It's now 465 minutes since there was a goal in a Liverpool fixture with Chelsea and another goalless affair here at Stamford Bridge was quite fitting for two teams who are now little more than midtable fodder.
Perceptions can be deceiving at times in football but this 0-0 draw was exactly what it looked like: Eighth and 11th scrapping it out to no avail.
These two giants of the Premier League instead looked like punch-drunk heavyweights stumbling around in desperate search of a knockout blow that never came close to landing.
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For years now, these clubs have represented the yin and the yang of footballing philosophies at the cutting edge of the English game. In the red corner, Liverpool's success has been built on the continuity of a manager who is now the longest serving in the Premier League, a squad that has been purpose built to stay together and peak as a collective and a studious footballing operations team off the pitch who have proven themselves as some of the smartest in the business.
In contrast, the London blues have thrived amid the chaos of huge turnovers of playing staff and trigger-happy owners quick to discard managers, coaching staff and their long-term projects as soon as results have dipped for a certain amount of time.
Both clubs can point to the trophies won during the last decade or so as proof that their particular models are right for them, but right now, neither Liverpool nor Chelsea can make any such boast.
Both the strategies preferred at Stamford Bridge - under the ownership of first Roman Abramovich and now Todd Boehly - and at Anfield, under the watch of Fenway Sports Group, are failing both clubs right now and from the Reds' perspective, it looks increasingly likely they will be on the outside looking in when the Champions League draw is made.
How much of a detriment that has on the all-important and much discussed 'Great Summer Rebuild' remains to be seen, but it cannot allow those in the corridors of power to use it as an excuse to shirk the significant task of restructuring a squad that has badly lost its way since August.
As Klopp had hinted, he rang the changes for this one, making six in total as Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold all dropped to the bench as Virgil van Dijk missed out entirely through illness.
There could be few complaints from any who were left out considering events in the second-half at the Etihad on Saturday lunchtime. "It was clear we needed new ideas," said Klopp, pointedly, pre-match, before adding: "We are not overly happy so there must be an opportunity for other players."
It was the home side who enjoyed the better of the first-half chances, with Kai Havertz guilty of failing to make the most of two presentable opportunities. Liverpool had Alisson Becker to thank for one in particular when he sprung down low to deny the Germany international inside the six-yard box.
Joe Gomez, who deputised at right-back, almost ended his eight-year wait for a Liverpool goal when he forced Kepa Arrizabalaga into an excellent save late in the half before Wesley Fofana got a crucial block on a goal-bound Fabinho strike from the resulting corner.
It was understandably disjointed at times given the amount of changes coupled with the fact that it was something of a new-look attack and midfield but the endeavour was certainly there, even if there was a frustrating hesitation at vital points at times in the final third.
Havertz thought he had finally broken through early in the second half but his slightly fortuitous effort was chalked off for handball after the initial strike had bounced back to him from Alisson's save.
Klopp sent on Salah and Robertson shortly after the hour mark for Roberto Firmino and Tsimikas, who struggled all night on the left side of the makeshift back four. The Greek defender has proven a more-than-capable deputy for regular incumbent Robertson, but this was an off-night for the former Olympiakos man.
Cody Gakpo and James Milner were then introduced for Darwin Nunez and Jones, whose third start of the season was something of a shock given he was left out completely at the weekend. The decision to take off Nunez was a curious one given the struggles of Jota both down the centre and wide right.
A three-game run that many labelled 'season-defining' prior to Saturday's humbling at Man City has yielded just the one point from six so far with league leaders Arsenal up next on Sunday afternoon. That the Reds hold a game in hand on fourth-placed Tottenham with the north Londoners still to visit Anfield means their hopes of next season's European Cup remain flickering , but just barely.
Liverpool truly are now on the tightrope and this team has proven that they don't have anywhere near the kind of agility that saw them thrive in such conditions this time last year.
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