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But it was impossible to ignore the delicious irony of Wataru Endo being given a pre-match guard of honour by Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.

Endo, of course, had initially come to unwittingly represent the seeming failure of Liverpool in the summer of 2023 to augment their new-look midfield with an enforcer, a leftfield purchase after both Caicedo and Lavia instead moved to Stamford Bridge.

The subsequent performances of the Chelsea duo when available have usually justified the Reds interest in their signature.



However, it’s Endo who has since snaffled silverware, last season’s League Cup final win over the Londoners followed by the Premier League title.

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Endo was limited to destructive cameos as substitute until the championship was secured, this his first top-flight start of the season with the first-choice engine room benched or, in the case of Ryan Gravenberch, absent altogether.

The Japan international, along with an improving Curtis Jones, wasn’t found wanting for endeavour, but the midfield looked very much one shorn of its regular world-class triumvirate during the rocky opening stages in which Chelsea gained a lead they never relinquished.

Liverpool fans, though, don’t forget, leading to Lavia being serenaded on his second-half substitution with the chant: “You could have signed for the champions”.

Elliott suffers setback

There are few in the current squad for whom playing for Liverpool means quite as much as Harvey Elliott.

When that’s only occasional, though, even the most ardent supporter has to consider matters.

Elliott recently admitted as much when contemplating a frustrating Premier League campaign in which this was his first start.

The 22-year-old, though, failed to grasp his opportunity, the tone set with a few loose carries in the frenetic opening stages.

While perhaps understandable it took time to adjust to the intensity of the game, it was telling he had been replaced long before the final whistle.

While Elliott wasn’t alone in struggling to reach his usual level, his future is one that perhaps greater intrigues.

An encouraging overall performance from Jarell Quansah, however, deserved better than to end with the centre-back having conceded an own goal and a penalty, in some ways encapsulating his season.

There was nothing he could do about Virgil van Dijk blasting a clearance against him from close range, while an undercooked pass from substitute Dominik Szoboszlai left Quansah no option but to foul Moises Caicedo.

He, along with other fringe players, will hope for further chances during the final three games

But another remains no nearer resolution after a frustrating time for the forward line here.

And it once again underlined why bringing in at least one new number nine option will be a transfer priority when the window opens next month to help determine who is best to lead Liverpool’s attack next term.

Federico Chiesa at least has the knowledge he will be guaranteed a Premier League winners’ medal having made a fifth top-flight appearance of the season during a brief cameo in which it was a big ask to make a difference.

Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez, though, have more reason to be disappointed with their efforts
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