Klopp's "exciting" pre-match vow emphatically proven for Liverpool at Inter

Liverpool have had it this good before, but they might never have had it so impressive.

The Reds have scaled heights such as these under Jurgen Klopp and indeed throughout their illustrious history, but certainly under the German there has always been a sense of everyone needing to perform at their maximum for good things to happen.

But now they've just beaten Inter Milan 2-0 at the San Siro having made four changes, before making four more before the hour mark.

Substitute Roberto Firmino and the omnipresent Mo Salah struck late to confirm the win, but the story was about what came before.

There is that oft-repeated Pep Lijnders quote about how Fabinho is Liverpool's "lighthouse", and on a foggy night in Milan that was exactly what was needed as the mist descended and the decibels rose in the early stages.

Any idea that Inter - currently second in Serie A behind AC Milan - are an inferior side to their city rivals, who were beaten home and away by Liverpool in the group stages, was quickly forgotten in the opening exchanges, but time and again it was Fabinho who helped the Reds get back on an even keel.

Chances were exchanged at either end and Sadio Mane headed over and then Hakan Calhanoglu struck the bar from a tight angle, and it was clear that Inter had been well-drilled by Simone Inzaghi in just what their gameplan was.

The only problem was what happened when they lost the ball, and just who they were losing the ball to.

Fabinho was the man constantly breaking things up and then consequently getting Liverpool onto the attack, and it was only desperate Inter defending that often stopped the Reds from finding the net.

The hosts were giving as good as they were getting, but there was a sense that they were living in a razor's edge to try and keep Liverpool out.

Then everything flipped at half-time.

The easy thing is to wonder what it was that Inzaghi said to his players at the break, but in reality it would have been a clear tactical idea that was impressively spotted by the Inter boss that allow his team to dominate the opening exchanges of the second half.

Suddenly Fabinho and Harvey Elliott were being overrun in midfield, and it was only the fine defending of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate which was keeping Inter out.

Changes were needed, and so when Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Luis Diaz were turned to from the bench to introduce fresh impetus and ideas, adding to Firmino coming on for the injured Diogo Jota at half-time, Liverpool were able to steady their ship and make their quality count again.

The quality in reserve is so vast, and they made it count.

"It helps we have solutions for different problems, options for different situations," said Klopp at his pre-match press conference.

"It is good to have the boys around but the boys have to deal with it as well. I have the opportunity to make more changes [five substitutions], that's how it is.

"It means I cannot play always the same line-up just because we won the last game. It is something we have to learn together and that's what we do.

"We never had it before. It is pretty exciting."

You can say that again.