As Sadio Mane thundered the ball into the net against Sheffield United, it was impossible not to be struck by how stunningly everything again came together – but in more ways than one.

There was primarily the conviction of a forward on all-conquering form, soaring due to his confidence in his own game and his perfect fit within this Liverpool team. That finish flowed from a glorious interchange with Mohamed Salah, reflecting the integration of these forwards into the most exhilarating of modern tactics, instilled by perhaps the finest manager in world football right now in Jurgen Klopp.

This inspiring play is itself the natural product of the most intelligent project in football right now. Liverpool are the example to follow, showing best practice, and now putting out by far the best team.

That can all be true, however, it can still be simultaneously true that Liverpool’s results are an example of something much less inspiring.

They are also a natural product of the super-club world that football now finds itself in. It is a world, just as in society, that is getting much more punishing for anyone on the wrong side of the lamentable embrace of hyper-capitalism.

Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Show all 23 1 /23 Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: Lys Mousset of Sheffield United is challenged by Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 02, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Clive Brunskill Getty Images Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Alisson - 7 Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Sheffield United - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - January 2, 2020 Liverpool's Alisson REUTERS/Phil Noble EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. PHIL NOBLE REUTERS Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7 Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold controls the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Sheffield United at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Jon Super) Jon Super AP Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Joe Gomez - 7 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: Joe Gomez of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 2, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images) Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA Getty Images Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Virgil van Dijk - 8 Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk (second right) wins a header during the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. PA Photo. Picture date: Thursday January 2, 2020. See PA story SOCCER Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Peter Byrne PA Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Andy Robertson - 8 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: Andy Robertson of Liverpool takes the ball past George Baldock of Sheffield United during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 02, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Clive Brunskill Getty Images Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United James Milner - 7 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: James Milner of Liverpool controls the ball during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 02, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Clive Brunskill Getty Images Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Jordan Henderson - 8 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: Jordan Henderson of Liverpool tackles Oliver Norwood of Sheffield United during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 02, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images) Alex Livesey - Danehouse Getty Images Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Georginio Wijnaldum - 7 epa08099001 Sheffield United's John Lundstram (L) in action with Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Sheffield United at Anfield, Liverpool, Britain, 02 January 2020. EPA/PETER POWELL EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications PETER POWELL EPA Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Mohamed Salah - 9 Man of the match. Action Images via Reuters Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Roberto Firmino - 7 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Roberto Firmino of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 02, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) John Powell Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Sadio Mane - 8 Liverpool's Sadio Mane controls the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Sheffield United at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Jon Super) Jon Super AP Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Dean Henderson - 7 epa08099007 Sheffield United's Oliver Norwood (L) in action against Liverpool's Jordan Henderson (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Sheffield United at Anfield, Liverpool, Britain, 02 January 2020. EPA/PETER POWELL EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications PETER POWELL EPA Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Chris Basham - 7 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: Sadio Mane of Liverpool battles for possession with Chris Basham of Sheffield United during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 02, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Clive Brunskill Getty Images Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United John Egan - 6 Sheffield United's John Egan, left, duels for the ball with Liverpool's Sadio Mane during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Sheffield United at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Jon Super) Jon Super AP Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Jack O'Connell - 6 Liverpool's Roberto Firmino, front, jumps for the ball with Sheffield United's Jack O'Connell during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Sheffield United at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Jon Super) Jon Super AP Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United George Baldock - 5 Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Sheffield United - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - January 2, 2020 Sheffield United's George Baldock in action with Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum REUTERS/Phil Noble EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. PHIL NOBLE REUTERS Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United John Lundstram - 5 Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum, left, duels for the ball with Sheffield United's John Lundstram during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Sheffield United at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Jon Super) Jon Super AP Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Oliver Norwood - 6 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: Oliver Norwood of Sheffield United during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 2, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images) Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA Getty Images Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United John Fleck - 5 NORWICH, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 08: John Fleck of Sheffield United in action during the Premier League match between Norwich City and Sheffield United at Carrow Road on December 08, 2019 in Norwich, United Kingdom. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) Naomi Baker Getty Images Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Enda Stevens - 6 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Mohamed Salah of Liverpool with Enda Stevens of Sheffield United during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 02, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Andrew Powell Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United David McGoldrick - 5 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: David McGoldrick of Sheffield United during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 2, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images) Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA Getty Images Ratings: Liverpool vs Sheffield United Lys Mousset - 5 LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: Lys Mousset of Sheffield United during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 2, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images) Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA Getty Images

It would be much easier to talk about all this if Liverpool’s supreme results records were unique – but they are not. It is only two years since Manchester City posted almost identical numbers. In between, both clubs claimed 96-plus-point seasons. When that happens, it’s less unique brilliance, and more a common issue of which there are more examples.

Before that, Chelsea bested an in-season record with 13 consecutive wins. Across Europe’s major leagues, the same major clubs – Juventus, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and even Barcelona – are winning the title again and again. The clubs from these countries now completely dominate the Champions League last 16.

There has never been such a collection of situations like this in football’s history, where so many such records are being broken in so short a time, and so many results are… so predictable. This is not some grand coincidence. It is a distinctive consequence of something bigger, that has been developing for decades. It is exclusively because so many resources are being concentrated at the same few clubs.

It is perhaps the biggest issue in football right now, and has many bigger effects. It is already leading to the death of clubs like Bury, and may yet lead to the birth of a super-league. This is how extreme the economic reality of the game has become. This is why Leicester City were a 5,000-1 “miracle”.

It should be stressed at this point that Liverpool themselves defied those economic realities to even compete with City. They had to absolutely maximise what they had, through the most astute of thinking, to make that happen. By rights, they shouldn’t really be beating City. This is hugely admirable – but it would be naive to think it was down to genius defiance alone.

Salah and Mane celebrate against Sheffield United (PA)

They had a distinctive financial platform. They had a super-club’s financial platform, without which all the most intelligent decisions in the world would be irrelevant when it comes to actually challenging. It was not as big as City’s super-club platform, no – but it was an essential bottom line nonetheless.

Many might naturally quibble with what a super-club is. It conjures images of oil-money takeovers and transfer grandeur. Those are all part of it, but the fundamental definition is more basic. It is purely about what you can afford, and having an amount of money that puts you above a certain threshold of financial potential. Liverpool can right now afford one of the highest wage bills in world football, and that is pretty much the only figure that matters when it comes to competitiveness. League tables correlate to that more than anything else.

Many might at this moment fairly argue that Liverpool almost went bust a decade ago, and point to their hugely impressive net-spend figures. It is true they only emphasise the scale of the achievement, the quality of the thinking. But the added point there is that FSG – in a move entirely in-keeping with the intelligence they have shown throughout this project – identified an under-performing club with huge financial potential. And FSG’s brilliant business approach is now maximising that potential, too, to ever-escalating rewards and resources.

And that’s why Liverpool are a super-club. They did not have an Abu Dhabi, Qatar or Roman Abramovich buy them as with City, PSG or Chelsea, but they did have a rare historic status and immense global appeal that was rife for maximising. They were essentially “lucky” enough to be successful and famous at the right time in history, so it created this huge fanbase. It is a similar story with Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus and, to a lesser extent, Arsenal. They have this globalist power that make it impossible for almost anyone else to compete without a super-wealthy owner.

And sure, many of these – especially United and Arsenal – are currently under-performing. They are not making the best of their resources, or potential. But they could get right back up there with the right decisions, or investment in football intelligence. Clubs outside this band couldn’t get up to this level with right decisions alone. Even the sharpest football intelligence only goes so far – and is usually bought up by the super-clubs anyway. Klopp wasn’t going to Everton in 2015. Pep Guardiola wasn’t going to Lazio. That is the way of things.

Jurgen Klopp has maximised the potential of Liverpool (Getty) (Getty Images)

It is also the point with FSG and Liverpool. Had they taken over any other club bar perhaps Milan or Internazionale, and taken the exact same steps at the exact same moments, they just wouldn’t have had the same effect. This would not have happened at West Ham United, or Sunderland, or even Everton or Leeds United. They just don’t have that financial platform, and don’t really have the globalist appeal to develop it. This is of course not to single out Liverpool.

It’s just to signal that their incredible season should not solely bring gushing praise. It should bring cause for thought, about the state of the game and where it’s going. Liverpool’s supreme run is really just a symptom of a wider issue, where a growing financial disparity is causing a greater distortion of results and harming the very unpredictability that makes the game so glorious. The reality is that a series of decisions have been taken since the early 1980s – from changing rules on directors to the birth of the Premier League to ongoing changes to rights distribution – have made this inevitable, and arguably brought it past the point of no return. Wealth has always dictated the game, sure, but never to this degree. This is unprecedented.

It still doesn’t mean that football is uniformly predictable. It will still vary. There are still humans involved. Players will get tired of managers. Bad decisions will be made. Clubs will drop off. Surprises will be possible. But the key point is that if a super-club gets it right, results like this are becoming the norm. It is not a surprise, because that is what happens with hyper-capitalism, and so much going in one direction. The rich get richer, gaps grow. The wider forces of the game are by now unmistakable. This has been coming together for some time.

This is not to take away from this Liverpool. This team, and this manager, would have been historically brilliant in any era. They would be repeat champions in any other era. But, in this era, they’re achieving results that are becoming painfully routine for a distinctive group of super clubs that get it right.