This time last week, in what was, by general consent, an awful performance, Liverpool lost at Bolton. Cue all kinds of comment pieces in the media about Liverpool in crisis, in the same way that Arsenal were in crisis at the beginning of the season, Chelsea have been at various intervals and even Man Utd after that loss to City.
In these pieces various people wondered if Liverpool fans would be so patient if he were not Kenny Dalglish. They wondered about the success or otherwise of the players he has signed since he came back a year ago and wondered whether he really could take the club back to where it was the last time he was in charge.
Well yes they would, actually. It's not just because it's Kenny, although that has something to do with it. Liverpool has never been a sacking club, it has always backed its managers. The Roy Hodgson era was atypical because he was an atypical appointment by a discredited and now thankfully departed regime.
Since that dreadful performance last week (and Liverpool have hardly been alone among the top teams in having bad days this season) have changed once again. Well, twice actually. First there was that brilliant win against Manchester City - the team to beat in all competitions in England this season and probably for many seasons to come. And today Kenny's men have raised themselves again and beaten the old enemy from the other part of Manchester in a pulsating clash after he made some second half substitutions which changed the game, gave Liverpool added impetus and eventually brought the winning goal. He even made the brave decision to bring off our usual talisman, Steven Gerrard.
Now nobody is claiming that Liverpool are the finished article, or even a realistic contender for this season's Premier League title, whatever I said with my usual blinkered optimism at the start of the season. But we should remember the great strides made since last year when the newly installed Dalglish took charge of his first game against United and got knocked out of the FA Cup and had to cope with the sulking and eventual departure of Fernando Torres. How's that going for you, Fernando?
Few would argue that Luis Suarez, notwithstanding his recent problems, has been a superb signing. Andy Carroll may not have shown the kind of form he used to show at Newcastle, but is playing in a different way for a new team and having to adjust and they to him. Anyone watching him today could not fault his effort.
And the same was true of the whole Liverpool team. Ultimately most fans will accept defeat or disappointment if they can see players working hard and trying. That was not true against Bolton last week but, since Kenny told them to buck their ideas up, we have seen two superb performances against the best two teams in the country both of whom have been defeated. That is real progress, with silverware now a very real prospect. It was good management.
There is a long way to go for Kenny to repeat the triumphs of the 80s. But anyone who sees him celebrate a goal and hears his passion for the club can see why fans adore the man. As I wrote last year when the chosen one returned, in Kenny we trust.
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