In the eyes of many Liverpool fans, the scenario is so straightforward that they become baffled, perplexed and even outraged when Brendan Rodgers does not see the situation as they do: Mamadou Sakho is a better defender than Dejan Lovren and should be picked ahead of him every time he is available. If only it was as uncomplicated for the Liverpool manager as it for those who support his team.

At the end of Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Bordeaux on Thursday night, it was Sakho’s name that was chanted loudest by those in the away end at the French club’s impressive new stadium. This was their moment of vindication, proof that they were right, and therefore that Rodgers was wrong, about the relative merits of