: the confirmation that, yes, Liverpool are champions again.

Sadio Mane celebrates scoring Liverpool’s fourth (AP)

Maybe that’s oddly appropriate in the circumstances, and it’s just as well they win the title when they’re not playing rather than playing in front of empty stands.

It would also be narratively fitting – and one of those little twists that football so often throws up – that Chelsea hand Liverpool the title after an unassailable thrashing of Crystal Palace. These were the two sides that denied them in that most painful of title failures in 2014.

It would only reinforce how absolutely everything has been turned around for Liverpool, for this most deserved and emphatic of title wins.

Before they can say that, though, they’ll have to go through the emotions of watching this game – if they can.

Chelsea and City will of course say they’re playing for their own ends, but they’ll inherently know it is about the end destination of this title.

The defending champions will be fighting to keep that status as long as possible, and try to make Liverpool work that bit harder for their trophy. A City win would of course mean the title goes to the next fixture, which just happens to be Liverpool’s trip to Eastlands. Pep Guardiola’s side would surely take at least some professional satisfaction in prolonging Liverpool’s wait, and making it all that bit flatter.

In a similar way, Chelsea might vibe off City’s energy on Thursday, to spark a spikier game. That’s what happened when Chelsea denied Tottenham Hotspur with that notorious 2-2 two years ago. There obviously isn’t the same rivalry with City as there is with Spurs – or, for that matter, Liverpool – but there is a bit of a recent history. The Chelsea-City game of December 2016 game ended in a brawl in the tunnel.

Chelsea’s last king-making game at Spurs saw a brawl before they even got to the tunnel, and long before it ended.

Whatever about a ‘Battle of the Bridge’, Liverpool will take a bottle job from City, whatever you want to call it. At this point, they’ll just take the title.

The very feel of that game will be telling. And the feel of this win over Crystal Palace was still curious.

Sadio Mane of Liverpool celebrates with Mohamed Salah (2020 Pool)

This was definitely one game – maybe above all others so far, including the Merseyside derby across the road – where the absence of a crowd was directly relevant to how it played out. The circumstances meant it was impossible not to imagine it in normal circumstances.

With Liverpool a mere two games from the title before it started, a packed Anfield would have been fervently driving them on. It would have been one of those rare fixtures electrified by expectation, by anticipation, everyone fully aware they were about to witness history.

Every moment would have been enriched – not least that brilliant opening goal.

The final whistle itself would have been an event, fired by the knowledge that the next time they step on a pitch, they could be champions.

As it was, Liverpool were playing without that emotional force behind them. They were forced to keep the support in mind, rather than feeling it on their backs.

But they did play with a much greater wind behind them than on Sunday. They were on it from the start, forcing Crystal Palace right back from the start.

Fabinho celebrates scoring Liverpool’s third (2020 Pool)

One wider theory about the lack of crowds is that it’s negatively affecting pressing, as well as risk-taking. The belief is that the players aren’t surrounded by the same intensity, so don’t quite have the same intent.

The great variable here of course was the tantalising prize of that great victory. Liverpool were playing like champions, and certainly scoring like champions.

All of the goals were perfect, perfectly showcasing their many different qualities. Events – as ever – started from full-back. Trent Alexander-Arnold displayed the delivery that has devastated so many defences, albeit this from a supreme free-kick rather than a cross. Mo Salah then scored that most Mo Salah of goals, running in behind the defence to so fluidly take on Fabinho’s fine long pass before diverting it into the net. Fabinho himself then scored what should be becoming his vintage goal. It was he did against City, in that November win that went a long way to firing this surge. The Brazilian has the purest of strikes, the ball like an arrow as it leaves his foot.

If ever there was a goal that warranted a crowd, it was that. If ever there was a performance that was, it was this.

Liverpool then scored that most vintage of Liverpool goals under Jurgen Klopp: a searing counter-attack. It was, of course, Sadio Mane that finally scored, fittingly finishing a Salah pass. The stars had combined. Everything was coming together. All that was missing from the night was the crowd.

All that is missing from this season, and this long wait, is one result. They may now only have to wait one night.