Klopp’s faith in his back four may remain, but the manager is also aware that his side’s strengths lie further forward, where Philippe Coutinho – described by Lovren as the Premier League’s best player right now – Roberto Firmino, Adam Lallana and Sadio Mané ensured that Liverpool recovered after McArthur’s goals cancelled out Emre Can and Lovren’s efforts. Joel Matip headed the third immediately before half-time and Firmino added a second-half fourth.

His team are rarely less than entertaining but Klopp said: “We don’t play this way because we want to show something, we do it because it helps us, because the best kind of defending is keeping the ball. It’s quite logical. When you have these boys it makes sense.”

What makes less sense to the manager is the claim that, in addition to strengths of his squad, Liverpool’s absence from Europe this season gives them an advantage over their rivals.