This was the thunderous header of Ibrahima Konate, which led Liverpool to a 3-2 victory in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City. The goal may have given off raw power, but Klopp felt it was more of a hoax – or a header. “The teams are so focused on Virgil,” the German said of his defensive leader, Van Dyke. This allows Konate to get out of nowhere and get the job done. He is almost summing up the Liverpool team at the moment. There is always someone ready to come in and go up. It raises a potentially crucial point, both for the Premier League title and for this unprecedented pursuit of all four major trophies. Does Liverpool now have the greatest depth in world football? It may come as a surprise, as it’s supposed to be one of City’s key skills, but it felt like one of the most important lessons from Saturday’s game. While so many of Pep Guardiola’s runners-up struggled, from poor Zack Steffen to exposed Nathan Ake, so many of Liverpool’s supposed substitutes are no different in importance from their starting line-up. Defense is probably the only area of the team where one could definitely say that he has a preferred four. Ahead, Klopp has so many options and possible variations. Take one of the stars of Saturday and the player who perhaps raised the game the most with a sense of self-expression. Luis Diaz is supposed to have been an influential player and a medium-term successor to Santo Mane. On the contrary, it has become almost immobile. You notice when he is not on the field and you can not take your eyes off him when he is. Luis Diaz brings new energy to Liverpool since signing in January (AFP via Getty Images) He talks about the intelligence of Liverpool’s design. It’s not just the depth now. They basically solve problems before they become problems. Klopp will have almost a new front three-pointer before anyone even realizes he needs it, except for the uncertainty about Mohamed Salah. It is a further indication of this strength, however, that they can face a sudden and drastic drop in the score from the Egyptian. Any dependence on Salah is gone. This is a true collective. It also offers a lesson for many of their opponents. You can at least challenge unlimited resources by thinking outside the box, trying to push the boundaries yourself. This remains a lesson from the Klopp era. This season undoubtedly represents a huge achievement, even if they only end up in the League Cup. It is a remarkable thought that if he eliminates Villarreal in the Champions League semi-final, he will have ended up playing every possible game he could have at the beginning of the season. This further reflects this power in depth, as well as how important it is. It also represents a rare case where City’s design can be criticized. Guardiola can not invoke any misery, as he has a £ 100 million substitute in Jack Grealish. It was almost negative for the playmaker to start such a game, as it was a rare case lately to be trusted. Jack Grealish started just one of four City games against Liverpool and Atletico this month (The FA through Getty Images) In what has been a recurring theme in City’s season, however, there are questions about the allocation of these abundant resources. This goes beyond the debate about whether they should have spent Grealish money on a striker. The front position is now just one of the few where they look short. This game reminded me that they will need another medium, and at least another defensive option. Again, however, Guardiola has little reason to complain. It is a team that is just one-sided rather than short. They have too many of the same forces in too many of the same areas. This may well be reflected in silverware, mind. City could still end up in a “one-sided” season by winning the two biggest trophies, the Premier League and the Champions League, despite the two domestic cups. That was probably another lesson of this game. He showed the influence of the list of games and draws, as well as how Guardiola gives priority to his team. While Liverpool were able to rest most of their stars in Wednesday’s second Champions League game against Benfica and not here, the Catalans of course had to fully play for their midweek game and make changes for Wembley. Pep Guardiola defended his team’s choice as Liverpool terminated their treble bid (Getty Images) It can be crucial in the bigger tests, as City’s older players stay a little fresher. However, it is an interesting reversal of what happened in recent seasons. While now Liverpool are the ones who can have the biggest team, City is the one who has a more defined top eleven. This may be the top eleven in England and Europe, something that could still be proven by where the big trophies end up. Just this semi-final also proved that Liverpool has the team to better manage a match on all fronts. That’s why he can still win a quadruple and City are now looking for a double. Klopp was, of course, dismissive of the prospect. “You can say whatever you want,” he said. “It does not make it more likely. A game like today really shows how unlikely it is, incredibly difficult and intense … it is really unlikely that a team will win all the games.” The natural tendency is to believe that there will be a fall somewhere. “Everything has to do with making decisions before the game.” Guardiola, for his part, still has a chance for the two trophies he would choose more. The big question now is whether this will affect Klopp having more options than his team.
