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It was the day when the Fab Four became three.

Jurgen Klopp surmised that if the “whole world was watching” then Philippe Coutinho probably was too and was likely “jumping round his new living room in Barcelona”.

Maybe.

Coutinho may certainly have had a wry smile as his new club were left as the only unbeaten side in Europe’s top five leagues thanks to his former team-mates’ efforts against Manchester City.

Especially as Barcelona themselves later came from 2-0 down to lay the ghost at their bogey ground at Real Sociedad.

With Coutinho gone, Klopp felt his team made an important statement about winning these types of games without him.

The three left behind certainly stepped up to the mark, with Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah all getting on the scoresheet.

Firmino revived memories for many of Robbie Fowler at Old Trafford in 1995 as he held off John Stones before chipping delighfully over Ederson to restore Liverpool’s lead at 2-1.

He missed Coutinho for his celebrations but managed fine on his own, shirt off, in orbit. A yellow duly flourished.

Sadio Mane for a half still looked short of his best, unable to collect Firmino’s clever early flick first time or he could have been in and not sharp enough to anticipate Gini Wijnaldum’s clever pullback.

The second half was a different story though, clipping the post with his right foot before unleashing an unstoppable shot with his left to give Liverpool breathing space at 3-1. That shot felt like it carried every ounce of his frustration at that Etihad red card earlier in the season.

And Salah, the 24-goal man just isn’t for stopping is he?

His touch and finish off a half chance at best from Ederson’s weak clearance bore all the hallmarks of a man at the top of his game.

For many events at Anfield showed that Liverpool could cope without buying anyone to replace Coutinho in this transfer window.

But there’s another way of reading it too.

Klopp himself admitted he “didn’t have many options” with Emre Can ill and in need of substitution in the second period against City.

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The German kept going until 10 minutes from time, part of an outstanding midfield three alongside Gini Wijnaldum and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

There is Jordan Henderson to come back from injury but apart from their captain Liverpool are already at full strength. What happens if one of those Crucial Three at the front go down with injury?

RB Leipzig’s public statement yesterday that Naby Keita would remain their player until June 30 makes it significantly less likely that the squad will be strengthened in January, with Monaco’s Thomas Lemar now seen as over-priced.

Yet Manchester City are the current Champions League favourites, just 3/1 to win the tournament. Yes they’ve beaten Jurgen Klopp’s men this season too but the Reds didn’t look like the 16/1 shots they are yesterday.

(Image: Colin Lane)

Over two legs, you’d be a brave man to call the winner at this stage.

So is it time for Liverpool to be brave, to grab their moment, to realise that a last 16 tie against Porto represents a tantalising pathway to the latter stages of the best club football competition in the world?

It remains unlikely but Liverpool can win it. There’s no doubt any more.

They might just need a little help though.

The question remains: "Can they get it?”