Liverpool were behind at half time in Istanbul. It was not quite as big an occasion as the last time that happened, nor was Chelsea’s lead so large. But they still needed someone to change the game if they were to lay their hands on the European Super Cup. Jurgen Klopp looked to his bench and the choice was clear. He’d rested Roberto Firmino, his first choice No.9, but without him, the attack wasn’t flowing. The way Liverpool work the ball into dangerous positions is usually so seamless that when it is not happening for them, it is a jarring sight. Firmino came on and within moments all seemed well again. The 75 minutes of football that followed were an incredible testament to his ability and a powerful indication of how central he will be to this Liverpool team as they push for a first English top-flight title in 30 years. First, he set up Sadio Mane, nipping in behind Cesar Azpilicueta and onto Fabinho’s through ball, which he calmly and selflessly poked into the path of the Senegal international with the studs of his right boot. Then, in stoppage time, he repeated the trick, running wide into the channel between centre half and right back to receive Mane’s through ball. He looked up, pulled it back and Mane was there again to put Liverpool into the lead. Chelsea, of course, went on to equalise before Liverpool won on penalties, but without Firmino’s intervention, the game could well have ended with Chelsea causing what would, given the circumstances, have been quite the upset. Klopp likes to talk about transformative signings, and there have been a few since he arrived. Mane and Mohamed Salah were bought in consecutive summers and Virgil van Dijk and Alisson arrived within seven months of each in 2018. All have proved perfect complements to the German manager’s system.