Jurgen Klopp delivers Liverpool to Champions League

Liverpool 3 Middlesbrough 0: When the two minutes of injury-time were up, Jurgen Klopp stood slowly, grinned, hugged every man on the Liverpool bench, and then went and casually but earnestly shook the hand of Steve Agnew, the Middlesbrough caretaker manager.

There was no chest beating, no jutting chin, no teeth gnashing, no dislodged glasses, Germanic histrionics, or Oscar-worthy moments of excitement or exultation.

In fact, the only fireworks at the final whistle were of the literal sort, a flare let off in the main dtand on the final whistle of a match that confirmed Liverpool’s place in the Champions League play-off in August.