Saturday's fixture between Liverpool and Tottenham was the game which was meant to tell us where Liverpool were at when it comes to the 2018-19 Premier League title race. It was a fixture that was perhaps more telling of Spurs though. Crisis?
It would be incredibly naive to say so. With just five games gone in the top flight, it's fair to say that crisis isn't a word that should be used to describe Spurs, but with two defeats on the spin and plenty going wrong off the field, the club faces a huge month or their season could be over before it has begun.
The game at Wembley produced a number of both questions and answers of Spurs, most certainly the answer to the question, "Will Spurs win the title?". The answer is categorically no. The lack of investment during the summer is evident, and progress certainly looks as though it has stalled in parallel with the new stadium.
The signs were there against Liverpool that, following three solid seasons of moving forward, they are now far behind their rivals, and with the likes of Chelsea in scintillating form, they need to be careful that a molehill of six points doesn't become a mountain before 2018 has even hit October.
Just under a year ago, Spurs made the Reds look like relegation fodder in a 4-1 thriller. On Saturday Harry Kane look tired, and the entire side looked deflated and almost scared of what was in front of them.
At Watford it was a similar story - no bite and a Harry Kane who looks like he could really do with a spell on the beach. They have Son Heung-min back now which will undoubtedly add an extra bit of energy to the team, but it's been a long summer for the South Korean too. With the Champions League to now contend with, Mauricio Pochettino really will be scratching his head and wishing he'd brought in some fresh legs.
Yes, a two game losing streak is nothing, but that's the first for Spurs since 2015-16 and the manner in which they have done that is cause for at least a small alarm.
Spurs have hit snooze so far this season, it cannot be denied, which begs the question - will they even make the top four?
A 2019-20 season in a brand new stadium would be a disaster without Champions League football, but if Pochettino doesn't rectify things quickly, it's a distinct possibility.
Most of the best betting apps just have them ahead of Manchester United to finish in the top four, perhaps thanks in part to a mini meltdown at Old Trafford too. Jose Mourinho's men impressed against Watford though and will be looking to kick on from there, something Poch will have to do next weekend against Brighton.
What Spurs do have on their side is a steady run of fixtures in the Premier League from now until the end of October. Huddersfield, Cardiff and West Ham should all be winnable ties for the club, which should see them stay in touching distance of the top teams.
If they fail to do so, Manchester City await at the end of next month, which could put a Europa League shaped nail into the coffin at just 10 games in.
