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For a long time, it was a source of contention among Liverpool fans.

All too often, the Reds - to some observers, at least - were forced to rely on the goals that flowed from the front three of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

That the fearsome trio have netted 181 times between them since their time together at Anfield has helped allay those concerns considerably, but a lack of scorers from midfield has often rankled whenever the Reds have stuttered.

Recent evidence, however, suggests the tide is turning.

Liverpool have netted 43 goals in all competitions this term with Mane and Salah, two of the Premier League's three Golden Boot winners last term, sharing the lion's portions with nine each.

Salah edged out Mane to become Liverpool's top scorer with 27 last time, pipping his fellow Ballon d'Or nominee to the crown with a clinically dispatched penalty in the Champions League final.

Divock Origi then added the last of his seven strikes to seal that 2-0 win over Tottenham in Madrid on June 1. The Belgian, who contributed to so many glorious moments across the 2018/19 term, ended as joint-fourth alongside James Milner, whose nerveless penalties accounted for five of his.

Liverpool are already able to boast 15 different goalscorers after just 20 games so far, which is the same number they totalled after 53 last term. Sixteen, if we're accounting for the three own goals Liverpool have benefited from.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's four in his last three starts have seen him move above Firmino to give Klopp another attacking weapon that he wasn't able to call on last season.

(Image: Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images)

The all-action midfielder netted a brilliant brace in Genk last month before following that up with the winning goal against the Belgians at Anfield last week after a Goal-of-the-Season contender in the 5-5 draw with Arsenal in the Carabao Cup on October 30.

Oxlade-Chamberlain's output was simply unavailable to Klopp last term as the ex-Arsenal man worked his way back to full fitness after a career-threatening knee injury. The signs are encouraging that he is getting back to his best, certainly in front of goal, at least.

If his two-goal showing in Genk was a challenge to his fellow midfielders to get their own names on the sheets, it is one they have seemingly responded to with aplomb.

First came captain Jordan Henderson, who provided a game-changing leveller in the 2-1 win over Tottenham. The skipper burst into the box undetected before steering past Paulo Gazzaniga to finally break the Spurs keeper's otherwise inspired resolve.

Next up was Gini Wijnaldum, who opened the scoring in a subdued and surprisingly nervy affair against Genk in the Champions League last Tuesday.

The Dutch international has four in four at international level and brought those instincts to Anfield as he hooked home to open the scoring in that 2-1 win in Group E.

Next up, most spectacularly of all, was Fabinho who scored just the second goal of his Liverpool career with a rocket against Manchester City on Sunday.

(Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

The Brazil international, seizing on a loose ball around 25 yards, smashed one past Claudio Bravo to give the Reds liftoff in the 3-1 win that opened up a nine-point advantage over their title rivals.

Those seven goals from four different midfielders came after Adam Lallana bagged his first for over two years to rescue a late point at Manchester United on October 20.

Liverpool now have the same amount goal contributors this term in less than half of the matches played last year and that's before Xherdan Shaqiri has been allowed off the leash.

The Switzerland international has been hampered by a calf problem over the last few weeks and is yet to make a start this season under Klopp. He will surely add to the list of goal-getters before the season is out, while Naby Keita will be expected to chip in, too.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, Matip, Lallana and Robertson have already surpassed their own respective tallies of last season, while one more each for Alexander-Arnold, Henderson and Fabinho will see them do the same.

For a team that often seem so reliant on the output of their front three, Liverpool are evidently finding news ways to carve out results.