A bit harder to judge Martin Kelly, given the short period he spent on the pitch, but again Rafa’s confidence in him should give him a big boost. All round, encouraging stuff.

The derision that has been heaped on our squad players has been symptomatic of a general disbelief that we can win the league that I confess is starting to get to me.

Sure, we harbour doubts ourselves but there have been several examples recently where I think we have not been getting the respect we deserve.

I picked up my Sunday paper last week expecting the Reds, as League leaders, to be the main report, particularly given the spotlight on Paul Ince that preceded the game. But no, guess what it was? United versus Sunderland, the third-placed team against a relegation struggler. And in second place? You guessed it, Chelsea’s win at Bolton. Blackburn-Liverpool was tucked away alongside Newcastle-Stoke and other top fixtures.

Then, listening to Five Live on Sunday morning, the Premier League chances of Man United and Chelsea were discussed at length, with barely a couple of minutes devoted to the struggles of Robbie Keane.

Now hang on a minute, but aren’t Liverpool top at present? Doesn’t this, in theory at least, make us worthy of serious consideration?

It’s not as if we’re Hull or anything, with everyone assuming it’s a freak phase which will soon pass?

Yes, no doubt about it, what we need now is to encourage a siege mentality, as practiced effectively by Ferguson and Mourinho in the past.

I’ve done my bit.