Clean sheet at Anfield demonstrates Man Utd’s solidity and progression

Incidentally, it was Pep Guardiola’s side who last came away from Anfield without conceding, during their title-winning campaign of 2018/19. Much like Solskjaer, the former Barcelona manager recognised the importance of stopping Liverpool on that occasion – in fact, had they done so, the ribbons on the Premier League trophy that season would have been red and white rather than sky blue.

During that encounter 27 months ago, there was a grudging respect from both managers that a point was not an undesirable outcome. There were shades of this again at Anfield on Sunday, demonstrating that Liverpool were more than a tad wary of the threats Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and co could pose.

While Solskjaer was experienced enough to know the problems that could ensue from setting up his side in a gung-ho manner, so too, did Klopp.

That in itself is an indication of how the upper echelons of the Premier League table have shifted in recent times, and perhaps this won’t be the last time this season that Liverpool cast an anxious glance towards their rivals from down the M62.