Jose Mourinho is a manager more obsessed with the psychology of players than any other, which raises a significant question about his side’s approach on Saturday. After all, Liverpool are already at that point in their trajectory where they are benefitting from the pure mental intimidation that opposition teams feel. It has a self-perpetuating effect, even within individual games. The longer a match goes on, the more the opposition fear the pain of that inevitable goal, and the more Liverpool’s record of always scoring emboldens them. It starts to make the other side anxious and make Klopp’s team more composed.

So it was Roberto Firmino’s strike on Saturday, even though it came in the first half. That’s how withdrawn Tottenham Hotspur were. That’s how they succumbed to the same pain everyone else does. And that’s what raises the question. This happens to almost every club facing Liverpool, but it shouldn’t happen to almost every manager – especially not one of such a stature and such a price as Mourinho.

A manager of his prestige and proven psychological work should be capable of disrupting this mindset, of emboldening his own players. Instead, the initial approach actually played into this fear. It was so defensively deep that it only served to make Liverpool seem all the more intimidating. It was, in truth, small-team football.

It was also all the more self-defeating given how Spurs’s relatively rudimentary attacking started to puncture a few holes in Liverpool in the last 10 minutes. Mourinho of course came out to defend this approach after the game, while only bolstering the point.

“If we try to play the way we did in the last 20 minutes from the start, I think we would collapse,” the Portuguese said. “We are speaking about probably the best team in the world. They are in a condition to play a big FA Cup match with the second team and we are a team in difficulties.”

Some of this is undeniably true, but so much of it is so classically Mourinho – right down to the spoiling game, which this Liverpool were just too good for.

Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Show all 22 1 /22 Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Paulo Gazzaniga - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 22: Paulo Gazzaniga goalkeeper of Spurs gives instructions during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Japhet Tanganga - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Sadio Mane of Liverpool with Japhet Tanganga of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Toby Alderweireld - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT)Sadio Mane of Liverpool of Liverpool with Toby Alderweireld of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Davinson Sanchez - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 22: Davinson Sanchez of Tottenham Hotspur walks out to warm up ahead of the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images) Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Danny Rose - 5 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Jose Mourinho, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur embraces Danny Rose of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images) Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Serge Aurier - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT)Sadio Mane of Liverpool of Liverpool with Serge Aurier of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Christian Eriksen - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT)Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpoolwith Christian Eriksen of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Harry Winks - 6 Tottenham Hotspur's English midfielder Harry Winks (C) holds off Liverpool's Brazilian midfielder Roberto Firmino (L) and Liverpool's Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum (R) during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Heung-Min Son - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Heung-Min Son of Tottenham Hotspur battles for possession with Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Lucas Moura - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Lucas Moura of Tottenham Hotspur battles for possession with Jordan Henderson of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Dele Alli - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur gives his team instructions during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Alisson Becker - 7 Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker reacts during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT)Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool with Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Joe Gomez - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT)Joe Gomez of Liverpool with Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Virgil van Dijk - 8 Liverpool's Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk (L) comes across to defend against Tottenham Hotspur's Brazilian midfielder Lucas Moura (R) during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Andrew Robertson - 6 Tottenham Hotspur's Ivorian defender Serge Aurier (R) vies with Liverpool's Scottish defender Andrew Robertson (L) during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 5 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Jordan Henderson - 6 Liverpool's English midfielder Jordan Henderson warms up for the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Georginio Wijnaldum - 5 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool with Japhet Tanganga of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Mohamed Salah - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool runs with the ball from Harry Winks of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Roberto Firmino - 8 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT)Roberto Firmino of Liverpool scores the opener and celebrates during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Liverpool Sadio Mane - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Sadio Mane of Liverpool runs with the ball past Christian Eriksen of Tottenham Hotspur and Japhet Tanganga of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) Getty Images

And that’s kind of the issue. It was supposed to be a newer Mourinho, with new approaches. It is a little disconcerting just how many of the old issues have resurfaced, right down to Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino form.

That alone illustrates that a lot of this isn’t Mourinho’s fault, especially given the injuries, but so much of it seems avoidable.

The pieces already seem set for potentially edgy talks over transfers, and Spurs will be one of the window’s more interesting clubs. Mourinho had made it clear what he needs. He wants two strikers, for a start. There’s been the indirect criticism of players in the media and conspicuous substitutions. Mourinho then spent much of his post-game press conference talking about defensive throw-ins, how much he’d worked on them in the last week, and how that ultimately let them down against Liverpool.

Well what about working on actually constructive attacking patterns? This is what it keeps coming back to, which means the ball keeps going back to the opposition. What has Mourinho tangibly improved so far? What has the effect been?

There hasn’t been all that much, even allowing for many caveats. There hasn’t been enough to dispel the suspicion that Daniel Levy was seduced by the idea of Mourinho as a big name, and what his appointment represented for the club, rather than what he is currently doing as a coach.