Premier League, the great leveller – doesn't matter if you are near the top of the league and your opponents rock bottom; doesn't matter if you are the top scorers in the league and your opponents the team that have conceded the most goals; if you don't play at the top of your game, you will be punished in this competition.
English Premier League weekend schedule
Liverpool learned that the hard way on Saturday, as Swansea City stunned the title hopefuls at Anfield in a match that burst into life in the second half. The 3-2 win was Swansea's first ever win at Liverpool's home ground, while this was the Reds' first defeat at Anfield in 26 matches.
After a nothing-is-happening first half, the second 45 produced thrill-a-minute action, started off by two goals from Fernando Llorente.
The Spaniard showed why he is wanted by Antonio Conte at Chelsea as back-up and a possible replacement for Diego Costa, by showing a goalscorer's instinct for the opening goal.
Federico Fernandez headed back a far post corner quite well into the danger area and after a bit of a pin-ball, Llorente reacted quickest to slot the ball home from about six yards out.
The Spaniard wasn't done there
It got better for Swansea in the 52nd minute when Llorente produced a fantastic centre-forward's header.
After some good play from Tom Carroll and Martin Olsson, the two January signings, immediately drafted into the starting XI by Paul Clement, down the left, the former produced a perfect head-me-please cross, which Llorente duly did, heading it with power and direction to give Simon Mignolet no chance of making a save.
The Firmino-inspired comeback
Liverpool got back into the game within three minutes, though, as Roberto Firmino produced a header of his own, scoring past Lukasz Fabianski off a cross from James Milner.
Just short of the 70-minute mark, the match was back level as Firmino produced a moment of magic. Georginio Wijnaldum did well to control a long ball, with a little bit of help from his right hand, and find a cross into the Swansea box. The ball was looped into the area, and knowing that a header would not trouble Fabianski, Firmino controlled the ball with his chest, before firing in a wonderful volley.
The deciding goal
Now, all money would have been on Liverpool to go and find the winner in the final 20 minutes, but those twists just would not stop. Off another quick attack, Swansea scored through Gylfi Sigurdsson, with the Iceland international pouncing on a loose ball to slot intelligently past Mignolet.
Paul Clement and Claude Makelele were jumping for joy as Jurgen Klopp looked around in disbelief, screaming at his players for their lapse in concentration.
Liverpool threw everything at Swansea in the final moments, and there were a couple of decent chances, but Fabianski was up to the task and so were Swansea, whose season could be transformed by this win.
For Liverpool, this could be the end of the road as far as the EPL title is concerned. If Chelsea beat Hull City, as they should, at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, the gap to the leaders will be ten points.
Wayne Rooney breaks record
Manchester United seemed like suffering the same fate as Liverpool in the later game as Stoke City led 1-0 for the longest time, through an own goal from Juan Mata in the 19th minute.
However, substitute Rooney, right at the death, salvaged a point for Manchester United, curling in a freekick to the top corner.
That goal was Rooney's 250th for his club, with the England international now standing alone at the top of the Manchester United goalscoring charts, one ahead of Sir Bobby Charlton.
While Rooney will cherish breaking a long-standing landmark, the forward and his team will be unhappy with the result. Despite dominating the match, united just could not find their touch in front of goal, with the point meaning they could fall further behind in the title and top four race, depending on the results that follow.
"I'm very proud, but it is difficult to be too pleased right now because of the two dropped points," Rooney said. "But in the grand scheme of things, it is something I am very proud of. Hopefully there is more to come."
Results: Liverpool 2-3 Swansea City; Stoke City 1-1 Manchester United; Bournemouth 2-2 Watford; Middlesbrough 1-3 West Ham United; West Bromwich Albion 2-0 Sunderland; Crystal Palace 0-1 Everton.
