Liverpool lifted the Carabao Cup on Sunday night after defeating Chelsea on penalties at Wembley.
The victory means Jurgen Klopp has secured his first domestic cup trophy since taking charge at Anfield in 2015, and the triumph has coincided with depth in his squad.
The Reds have been afforded the luxury of rotation throughout the tournament this year. In previous seasons, Klopp's adjustments would have resulted in defeats due to the drop in quality between his regulars and his second strings.
Now, Liverpool have a number of effective options all over the pitch, particularly at centre-back.
During the final, Ibrahima Konate was introduced in place of Joel Matip for extra time. The French defender has prospered as a tactical tool for Klopp to use when the time is right this season.
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16 minutes earlier, Thomas Tuchel subbed on Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, both of whom possess impressive physical qualities. The two strikers are fast and capable of posing a threat in behind, and Lukaku is stronger than most of his peers.
Konate's arrival made sense to guard against Tuchel's changes, especially considering his own physical advantages.
Pep Lijnders - Klopp's assistant - has described Konate as a 'beast' in the past. "In terms of physics, he can catch so many players and he's strong in the air," said the Dutchman after the Anfield outfit beat Manchester United by five goals to nil in October.
Klopp has also highlighted his perks in the past. After signing him last summer, he stated: "His physical attributes are very impressive; he is quick, he is very strong and he is dominant in the air."
With Konate on the field, Liverpool were better equipped to manage the dangers of Lukaku and Werner, and it wasn't the first time Klopp has used him in such a way.
He started at Old Trafford earlier in the season due to the offensive strength of United's left flank, with his pace able to match that of Marcus Rashford. Konate also started against Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur for similar reasons.
It is reasonable to suggest that Matip is more elaborate in possession of the ball, whereas Konate is better when presented with one-on-one situations. As a result, it makes sense for Klopp to use the pair according to the match scenario at hand.
Matip could be deemed as suited to facing deep-lying defences, and Konate could be favoured to face top opponents. Regardless, Klopp has allowed the duo to thrive whenever they have been called upon to partner Virgil van Dijk.
The club's new-found strength in the centre of their defence has been integral to their first piece of Wembley silverware since 2012.
