Liverpool bounced back from a disappointing midweek defeat to see off Fulham.

A mixed first half turned in the Reds’ favour with a 13-second turnaround after the visitors celebrated Aleksandar Mitrovic’s header, which was ruled offside.

From the restart, Mohamed Salah raced down the right wing before firing under Sergio Rico as Jurgen Klopp’s side went in at the break with a lead intact.

Xherdan Shaqiri doubled the advantage early into the second half when he volleyed home Andy Robertson’s superb cross and put the game beyond reach.

Here were the key talking points from Anfield:

Reds make waves even without big wins

 

Not playing more like Manchester City may continue to see the critics round on this Liverpool side, but those around Anfield will not care one iota.

Wins such as this help teams along in a title race and they are certainly propelling this season’s current push, even if there are plenty of doubters at this moment.

The numbers do not lie – Sunday’s win over Fulham means Liverpool have now amassed their highest points tally after 12 games and paired it with their greatest goal difference.

A total of five conceded goals is also their lowest conceded at this stage of a Premier League season. Those are impressive statistics whichever way you sell them.

…but the mojo is still missing

 

Even in victory, something is still missing from this current Liverpool side.

Jurgen Klopp claimed his team had lost their mojo after the Champions League defeat to Red Star Belgrade in midweek and it is as good an assessment as any.

The Reds are not playing badly by any means, but they are also not playing particularly well either and the Cottagers’ visit was proof of the point.

Liverpool had the best chances and the dominant side but still appeared lacking.

Their passing was off-key and often hurried, the movement wasn’t there and the belief they had last season appeared to have drained somewhat.

It is obvious that this squad know they are capable of better and both goals showed them at their best. But those moments are rarer than they once were.

Shaqiri cannot fill the Coutinho void

 

One thing Liverpool are desperately missing is the creative midfielder who can unlock games like this.

There can be no denying that Philippe Coutinho’s absence is sorely felt, despite the money accrued from his sale being invested wisely within Klopp’s side.

Their midfield lacks a player of the Barcelona playmaker’s class; the kind who can pick out a pass or curl a strike into the top corner when the moment requires it.

Xherdan Shaqiri has helped to fill the gap somewhat, with three assists and two goals in his last six games hailing an impressive return for a £13 million signing.

However, there is an undeniable gulf in quality between himself and the man he has tried to replace since Liverpool’s failed attempt to land Lyon’s Nabil Fekir.

Fabinho compounds Klopp’s headache

 

Problems in the no.10 role appear to be a non-issue in central midfield, with the role currently occupied superbly by Fabinho.

It has taken a while for the Brazilian to be brought into the fold since joining from Monaco in the summer but it is hard to see him being ousted anytime soon.

The midfielder continued where he left off against Arsenal with another impressive display against Slavisa Jokanovic’s stubborn relegation strugglers.

Defensively he was solid, controlling his domain with well-timed tackling and interceptions while neat passing and a willingness to always show for the ball also contributed to another top-notch performance.

Klopp was already facing a dilemma over the identity of his strongest midfield line-up, and Fabinho is not making the decision any easier.