There was a time title challengers need only concern themselves with accumulating points. So high have Manchester City raised the bar in the Premier League, it feels like those chasing must be equally preoccupied with goal difference.

There was a moment shortly after Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead against Cardiff when it is safe to assume 90 per cent of Anfield considered this an afternoon to not only secure a three-point lead, but cut a ten-goal gap to Pep Guardiola’s side.

But for the late shift through gears when Xherdan Shaqiri and Sadio Mane gave the result the polish the game’s imbalance deserved, it is conceivable The Kop would have been lamenting a slender win taking Liverpool top.

It sounds preposterous. In fact, it is preposterous. Even asking Jurgen Klopp about it post-match felt absurd, but equally it served as another sign of Anfield progress that the question was worth asking because it had been a nagging thought during the more cumbersome periods of a one-sided game.

Not so long ago Klopp was quizzed about his team’s toils against relegation contenders. Now the expectant mood is captured with concerns about what margin of victory against poorer sides is adequate given City’s propensity to score five or six against the same opponents. City beat Cardiff 5-0 in Wales last September.

“At this stage it makes no sense to think about things like that,” said Klopp.

“You have to score as often as possible. Of course, you want more and we will have games where we score more if we are greedy. Now we have two games in a row where we have scored four and that is pretty special. It is not too likely that it will happen again next week but it will happen from time to time if we stay in a good shape.

“We chase goals. That’s our nature. They want to score goals. First, we have to collect the most points.”

Obviously this is a logical response from the Liverpool manager.

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Nevertheless, with the top four swatting aside those at the bottom, the goal count may become an issue as the months pass.

Had Liverpool been so dominant only to win by one this would have been a missed opportunity. It would also have made this one of the weirdest Anfield games in memory. Even when 2-0 down Cardiff played to protect what they came for - a defeat that could not be described as a ‘hammering’.

When Callum Paterson scored on 77 minutes it seemed in defiance of the matchplan as it encouraged the visitors to pursue an equaliser. In the ensuing brain freeze caused by their show of ambition, the game opened up allowing Liverpool their final flourish.

Shaqiri’s introduction helped. His initial omission was surprising given he was Liverpool’s best attacker in the previous two games. By including Adam Lallana, Klopp showed he had an eye on the long-term and also a good memory.

Lallana needs sharpening. For that he needs more minutes. If he can stay fit, these will be the days that mattered.

Klopp must weigh up the clamour to include new recruits against the necessity of ensuring a potentially pivotal player gets back to his best.

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In the meantime, Shaqiri and Fabinho are winning hearts and minds.

To Klopp, their popularity is not a threat to those competing for the same position.

“They are not jealous,” he said. “They like it when new players come in. We brought them in to make us better in specific situations. They really are fine. We have these choices, that is the most important thing.”

Neil Warnock said it was impossible to get a result at Anfield. It was a typical exaggeration, but his team's approach showed he knew what he was talking about.

The gulf in class should not put pressure on Warnock, but increase the appreciation of his work getting Cardiff up. They are one of the most limited teams to play in the Premier League. There is no way of writing that without it sounding derogatory, but it is true.

To enjoy seven minutes between Patterson and Shaqiri’s goal when a point was not inconceivable was a small triumph, even if it strangely assisted Liverpool as the hosts responded to reduce City’s goal lead to seven.

“The next game is away at Arsenal,” said Klopp.

“I don’t think we will worry about how many goals we will score, we just have to get a result there.”