Seven days after Liverpool's momentous Barclays Premier League victory against Manchester United at Anfield last month, they were held to a dismal goalless draw at home to Stoke City. Therefore, it was no surprise to hear Steven Gerrard urging his team-mates to remain grounded after a 1-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday swept the Merseyside club three points clear at the top of the table.

Gerrard has witnessed too many false dawns at Liverpool to suddenly believe that the club will end their 19-year wait for the title on the back of puncturing Chelsea's 86-match unbeaten home league record, so, although the captain hailed a “massive” win, he also pointed out that the good work would be undone if they fail to beat Portsmouth at Anfield tomorrow and preserve their unbeaten start to the season.

“It's important not to get carried away,” Gerrard said. “We're still only in October. We're in a nice position in the league, but Chelsea are a fantastic side, who will come back, and Manchester United will be there or thereabouts.

“We've won nothing yet. It was a massive win and three big points, but if we slip up against Portsmouth, those points will be irrelevant. To win this league and become champions, you have to handle the pressure of being at the top. That's the challenge for us now. Can we handle being top of the league? We've done superbly well so far, we're unbeaten, and we have to keep that going now, starting against Portsmouth.”

Liverpool face a very winnable run of eight Premier League games before they travel to North London to face Arsenal on December 21, but the same was said before a similar spell over December and January last season - a visit from United aside - when, despite a relatively strong start to the campaign, they claimed only ten points from 27 available.

Uncertainty over Rafael Benítez's future as manager and a gruelling European campaign contributed to Liverpool falling away then, which is why supporters will hope the circumstances of Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, the owners, do not come to conspire against the club in the months ahead, but the importance of victories against United and Chelsea should ensure that the players retain their focus.

That both wins were secured without Fernando Torres speaks volumes, although with the Spain striker to return - possibly against Portsmouth but more likely away to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday - Liverpool should become even harder to beat.

“It was a big incentive for us to go to Chelsea and take their unbeaten record off them,” Gerrard said. “We were really organised, really compact and I thought the four lads at the back and the goalkeeper were superb. We also looked dangerous going forward and perhaps could have had another goal. From front to back, we were resilient and made it really difficult for them. We understand the expectations after a win like that, but from our point of view now, it's all about the next game and trying to get another win.”

Gerrard's sentiments were echoed by Albert Riera, whose impressive form continued with another assured display against Chelsea. Indeed, it seems surprising to think that questions were asked of the Liverpool manager's decision to sign the Spain winger from Espanyol as part of an £8million deal last month, although Riera looks a very different player from the one who struggled during a brief loan spell at Manchester City in 2006.

“People know we want to continue at the top and it will be difficult to beat us,” Riera said. “I think you can always be better, this is the thing I have in my mind now. The best way to progress is to think, 'I can be better and I can help the team more'.”

Be wary of betting on red

Liverpool have won five more points from their opening nine games than when they last won the title in 1989-90 (23 to 18). But...

- On the only occasion since their last title that Liverpool have accrued 23 or more points in the first nine matches (25 points in 1990-91), they finished second to Arsenal.

- Another warning comes from the 2002-03 season, when Liverpool won nine and drew the other three of their opening 12 games, but failed to win any of their next 11 matches and finished fifth.

- Only four of the past ten sides topping the table after nine games have gone on to be champions.

- No team since Leeds United in 1991-92 have won the title after finishing outside of the top three the previous season. Liverpool finished fourth in 2007-08.

Words by Bill Edgar.