Seven wins out of nine – two against Big Four teams – has put Liverpool on top of the world (ok the Premiership) for the first time under Benitez. But should we be worried?

Sunday’s historic 1-0 victory over Chelsea seems to have convinced most scousers that ‘this is their year’. For the few undecideds the 20th anniversary of Hillsborough will almost certainly convince them that title number 19 will be paraded around Anfield this May.

It seems a little early in the league title marathon to start proclaiming Liverpool’s start as definitive while it would also be churlish to denigrate 23 points out of a possible 27 as a flash in the pan. Liverpool have won games coming from behind and from out in front. They are clearly the form team in the Premiership so far along with new boys Hull. They’ve also laid a few bogeys to rest, finding late goals and making inspired comebacks as and when required – their start to the season feels like an insired cup-run at the moment.

Yet for all their victories there are still signs of the old failings. At City they were abject until a sending off got them off the hook. They looked stodgy at best in several home victories and almost scared to take the game by the scruff of the neck away to Villa, a team Chelsea royally stuffed before the last round of internationals. The same could be said of their fortuitous win over us.

Perhaps the most significant result wasn’t the wins against United or Chelsea but the draw with Stoke. Liverpool have always had the capacity to beat a member of the Big Four it’s just that they’ve generally done it when it doesn’t matter. On many occasions big decisions have gone against them – for whatever reason they’ve been coming from behind from the start of the season. This time they’ve showed the two richest clubs in the league they mean business and Torres was hardly a factor in either game.

Yet what will dictate their final league position will be their ability to break teams down at home. The 0-0 draw with Stoke was the sole example this season of Liverpool’s failure to deal with the added pressure of favouritism. Faced by a massed defence Liverpool carved out chance after chance but contrived to miss the lot. Scousers will point to Gerrard’s disallowed goal, but champions don’t tend to be denied by one decision now do they?

Looking at the runners and riders it’s hard to look beyond home form as they key to this season’s title race. Chelsea have only won two of their five home games (even drawing with Ramos’ Spurs, an achievement in itself), Arsenal (now the rank outsiders) have lost to Hull and traditionally suffer when up against the 10 man defence while United tend to steamroller opposition – with Berba now added to the Holy Trinity they should be even less likely to drop points at home.

The proof will be in Liverpool’s easier fixtures at home, after all the title is now theirs to lose.