While former Liverpool midfield star Xabi Alonso will get a warm welcome back as he leads Real Madrid at Anfield and it is easy to see the Spaniard one day become Liverpool’s manager.

When the draw for the Champions League group stages was made, there was a sense of inevitability about Trent Alexander-Arnold having to come back to Anfield with Real Madrid.

“Let me use Alex [Isak] as an example, he had to do his pre-season inside the season and people can then argue, 'Why do you play him?' But if I don't play him, I don't have him available and we need ...