Last weekend, Liverpool surprised a few against Manchester City in the Premier League. The result was not peculiar, a 1-1 draw at Anfield, but Jurgen Klopp's side prodded and poked and battered the indomitable defending champions. They should have won.
Now, one week later, having dispatched Sparta Prague at Anfield on Thursday to take their aggregate Europa League last 16 victory to 11-2, the Reds travel to Old Trafford to clash against Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Having bagged the Carabao Cup last month, Liverpool are on course to win every available piece of silverware this season but will have a tough task in winning against the Red Devils, who have been poor this season but will be desperate to knock Klopp's side down a peg.
Liverpool still nurse a bloated injury list and Klopp has confirmed that Ibrahima Konate "will probably lose" his race for fitness, though Ryan Gravenberch returned to training this week and is available.
The action is coming thick and fast for the Reds but options are a trifle limited, and Klopp might make just the three changes to the team that thumped Sparta Prague a few days back.
1 GK – Caoimhin Kelleher
Alisson Becker continues to languish on the sidelines but you wouldn't know it, with Caoimhin Kelleher producing some sensational shot-stopping performances this season.
The Irish goalkeeper has been described as "the best No. 2 in the world" by Klopp, crowned the Man of the Match as his team won the Carabao Cup against Chelsea last month.
2 RB – Conor Bradley
What a player Conor Bradley is. The 20-year-old full-back is another to have stepped up as a senior peer (in this case Trent Alexander-Arnold) recovers from injury; he is undoubtedly one of the brightest gems emerging from a rich academy of talent.
Across 17 senior appearances this season, Bradley has already opened his account and added five assists, with a remarkably rounded skill set painting his potential on Merseyside on the walls, in brilliant colour.
3 CB – Joe Gomez
With Konate likely to miss out, some might assume that Jarell Quansah, another rising star, will get the nod, but the versatile Joe Gomez should actually be the man to partner the Liverpool captain in central defence.
Gomez earned a recall to the England squad this week after four years away and rightly so, with his dynamic displays so important for a Liverpool side chasing success across every front.
4 CB – Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk has been the best centre-back in Europe this season and while this statement is subjective, it's backed up with a season-long series of stunning performances.
The 32-year-old produced a masterclass in defending against Manchester City last weekend and he might just carry that vein of form over to the Theatre of Dreams.
5 LB – Andy Robertson
Returning to action in January after recuperating from a shoulder injury sustained on international duty with Scotland in October, Andy Robertson has had his recent detractors but he's still one of the most influential members of Klopp's squad.
The 30-year-old is only completing a dribble every five Premier League fixtures on average this term, though 2.5 key passes and 4.5 ball recoveries per match speak of his energy and creative flair.
6 DM – Wataru Endo
Wataru Endo continues to impress, with his surprise £16m acquisition from German Bundesliga side Stuttgart looking to be one of the shrewdest buys of Klopp's tenure.
He just doesn't stop running. Industrious would be the apt way to describe this remarkable player, who will be confident and composed against Manchester United's midfield.
7 CM – Dominik Szoboszlai
Dominik Szoboszlai has struggled with injury of late but he played an hour against Manchester City and scored in both legs against Sparta Prague.
The Hungary international possibly doesn't get the credit he deserves, meshing creativity, composure and energy to form the perfect player to charge Liverpool's high-octane system,
8 CM – Alexis Mac Allister
Arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion for £35m last summer, Liverpool knew that they had secured a bargain. However, Alexis Mac Allister's influence has widened in recent weeks, he has swelled and suffused his quality across the Anfield squad.
Man United will have a tough task in containing him, and indeed hitting their stride against his deceptive aggression.
9 RW – Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah is back, and it's like he never left. Reduced to a smattering of appearances since New Year's Day, the Egyptian scored and assisted off the bench against Brentford last month but aggravated his muscular injury.
Back against City, he fizzed a delightful pass that Luis Diaz should have finished; against Sparta Prague on Thursday, he scored and made three assists for his teammates.
Premier League
12
10
4
FA Cup
1
2
0
Manchester United – like all of Liverpool's opponents – must be sick of the sight of him.
10 LW – Luis Diaz
Cody Gakpo released a sigh of relief as he bagged a much-needed brace on Thursday, and despite receiving an 8/10 match rating from the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle, the Dutchman will return to the bench, making way for Diaz.
Lucho ebbed and flowed from form over the campaign's early months but he's been immense since the New Year, scoring, assisting and recently evoking a keen sense of schadenfreude from Anfield's roaring support last week, the Colombian's gliding run leaving Kyle Walker and Rodri in a spin.