It was not meant to be this way for last year’s Champions League finalists, checking the permutations heading into a must-win final group game.

The basic maths is a two-goal Liverpool victory over Napoli guarantees qualification. Other results could get the job done, but James Milner preferred a more candid summation.

“If you can't win your home games in the Champions League then you don't deserve to go through,” he said.

In truth, Liverpool’s defeat to Paris St-Germain was as poor a result for Napoli as Jurgen Klopp, the Italians facing up to their toughest assignment. The knockout round has arrived a game early.

“If you had said, 'you have to win your last home game to get through the group' I think everyone would have been fine with it,” said Milner.