Thiago remains the cool ball-playing scamp whether Liverpool are hot or cold

He does odd little things, looking away as a pass is coming to him, scanning the world from side-on like a bird, then rolling his foot over the ball as he takes it, just because he likes the feel.

STRUT: Thiago Alcantara

There was a good Jürgen Klopp moment during Liverpool’s win at Southampton last Tuesday night. Nathan Redmond had just opened the scoring. The goal had come after a collision with a Liverpool player, drawing a minor wave of protest from the bench. Klopp has a standard move in these touchline moments: a bark of rage, a sudden pirouette, a flurry of air-punches like a man whirling around to fend off a late-night pickpocket.

This time he did something new and much more haunting, standing totally still on the touchline and simply pointing at the referee with a long bony finger – and then carrying on pointing for what felt like ages, eyes ablaze, coat tails billowing, like some terrifying medieval woodcut called The Guilt of Man.