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There were more important reasons for Jürgen Klopp’s return to Liverpool last Saturday, but it was apposite his presence reminded Anfield of the unshakable bond and belief they once shared, the joy his football brought. Those pillars of Klopp’s reign are weakening under Arne Slot and April may determine whether they are left standing at all.

Two cup quarter-finals in succession should signal a season on the right track for Liverpool; showpiece occasions such as Manchester City in the FA Cup on Saturday and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday whetting the appetite for what May could have in store.

It’s Manchester City v Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals, and you want a preamble?

Okay, okay. This is the tie of the round, followed by daylight, then twilight, then more daylight. The rivalry between City and Liverpool, which peaked during some extraordinary matches and unprecedented title races between 2018 and 2022, remains one of the most vivid in world football.

In one sense, the stakes are even higher now than they would have been in an...