Blood Red: Jurgen Klopp says Thiago performances improving 'week by week'
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Thiago wins from Fabinho move
It had been a long time since Fabinho last started in his preferred role of defensive midfield for Liverpool.
October 17, in fact, for the short trip across Stanley Park to take on Merseyside rivals Everton.
Quite a lot has happened since the start of that particular match.
But there was a sense of reassurance when Jurgen Klopp decided now would be the time for the Brazilian to revert to his natural home.
And the difference made by having Fabinho in the engine room was instant.
From the opening moments, the midfielder was snapping into tackles with usual relish - the type of which he'd been unable to make when in defence - with his positioning not only helping shut down the RB Leipzig attacks but also providing a platform from which the Reds could start to smother the German defence.
More intriguingly, though, was the significant impact it had on Fabinho's fellow midfielders.
Gini Wijnaldum was released from his recent defensive duties and burst forward on several occasions.
However, the main beneficiary was Thiago Alcantara, who posted by some distance his best performance with grit, vision and guile to demonstrate what he can offer a fully-functioning Liverpool team.
There can be no debate. Fabinho is a defensive midfielder - and he should remain as one.
Phillips could have a future
Even without his temporary skullcap, Nat Phillips will never win awards for being the most elegant-looking centre-back.
But who cares when he can defend like this?
It's remarkable to think the 23-year-old wasn't even part of Liverpool's Champions League squad for the group stage, so far down the pecking order he was understandably regarded.
The loss of so many defenders, though, has been a real gain for Phillips, who can count himself unfortunate not to have featured more regularly as the Reds toiled through the winter months.
If he perhaps he didn't quite have the full trust of Klopp, that can surely no longer be the case, evidenced by the defender earning a huge trademark bearhug from his manager after the final whistle.
No wonder. Leipzig went through six different forwards, but none could get through a Liverpool defence in which Phillips, making his European debut, led by example.
He knows his strengths and weaknesses and possess the right temperament to succeed at this exalted level, an overlooked quality in such a key position.
Alongside the Academy graduate, Ozan Kabak - helping form Liverpool's eighth different centre-back pairing in eight Champions League games this season - quietly impressed with a confidence-bolstering outing.
The duo are surely the preferred partnership for the foreseeable. Which is more likely to be at the club next season, however, is an intriguing sub-plot in the next few months.
Jota gives Firmino headache
Talk about a rollercoaster week for Mohamed Salah.
Having been disgruntled with his substitution against Chelsea and aghast after being at fault for Fulham's winner, here the Egyptian was back to making a more positive contribution.
His calmly-dispatched strike 19 minutes from time settled the tie and moved him on to 25 goals for the third time in four seasons at Anfield - an astonishing yet somehow routinely expected achievement.
More in need of a goal was Sadio Mane, the Senegalese's gleeful celebrations at netting shortly afterwards no doubt tinged with relief after a recent spate of snatching at chances.
Positioned in between the two wide men, though, was arguably the biggest attacking positive of the evening.
Diogo Jota may not have scored - and only he will know how he put one first-half chance into the side-netting - but he appeared far more dangerous inside the area than the absent Roberto Firmino, a genuine goal threat where Liverpool lacked one during his lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Jota's extra pace offered a different dynamic down the middle and he linked up to promising effect with both fellow forwards and the more progressive Thiago.
Firmino, when back fit, now has a genuine challenger for his place.