1. Liverpool's challenge fades

Liverpool's title challenge is on its last legs after Saturday's limp 2-0 defeat at resurgent Hull. Chelsea, 13 points clear of the Reds, are surely beyond their horizons. This loss severely exposed the frailties of Jurgen Klopp's side and especially those of the defence and goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Teams near the bottom of the table are Liverpool's Achilles' heel. They may be unbeaten against any of the Premier League's top seven but have now lost to Burnley, Bournemouth, Swansea and Hull, whose manager Marco Silva's reputation continues to soar. He is delivering results that appeared completely beyond a club rock bottom of the table when he took over on Jan. 5

Klopp's team, meanwhile, exhibited the same lack of fluency that cost them three times over in January -- losing an EFL Cup semifinal to Southampton, to Wolves in the FA Cup and then further losing touch with Chelsea in the title race with a defeat at home to Swansea.

Hull were gifted their 44th minute lead by the latest costly error from Mignolet. Harry Maguire headed Kamil Grosicki's corner straight at the Belgian, who lost concentration under a completely fair challenge from Abel Hernandez. He could only pat the ball into the path of Alfred N'Diaye, who stabbed in unchallenged.

Liverpool's defenders, perhaps aghast at Mignolet's mistake, stayed rooted to the spot, just as they would for Hull's 84th minute second goal, scored by on-loan Everton striker Oumar Niasse. The substitute charged after Andrea Ranocchia's long punt with only Joel Matip for company and slotted under Mignolet.

Klopp's team were undone by Hull's zest and organisation. Silva had his team defending in numbers from the start, with Hernandez running himself into the ground. Liverpool's creative hub of Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho struggled for touch, perhaps not aided by an uneven playing surface.

Coutinho rued his 21st minute failure to capitalise on a handling error by Hull keeper Eldin Jakupovic. The Brazilian could only hit his shot into the ground. Liverpool entered half-time in deep frustration; Matip had missed a 37th minute free header from a Coutinho corner before Hull at last came out of their shells and took advantage of Mignolet's latest moment of crisis.

As they upped their tempo after half-time, no doubt inspired by a fiery team talk from Klopp, Liverpool were even more dominant in territorial terms but could not force an equaliser.

Sadio Mane's header was saved well by Jakupovic and then, with the goal gaping after Maguire had deflected the ball into his path, Coutinho smashed wide. It was a dreadful miss and Liverpool would soon pay the price.

2. Mane return not enough

Mane made his first start since the African Nations Cup. It was more than simplistic to blame Liverpool's recent slide on his absence ,but they had certainly missed the Senegalese flier's ability to open up defences with his speed and movement.

Judging by an overly ambitious early attempt to score from fully 25 yards out, he wanted to make up for lost time. But Hull's defensive tactics did not give him too much space to work. He was also the recipient of a clattering foul by Maguire, who was deservedly booked for a high challenge bordering on recklessness. In the latter stages, when bearing down on the byline, he was hacked by substitute Josh Tymon. Hull clearly viewed Mane as the man to be stopped at all costs.

When Liverpool began the second half charging from the blocks, Mane, drifting from flank to flank as he sought space, was at the forefront. But for Jakupovic making a clawing full-length save, he might have grabbed an equaliser with a looping header just before the hour.

But like the rest of his team's forwards, Mane would end up a sorely frustrated figure, his return to the team unable to inspire a revival of the high levels of attacking play with which Liverpool decorated the first half of the season.

3. Silva continues to impress

Silva's transformative effect on Hull continues. Here, he managed to make a team of near-strangers look organised and composed against one of English football's top teams.

There were three debutants in Hull's lineup, with N'Diaye, loaned from Villarreal, in midfield and Grosicki, signed from Rennes, on the right wing. An injury to captain Michael Dawson in the warm-up had given Ranocchia, on loan from Inter Milan, an unscheduled first start.

January had been a momentous month of change for City. Silva's Jan. 5 arrival preceded a rapid overhaul of the squad, with seven players coming in and Jake Livermore accompanying Robert Snodgrass out the door.

Grosicki, a star of Poland's run to the Euro 2016 quarterfinals, can inject far more pace than the departed Snodgrass, and his corner for N'Diaye's goal was of the quality the Scot used to bring to the party. Ranocchia's reputation for making mistakes preceded him, but he gave a dogged display of defending. Liverpool frontman Roberto Firmino and later, sub Daniel Sturridge, struggled with the sheer size of the Italian's partnership with Maguire.

"Marco, Marco," give us a wave, sang the Hull fans. The 39-year-old has rapidly assumed heroic status in the UK's City of Culture. He has given Hull genuine hope of escape.