Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have acquired almost an armour-plating at Liverpool, with both so impervious to criticism that the club decided last summer to grant them two of the most lucrative contract extensions in the history of English football.

Mohamed Salah didn’t hang around. The Egyptian attacker briefly applauded Liverpool’s jubilant away end inside Deutsche Bank Park after the final whistle before turning and making a beeline for the tunnel as the celebrations continued. His body language spoke volumes.