Liverpool chant sums up Thiago Alcântara masterclass as critics emphatically embarrassed again

As Liverpool played out a stunning first half at Wembley against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, each and every player could be proud of their contribution to the victory.

Just six days after toiling in the first half at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League, things had reversed: this time it was Liverpool penning their opponents back and producing wave after wave of attack. For the first 45 minutes, until Liverpool eased off second half and defended their lead, Manchester City simply could not cope.

The game was won and lost in the midfield. Where last weekend, Liverpool's central trio looked nervous and lost, playing the occasion rather than the game, Wembley was more like a home fixture and the Reds' players — with Naby Keïta in from the start in place of Jordan Henderson — could not have performed much differently.

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Individually and collectively, they looked a completely different team in the centre of the pitch, swarming their opponents from the off and giving Fernandinho's ageing legs a proper runaround.

Fabinho looked his real self once more and Keïta largely did well to help Liverpool regain and then retain possession — where last week they could not relieve the pressure on themselves, this time around it was the opposite.

Thiago Alcântara, though, was the pick of an excellent bunch, with his statistics from the game telling the story of how dominant he was.

Thiago produced: 100 per cent aerial duels won; 100 per cent take-ons completed; 92 per cent pass accuracy; 64 touches; 46 passes; 11 out of 12 duels won; four tackles made; three fouls won; two successful take-ons and one assist. He was not dribbled past once all game.

The eye test would back up those near-perfect numbers: Thiago ran the show and those fortunate enough to be inside Wembley were delivered a masterclass in how to play in midfield.

As he won the ball back and found a pinpoint pass for the millionth time on the Wembley turf in the first half, a section of Liverpool supporters sang a simple but telling tune:

"Thiago, takes the p*ss, Thiago, Thiago, takes the p*ss."

Pep Guardiola took Thiago to Bayern Munich from Barcelona when he first moved across to the Bundesliga, so he knew exactly what the Spaniard is about; Bernardo Silva and Fernandinho now will too. He was toying with both of them at times, a cut above.

The suggestion that Thiago slows Liverpool down or somehow makes them worse — and that was a genuine take by multiple pundits last season, despite the obvious mitigation — has now been shown up for how emphatically wrong it really was.

Keep Thiago fit for the remaining fixtures — 11 as it will be if they reach the Champions League final — and Liverpool will have every chance of winning the quadruple.