Diogo Jota has staked his claim to make Liverpool’s front three a ‘Fab Four’ after Sheffield United winner

“It was a game where all four played up front together (but) it was not so much about getting Diogo on the pitch because he can play a lot of positions in our usual formation,” said the manager.

“But it gives us an extra option. It brought Mo in a different position, where I have to say he played an incredible game.

“Mo and Sadio didn’t score but played outstanding. Sadio was, in the one-on-one situations, pretty much undefendable. Mo between the lines, sensational.

“And you know how good (Xherdan) Shaqiri was in Amsterdam (in the Champions League win over Ajax) and he is close; Taki (Takumi Minamino) is very close and so all these things help.

“This is the area where we have in the moment options and long may it stay like this.”

The success of that front-four combination helped turn around a game in which Sheffield United took the lead from a 13th-minute Sander Berge penalty after VAR had upgraded a Fabinho challenge on the edge of the area from a free-kick to a penalty.

Klopp disputed whether the tackle was even a foul, ignoring the margin for error on the millimetres involved for video assistant Andre Marriner to decide it was inside the area.

Firmino tapped home the equaliser just before half-time after Mane’s header was parried and Jota rose highest in the 64th minute to nod home the Senegal international’s cross.

While it extended Liverpool’s unbeaten home league run to 62 matches, one short of equalling the club record between 1978 and 1981, it also meant five defeats from six for next-bottom Sheffield United.

“It is not a losing culture. We don’t get to a position we have got to (a Premier League side) by continually losing games,” said Blades boss Chris Wilder, who was upbeat in defeat.

“I can take that performance all day. You have got to be relative in terms of who you are playing against.

“You are looking for players to stand up to the challenge of playing Liverpool and I thought everyone to a man did.”

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PA

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