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Academy products star in FA Cup to show Liverpool are ready for life after Jurgen Klopp

While Jurgen Klopp’s long goodbye has begun, the possibility is growing that the final farewell will come at Wembley. In dispatching Norwich City, in setting up a fifth-round meeting with Watford or Southampton at Anfield, Liverpool opened a path to a second domestic Cup double in three seasons. The FA Cup will not define Klopp’s reign, but it may bring it to a glorious end on 25 May.

Predictably, there were points when “I’m so glad Jurgen is a Red” echoed around Anfield. Klopp has asked fans not to sing the song devoted to him during games; in the next four months, he may have to get used to them ignoring his wishes.

And yet this was more than a mere sentimental occasion: the decibel level probably peaked as he was serenaded after the final whistle but until then, the loudest cheer may have been reserved for the sight of the returning Andy Robertson, who made his first appearance since October. It added to the sense Liverpool are gaining in strength as well as momentum. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai made their comebacks after shorter lay-offs. Klopp hopes it will be business as usual, despite his bombshell, and Liverpool showed few signs of being distracted.

One of the German’s feats has been to turn Anfield into a fortress. They extended this season’s record to 15 wins and two draws in 17 matches on home soil, bringing up a half-century of goals. Norwich struck twice, one of them spectacular, but there was little prospect of an upset. David Wagner was Klopp’s best man but his side were unsurprisingly second best.