Following a hard-fought victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, the reigning Premier League champions are afforded a brief pause from the suffocating top-five conversation. For one weekend at least, attention shifts away from league arithmetic and toward something more romantic — the most coveted domestic cup competition in world football.

Arne Slot’s 100th game in charge of Liverpool ended in defeat as Galatasaray established a narrow last-16 Champions League lead to take to Anfield next week.In front of a hostile home crowd in Istanbul,