Ronnie Moran, whose life and work were celebrated at Anfield on Saturday, was part of a management team which obsessed about fixing weaknesses and hated to talk about winning, so it is reasonable to reflect on what there was to worry about in the victory which extends Everton’s winless run at Anfield to 18 years.

Jurgen Klopp was surprisingly frank about the problem. Set-pieces were “still a question for us to find a real answer for” he said. “You can really be sure we are on this and working on this with a lot of different things, but it is not our best skill of our skills.”

Schalke’s Bosnian left back Sead Kolasinac, out of contract this summer, has been tracked by Liverpool but a more radical solution may be needed. Saturday represented one of the most ineffectual Everton performances in all of those 18 years and yet Liverpool’s embarrassment might easily have extended beyond the corner from which they conceded a painfully soft equaliser. There were times in the second half when their zonal marking was not fit for purpose. There was also that perennial sense you get with them that a standard cross into the box at any time can give any opponent cause for hope.

Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Simon Mignolet – 6 out of 10 Made a handful of important saves – only beaten by Pennington’s close range strike. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Nathaniel Clyne – 5 out of 10 Was pulled out of position at times and made a habit of playing very narrow. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Joel Matip – 6 out of 10 His work rate was relentless and he kept Lukaku out of the game. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Dejan Lovren – 7 out of 10 Committed to every challenge and loose ball – courageous defending throughout. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings James Milner – 6 out of 10 It was a classic Milner display – passed well, held his shape and worked hard. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Emre Can – 4 out of 10 Ruthlessly crashed into challenges, tackled half-heartedly and lost possession continuously. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Lucas – 6 out of 10 Read the game very well – dropped deep and opened up space in the midfield. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Georgino Wijnaldum – 5 out of 10 Drifted in and out of the game at times, but in possession he showed impressive vision and ability. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Sadio Mane – 7 out of 10 His opening goal was an example of his endless individual ability. Subbed off due to ankle injury. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Roberto Firmino – 6 out of 10 Worked hard to win possession, but his final product was sloppy at times. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Philippe Coutinho – 8 out of 10 Was Liverpool’s best player today – he was energetic, determined and his goal capped off a sublime performance. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Joel Robles – 4 out of 10 Was a victim of Liverpool’s sublime strike force but seemed out of position for all three of the home side's goals. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Matthew Pennington – 6 out of 10 Unexpectedly scored the equaliser, but then he was beaten by Coutinho for Liverpool’s second. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Ashley Williams – 6 out of 10 Tackled relentlessly and made countless clearances. However, some of his tackles looked dangerous. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Phil Jagielka – 7 out of 10 He cleared shots off the line, leaped in front of shots and saved the Everton side on numerous occasions. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Mason Holgate – 5 out of 10 Showed glimpses of brilliance going forward, but his countless deliveries into the box were over hit and out of control. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Tom Davies – 6 out of 10 Oozed with confidence and once again proved his prospects for the future. Still has plenty to learn, though. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Idrissa Gueye – 6 out of 10 Was a key element to Everton going forward, but he did drift out of position at times. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Leighton Baines – 5 out of 10 Played very deep, which resulted in a lack of width and menace for The Toffees on the front foot. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Ross Barkley – 6 out of 10 Should have been red carded just before the interval, but his performance improved sufficiently as the game progressed. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Romelu Lukaku – 4 out of 10 Showed no sign of being the Premier League’s scorer and caused few problems for the Liverpool defence. Liverpool 3 Everton 1 player ratings Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 5 out of 10 Lacked service from the midfield, but the striker was invisible at times.

A free-kick early in the second half had already almost brought Everton at 2-2 before Mason Holgate was given the freedom of Liverpool to leap for a Leighton Baines cross, which he somehow conspired to head over. As the Liverpool Echo memorably put it: “Does anyone fancy some marking?” Moran, former left back and club captain, didn’t go in for technical defensive tuition during the years when Bob Paisley’s side brushed all others aside. The philosophy was that you didn’t need to be told if you played for Liverpool. It certainly feels like the side needs a new defensive anchor in there to lead the line and sort out the mess.

Injuries have been a problem. This was only the 13th time that Klopp has been able to field Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip together this season and there have been over 20 different defensive combinations in all. One of Paisley's articles of faith was a central defensive pairing who knew each other. Yet there is no disguising the muddle. “The organisation was ok, but someone blocked Lucas,” Klopp acknowledged. “One step, it is too quick and then Joel couldn’t make this step because it became his space. At the end it was a good set piece.”

By most indicators – tackles, blocks and interceptions - Liverpool are the Premier League’s sixth best side, though that is not good enough, of course, for a club seeking one of the precious Champions League places and who – after Bournemouth’s arrival this week - travel to Stoke City and West Bromwich: both of whom will look to exploit this weakness.

They will be without Sadio Mane for at least this midweek and Klopp’s prickliness when asked how he would cope demonstrated what a concern this is, with the hope being that Daniel Sturridge might be able to step in.

“Yes we missed his speed,” Klopp said of Mane. “When I came in I was not that happy because he was injured, but I did not think about all this. Know you have given me this mind set and I feel really bad. What should we do now? How can we find a solution to replace Sadio Mane – I would really like it if you thought about your questions…”

Everton’s injury problems for Tuesday’s visit to Old Trafford are considerably worse, given what a scorching baptism of fire Saturday was for Matty Pennington in the depleted defence. The usually plain talking Koeman offered an exaggerated and frankly ridiculous post-match assessment of his side’s “face to face” combat with the enemy and briefly threatened to end the press conference. It was presumably his means of protecting the youngsters he had thrown in and who had suffered.