Thiago and Xherdan Shaqiri hint at what’s to come for Liverpool and Klopp

For too long, this had the uneasy potential to become an unmitigated disaster for Liverpool.

After a high line was ruthlessly punished by former Barcelona youngster Louie Barry, a resolute team of Aston Villa academy hopefuls were digging in and clinging on.

Anything other than a comfortable Liverpool win would have been viewed dimly from all corners of planet football, but at 1-1, it was looking even more grave for Jurgen Klopp and staff.

Fortunately, Liverpool now boast the kind of squad that oozes quality throughout.

First, the half-time arrival of Thiago Alcantara opened up the picture to a Reds team who had been stuck with tunnel vision.

Aston Villa 1-4 Liverpool

The Spaniard quickly went through his expansive repertoire of passes to open up the Villa backline, instantly bringing some much-needed creativity to a side desperately searching for it of late.

One deliciously-weighted pass to Neco Williams ended in Mohamed Salah having a goal ruled out for offside.

Then, the cavalry’s second wave came in the form of Xherdan Shaqiri just after the hour mark.

The Switzerland international’s clipped cross for Mane’s looping header made it 3-1 and deflated an increasingly exhausted Villa side.

Thiago and Shaqiri then combined to set up Salah for the fourth to put the tie to bed and end talk of another embarrassing episode at Villa Park. 

Liverpool know what they have in Thiago, the two-time Champions League winner is arguably one of the most high-profile signings in the club’s history.

Shaqiri’s situation is more curious, though. An undoubted talent who routinely sees his progress halted and hindered by injury.

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If he can stay fit, however, the versatile frontman can be more than a useful weapon in Klopp’s arsenal for the rest of the campaign.

It was a match against probably the most inexperienced side either of them will have played against professionally, but Klopp’s ability to furnish the team with such class in the shape of both Thiago and Shaqiri hints at what can be possible this term.

Before any thoughts of that nature are entertained for any period of time inside the club, however, they will know they need to re-emerge out of a curious mid-season slump.

This second half was a solid, if unspectacular, step in the right direction.