COMMENT: Liverpool deserve their place at the summit. As does Jurgen Klopp. The German reaping the rewards of doing the exact opposite of his nearest rivals.
We see Jose Mourinho battling to fit a middling group at Manchester United into his preferred power 4-3-3. Pep Guardiola blaming his lot at Manchester City - not his own 'principles' - for their stumbles. But Klopp? He has Liverpool clear at the top of the table, despite them bearing little resemblance to his past teams at Borussia Dortmund.
There's no Robert Lewandowski or Lucas Barrios leading the Reds line. There's no dominant characters like Mats Hummels or Sebastian Kehl driving them forward. Sure, the pace is there. The passion. The helter-skelter, heavy metal football of Klopp pounding through every attack. But this team, with an emphasis on team, has little in common to his back-to-back title winners in Germany.
We all thought we had him pegged. Klopp would want a big, powerful centre-forward to build his attack around. He'd want an experienced, vocal keeper organising his defence - a defence hinging on a gnarled, bruising centre-half. But he has nothing like that at Melwood. And he hasn't attempted to go like-for-like in the transfer market. Klopp has adjusted his methods to suit circumstances. As his team has grown, so has he. He's changing as a coach. Improving. Just as we see with his team.
Anfield was heaving on Sunday night. The place was lit up. There's a lot of lip service given to home grounds being a 'fortress'. But Anfield - this season - is just that. The support is bouncing off Klopp's gegenpressen - and the players thriving from the reaction. It's like Anfield two years ago, under Brendan Rodgers, when the crowd and the players fed off eachother as they worked in packs to win back possession.
But there's a difference. In this team there's no Luis Suarez. Nor Steven Gerrard. Sure, there's star dust. Philippe Coutinho offers that. But the leadership comes from the touchline. He's on the teamsheet, but not in the XI. Nor among the substitutes. But the manager is the biggest thing on that piece paper. And it's working.
How could you argue otherwise? Yes, Manchester City await home and away. But bar them, the hard work is out of the way. Seven points from a possible nine after trips to Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. That's title winning form. The common consensus would be you can't achieve such results without experience on the pitch. You need older heads. The type who can dig in. Who can maintain everyone's focus. Get in there. Do the job. And get out.
But Klopp clearly hasn't read the script. James Milner offers know-how, but in terms older players, that's it. The drive is coming from Klopp's mosquito fleet - Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Adam Lallana and Sadio Mane. And the lynchpin, on Sunday at least, was, at 22, Emre Can. This isn't just a team for the here-and-now. Klopp is building a dynasty. A team to mature and dominate for the years ahead.
Will that lack of experience cost them this season? Well, it didn't for those three trips to London. Burnley has been their one set back. And even the Clarets would admit they were battered by Liverpool on the day.
But Klopp is practical. It's why he blocked Lucas from joining Galatasaray in August. The Brazilian has said his piece. But from either side there's no grudge, with Lucas again filling in at centre-half on Sunday.
And what of Daniel Sturridge? Y'know, the surly one. The self-entitled one. You could just see a strop coming as Klopp chose Gini Wijnaldum ahead of him to replace Sadio Mane. But Sturridge did get on the pitch on Sunday. And Liverpool's play didn't skip a beat. The England man didn't get on the scoresheet in his 20 minute cameo. But he did hit the post and the bar. And looked nothing like his portrayal in the press.
For Klopp, Sturridge just doesn't fit - apparently. Oh, and they say the feeling's mutual. But against Watford, he looked a player fighting to impress his manager.
As they all do. This is Klopp's team. His Liverpool. But what we're seeing on the Anfield pitch is more than just his personality. This isn't the Klopp of the Bundesliga. Liverpool and the Premier League are changing him. And he's embracing it.
INJURY TIME
Kevin Stewart is in line for his second pay-hike this year at Liverpool.
For the club's academy scouts, Stewart, a free transfer from Tottenham, is the poster boy. But he's far from being Robinson Crusoe.
Liverpool, arguably more than anyother Premier League club, have been very aggressive in their youth recruiting over the past two years. Sam Hart, currently on-loan at Port Vale, and Cameron Brannagan were nicked away from Manchester United. Ovie Ejaria convinced to move north after his release by Arsenal.
Both Bobby Adekanye and Juanma, formerly of Barcelona, are now on the pitch after injury lay-offs. And young Irish striker Glen McAuley is banging in the goals in his first season with the U18s after choosing the Reds ahead of United and Everton.
We now hear that Kiko Espinar has been spotted at Barcelona's La Masia complex.
Espinar is Liverpool's prime scout for the region, covering Portugal and Spain. And keeping with recent developments, he's been running his eye over the talent in Gerard Lopez's Barca B team.
Just as we see from the seniors, there's a lot being done at youth level for Reds to be excited about.
