A really good and measured post.
I'm sure Ian Darke said Liverpool have conceded in each of their last eight games. It's by no means convincing but only really a steady flow of one-per-game (I'm not counting the severely under-strength five against Arsenal).
The biggest difference, as I see it, is that they appear to have a much better fitness regime than us. They finish games strongly and seem to avoid the 2-5-week soft tissue muscle injuries that we seem to pick up with alarming regularity. That's with less rotation than us as well. The difference in fitness was put into focus in the Community Shield but I thought we'd gradually improve. I don't think we really look as fit as we did two years ago. Our press isn't what it was and the 900 passes-per-game we'd clock up has dropped markedly. After two years of intense work, remarkable consistency and unparalleled success, maybe we've just lost that edge. It's not made us a bad side, but it is amplified by the fact we're up against a side that's won 10 of their first 11 games. In reality, 10 CL points after four games, a LC q/f and 25 points after 11 league games is pretty good but these aren't normal times.
You simply cannot legislate for the bad injuries suffered by Laporte and Sane. No fitness regime is responsible for those injuries but it's the equivalent of Liverpool losing VVD and Mane - losses which would be catastrophic had they happened when Sane and Laporte had got injured.
Liverpool are a really good side and if they win the league they'll have deserved it. Yeah, a lot of their fans are annoying but it is only a game and life would return to normal eventually.