It was more a desperate attempt to convince an ambitious player to stay than a disrespectful dig, but when Tim Sherwood warned Christian Benteke that Liverpool might not be his ideal destination because they cross the ball less than anyone else, the Aston Villa manager was one among many outside Anfield who doubted the towering forward would be an ideal fit.

After 26 minutes of his home debut, Benteke and Liverpool delivered the perfect riposte. The Belgium forward’s first goal for his new club, scored in front of the Kop, was significant enough but it was the source — a deep cross from the left to the far post by Jordan Henderson — that was most revealing: Liverpool were showing signs of how to bring