IT'S DEFINITELY ON

There is not better time to be coming into form. Just when Man Utd suddenly look fallible, the Reds are playing better than they have done all season.
Even after United lost to Fulham, I wasn't overly confident of beating Villa, so often have we dropped points at Anfield this term.
But there was confidence buzzing thoughout the side. And what a massive difference the early goal makes.
Wonderfully, it wasn't Torres who we had to thank for Sunday's mauling of Villa. And despite Gerrard's hat-trick, he wasn't even close to being the best player on show.
Seeing Kuyt and Riera and Arbeloa star as our best three players yesterday was as heart-warming as anything for me.
Torres and Gerrard can't fire all the time, so it's essential that the supporting cast weigh in with important contributions to help them out.
The Dutchman, and two unsung Spaniards were outstanding.
Riera in particular is a maverick sort of player. His early season good form had been lost of late, and Benayoun's recent performances had almost pushed the Israeli ahead of him in the pecking order.
He was a constant thorn in the Villa rearguard, that languid drifting gait tying Reo-Coker in knots.
His strike for the second goal was outstanding, and it was great to see him sniffing for the goals almost like a centre forward.
Riera should be encouraged to attack the full back more often as he's a joy to watch when on song like this.
The tumble to win the penalty may have been a bit soft on Villa's part, but it was equally savvy by the Spaniard.
And the wing play he showed to almost set up Lucas late on was the kind of assist of which Babel can only dream.

It was also a cracking day for workhorse Kuyt. Thsi time, however, there was class and quality to go with the effort.
The first goal was one he'd be expected to take, but it was slammed home with all the confidence of a striker in form.
And the 60 yard ball to Riera for the third was a pass straight from the Xabi Alonso textbook.
Keep Kuyt or get rid of him? Mine and everyone else's opinion seems to differ from one week to the next.
But when he's on song, there are few players in the Premiership more invaluable than the Dutchman.

Onto Arbeloa, I thought he was outstanding. A brick wall in defence, he covered brilliantly for his centre halves and is quite possibly turning into the attacking full back we've needed for so long at Anfield.
He seems to have been left off the leash by Benitez and he was constantly jinking into the box on the right hand side.
It's taken a long time coming, but with a fit Aurelio and a learning Arebloa, Liverpool may finally be developing two full backs who could be a fixture in the side for a good many years.
And against deep-lying defensive-minded opponents, these sort of players are crucial to make chances.

Torres, God bless him, was out of sorts. His touch was off, understanding with Gerrard skewed and his forward runs difficult to predict sometimes.
Still, we'll forgive him after his match-winning performance in Manchester last week.
And it hardly mattered, with the two wide men playing so well and Gerrard prowling like a cougar.
When Liverpool purr like this - Mascherano killing anything that moves, Alonso picking holes in the tightest of defences, and Gerrard having licence to link up with Torres, they are a match for anyone.
And all this without Liverpool's best player in the last two months, Benayoun soon to come back into the fold.
Who knows? Even Babel might decide that this attacking football lark is actually something to get amongst.

Liverpool are giving themselves a chance. Confidence is everything in football and United do look rattled.
It's just a shame we've got a fortnight break as the momentum is very much with Liverpool at present.
Still, with Vidic out for another game, Scholes out for three, and Rooney one, they are some key personnel down.
And their run-in looks a touch tougher than ours with Spurs, Arsenal and Man City all to play them at Old Trafford.
The table shows us one point behind having played a game more which makes us definite underdogs.
But at squeaky bum time, when results can go either way, with teams scrapping and fighting for every available point, it could be a close run thing.
Doesn't it feel great to be approaching April and to be in with a real shout at landing the title?