The truly strange thing about Liverpool's league season is that for two-thirds of it they showed champion form.
From the 14 league games that began their season (nine wins, four draws and one defeat) and the nine games that have immediately preceded Sunday's conclusion against Crystal Palace (seven wins and two draws) Liverpool have averaged enough points to have defended their title.
Sadly for Jurgen Klopp and his players, it is what happened in between that has left them scrambling for respectability at Anfield on Sunday.
Sometimes, it is worth looking back at that run of games between December 27 and March 7 just to remind ourselves that it actually happened.