Conventional wisdom dictates there are two ways to play the League Cup: You either win it or bow out with grace as early as possible.
Liverpool can at least say they achieved the latter here as a forty-day run without a competitive fixture ended with a hard-fought, but ultimately unsuccessful 3-2 loss at the Etihad.
In the cold light of day, Jurgen Klopp will not lose too much sleep. Manchester City's eye-watering strength in depth has allowed them to dominate this competition in its various guises in recent years, having won it as many as six times since 2014. Now into the quarter-finals, few will be betting against that becoming seven next year.
