Liverpool and the quadruple may not prove such a laughable notion

A 12.30pm kick-off after an international break will concern Jürgen Klopp more than any back-slapping to celebrate his 250th league game in charge of Liverpool on Saturday. Even a manager as despairing of the schedule as Klopp, however, may privately concede that Watford’s early arrival offers an ideal opportunity in his quest to unnerve and ultimately unseat Manchester City.

Liverpool would go top with a 10th successive Premier League win and 10th consecutive home league win when Roy Hodgson’s relegation-threatened side visit. They would be on the summit for only a few hours should City respond in kind at Burnley but the sense of Liverpool closing in would have been reinforced before Pep Guardiola and his players emerge at Turf Moor. It feels inexorable on current form.

City have been top since beating Watford on 4 December and held an 11-point advantage over their only genuine title rivals at the start of January, having played a game more. Their lead was nine points at the start of February, six when March opened and has been whittled down to one before the business end commences in April. Liverpool, who have equalled their points tally for last season, have reasserted their claims to be far more than a “pain in the ass” to Guardiola. They are his greatest obstacle in the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League too, and the strongest squad of Klopp’s near seven-year Liverpool reign appears well-equipped to handle the physical load. There is no questioning their ability to handle the demands mentally.

“We are not close to thinking about any crazy stuff like that,” the Liverpool manager said when, with the Carabao Cup in the bank, the subject of winning the quadruple cropped up with a quarter more substance. He will