Speaking about that summit before the international break, Klopp said his emphasis was on making Liverpool harder to score against. “We had to readjust it – we had to agree on defence first,” he said.

Liverpool have conceded only four league goals in 2022, and none in the first half since Christian Pulisic scored for Chelsea in January.

So while the focus is generally on Liverpool’s star-studded attacking talent, the improvements at the back have led the revival. There is merit to the argument that Van Dijk – probably the most formidable and elegant defender in the world – is playing the best football of his career right now.

Despite that, there may have been more hope than expectation City would open the door. Publicly, Klopp was certainly not entertaining any questions about Liverpool’s title chances.

“I don’t think they smell our breath,” he said as his side embarked on the run which has yielded nine consecutive wins ahead of this weekend’s visit to Anfield of Watford. City acknowledge Liverpool’s incessant pressure, Pep Guardiola colourfully describing his rivals as a ‘pain in the a—’ .

A show of strength

Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2 – March 16, 2022

In real terms, what has changed since January is that a semblance of normality has returned to the top of the table.

Manchester City, having produced a freakish run of 12 victories in a row, finally proved they were mortal, dropping points against Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Crystal Palace. The challenge for Liverpool was to take advantage and victory at the Emirates two weeks ago showcased another vital factor.