Purely looking at it in football terms, Manchester City have been better than Liverpool this season.
That might sound crazy, given that the Scousers are eight points clear at the top of the Premier League with a perfect record if eight from eight.
If you judge football simply on results, then there is no argument.
And if you look at City's defending in their two defeats, at Norwich and at home to Wolves, it cannot compare to Liverpool's stable, secure back four.
But the truth is that, apart from the lack-lustre defeat by Wolves last time out, City have been more convincing.
Liverpool are a great team, there is no doubt about that, possibly the best to have graced Anfield – and that is quite a claim when you look at the magnificent sides they had in the Seventies and Eighties.
But a narrative seems to have grown up that this season they have been unstoppable, a football juggernaut that has simply crushed all in its path.
It simply is not true. And in the reality of their perfect record lies the hope to which City, and their fans, are still clinging.
The Blues have only won five of their eight games, but they were victories that ranged from the utterly convincing (West Ham 5-0, Watford 8-0, Brighton 4-0) to the solid (Bournemouth 3-1, Everton 3-1).
They arguably played at their best in the 2-2 draw with Tottenham, and maybe the fact they did not win when playing so well is of most concern.
But Liverpool have been far from convincing.
In fact, they have been downright jammy at times, and have had just about everything going for them.
Their record of not getting key players injured has carried on from last season, while City have had damaging long-term problems for Aymeric Laporte, Leroy Sane and John Stones.
But in the games themselves, Liverpool have had the rub of the green, and when you combine that with the undoubted firepower they possess, it has added up to eight wins from eight.
A closer look at their games reveals it has been far from the notion that they have crushed all in their path.
The trend was set early, with Danny Ings missing a sitter from six yards in the dying moments of Liverpool's game at Southampton, which they won 2-1.
At Burnley, there was stalemate until Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross deflected off Chris Wood and looped crazily into the far corner.
Liverpool looked great at Chelsea, until the hosts scored, and they ended up scraping home.
Jurgen Klopp's team also struggled to beat Sheffield United but, with the game heading for a drawer, on-loan United goalkeeper Dean Henderson let a soft shot through his legs. Three more points.
And then, last time out, Leicester looked like holding them at Anfield until the referee and VAR both interpreted Sadio Mane's dramatic plunge as a penalty.
Of course, such things tend to even themselves out over a season, and no doubt Liverpool will have a bad patch and City will get some moments of good fortune.
And therein lies the title race.