“It’s a great time to be a Liverpool fan or player. It’s a tough challenge, but enjoy it and embrace it.”



The euphoria still hung thick in the air at Anfield when Virgil van Dijk, who had been colossal in Liverpool’s crucial 1-0 victory over Napoli, delivered this assessment. Perched pretty at the top of the table in the Premier League, Jürgen Klopp’s side had just secured a spot in the knockout stages of the Champions League by doing exactly what was required of them in their final group game.



The margin of victory against the accomplished Serie A side may seem minuscule—Mohamed Salah’s goal enough to get the job done—but the measured manner in which Liverpool controlled Tuesday’s decisive clash was remarkable.



They did not need to blitz, or blow the roof off, or risk it all—not with Alisson Becker in goal and not with Van Dijk in front of him.



In midfield, much to the chagrin...