It says everything about the widespread lack of faith in Liverpool’s transfer committee and the now endemic rush to judgment on social media that the Merseyside club’s acquisition of Roberto Firmino for £29 million is already being dismissed in some quarters as an undue extravagance. Not only do Liverpool have form in paying over the odds for players, but the Brazilian is an unknown quantity in this country and as such the fee cannot be anything other than excessive.

In fairness, Liverpool can have few complaints about the scrutiny after lavishing £25 million on Adam Lallana, £20 million on Dejan Lovren, £20 million on Lazar Markovic, £16 million on Mario Balotelli and £15 million on Joe Allen, to name but five, since Brendan Rodgers took