There’s a reason the phrase about a season ‘being a marathon rather than sprint’ is a cliché.

The architect of the expression must have seen the 19th century equivalent of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, dipped the quill in the ink pot and remarked how there is no point coming out dashing after the starting pistol if your head is wobbling and you’re scrambling to find a water stop halfway through the race.

Klopp is never short of belief, nor is he short of emotionally charged speeches. His response ahead of Wednesday night’s EFL Cup semi-final was to ramp his positivity up several notches, reminding players and supporters how much the team has developed and to ignore the hysteria that shadows every setback.

“It is not blind faith. It is a belief built on what I see from them each and every day,” Klopp wrote in his programme notes.

Not for the first time, his passion and conviction can’t hide the fundamental question that has lingered since he was appointed 15 months ago. Is the talent really there?