Even in the knowledge that title celebrations were likely to dull Liverpool's instincts, there was something surreal about the manner in which Manchester City went about dismantling the Reds on Thursday night.
For Jurgen Klopp and his men, all that is left to play for is the points’ record. The defeat of the Premier League champions at the Etihad may have been brutal, but at least Liverpool still have 18 points to play for. It is not often that such a comprehensive rout in a meeting between first and second in the league feels so hollow.