This wasn’t the refresh Jurgen Klopp had wanted. But that Liverpool trudged from the Etihad pitch lamenting a missed opportunity spoke volumes.
While relinquishing their grip on hard-earned silverware can never be regarded a positive, those wishing to use this exit from the Carabao Cup as a stick with which to once again beat the Reds would be somewhat missing the point.
Indeed, Klopp and his coaching staff can extract sufficient encouragement from a performance that, while by no means outstanding, ensured Manchester City were made to scrap for their fourth round victory.
