Klopp’s failed test with fringe players: Richard Buxton
In contrast, Sarri's interchangeable squad can switch with minimal disruption
Measuring progress by timescales remains one of football's great outliers.
It is why, barely three months into his reign, Maurizio Sarri is already on course to become the latest addition to Chelsea's growing list of modern managerial masterminds.
Reverse psychology has elevated the genial Italian alongside compatriot, and predecessor, Antonio Conte as well as Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge in the wake of a smash-and-grab League Cup third-round victory over Liverpool yesterday morning (Singapore time).
In the build-up to the first leg of a double-header against Juergen Klopp's side, Sarri lavished praise on the Reds in claiming they had 12 months' headway on their London counterparts.
Some things, however, cannot be valued solely by a calendar year - and for all the strides Klopp has made since January, Liverpool are actually the ones still behind schedule.
His side may boast greater longevity as a collective, but it is Chelsea who currently appear better placed to lay siege to Manchester City's English Premier League crown over the course of this season.
Liverpool are still a team who are more than the sum of their parts, proven by Klopp's attempt to blend first-choice options with fringe players which ultimately backfired on home soil.
Beyond a formidable starting line-up of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and company, the fallback options are incapable of successfully enacting the German's gegenpressing strategy.
Long before Eden Hazard's goal of individual brilliance, Liverpool's lack of quality in depth had been laid bare with personnel changes that were far and away from like-for-like.
Alberto Moreno operated as a poor alternative to Andy Robertson at left-back, where he was tormented by Victor Moses throughout.
Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren both struggled to contain Chelsea's attacking threats in scenarios that van Dijk would have made it appear like child's play.
Sarri has benefited from his most recent predecessors equipping the Blues to challenge on multiple fronts, including winning two EPL titles from their previous four campaigns, with an interchangeable squad able to make changes with minimal risk of disruption.
Willy Caballero may have been restricted to an understudy role since the start of last season but still made an EPL appearance as recently as May; a stark contrast to opposite number Simon Mignolet's previous outing, in an FA Cup exit to West Brom exactly eight months ago.
Beyond their defensive deficiencies, Liverpool are beset by players primed for long-term roles in the first-team that currently require transition periods despite their feted summer arrivals.
Naby Keita and Fabinho still appear some way off the standard expected for a midfield duo who cost almost £100 million (S$179.2m), while Xherdan Shaqiri risks whiplash after his half-time substitution against Southampton was followed by a public dressing-down from Klopp.
Liverpool's preoccupation with headline-makers has also been among their greatest flaws.
Marvelling at the sublime talents of Salah and Luis Suarez in recent years masked a multitude of sub-standard sins; ones which threaten to again come home to roost on the home front.
More than any other manager in Anfield's recent history, Klopp has bridged that disparity but the threat of Salah and his supporting cast running on empty in the final months of the season could be the difference between ending or continuing a near three-decade wait for domestic success .
Little has changed in the grander scheme; the onus will remain on the EPL leaders to reaffirm their marker in this weekend's showdown at the Bridge.
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