Liverpool's progress in this season's Champions League has been even more impressive than their Premier League form, with the Reds achieving seven wins from seven games prior to Wednesday night's trip to PSV Eindhoven.
As a result of that perfect record, Arne Slot opted to leave several of his big names at home for the trip to his native Holland, with Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold among 12 first-teamers missing from the matchday squad for the game.
Slot made his decision safe in the knowledge that the Reds are guaranteed to finish either first or second in the new expanded Champions League, and in sporting terms at least, those positions essentially mean the same thing.
As people get to grips with how the new format works there have been several questions asked about what awaits the Reds in the knockout stages of the tournament. So here's what we know ahead of kick-off.
Where will Liverpool finish in the Champions League table?
The Reds are guaranteed to come first or second in the 36-team league phase whatever happens in Eindhoven. If they win or draw against the Eredivisie side they will finish top, while they would also finish top if they lose and Barcelona fail to beat Atalanta at home.
Is there a difference between finishing first and second in the Champions League?
Not really, other than to the bank account. Each win in the league phase is worth around £1.7m, with each draw about £587,000. Each position in the table is worth circa £230,000, with the team that finishes top earning about £8.3m, plus a £1.6m bonus for a top eight spot.
The teams first and second in the table will be put on opposite sides of the bracket for the knockout phase of the competition, meaning they can't face each other for the rest of the tournament until the final.
Who will Liverpool play in the round of 16?
The key positions to look out for here are the teams who finish 15th through to 18th in the league phase. Liverpool will play a team that finishes in one of these positions regardless of whether they come first or second.
Prior to Wednesday's games the teams sitting 15th-18th are Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus and Celtic, but this will change markedly during the evening. When the league is finally decided, 15th place will play 16th in the playoff and 17th will play 18th. The winners of these matches will play a side that came first or second, playing their home leg first. Liverpool and the other top two team are guaranteed an away leg in the second leg of their last-16 tie, but a draw will then determine home and away legs going forward. The draw for the playoff round takes place on Friday at 11am UK time, when Liverpool will have a clearer idea of their next opponent.
Who could Liverpool play in the quarter-finals?
That is still a long way away of course, but the teams who finish first and second in the league phase (Liverpool plus one other) will be placed into the same quarter of the draw as the sides who finish seventh and eighth in the league phase, earning their last-16 spot.
The teams who finish seventh and eighth will take on the winners of the playoffs between the teams ninth and 10th and 23rd and 24th in the league phase.