Of course, it is far too early to ascribe Liverpool as any more than a potential contender to Manchester City’s crown.
But that in itself is something that hasn’t been said about the team very often outside of the 2013-14 campaign, which stands out like a beacon.
Having jumped away to a dream start with a 4-0 win over West Ham – and the exceptional Naby Keita already looking like one of the finds of the season – the opportunity will arise in the coming weeks to build the foundations of a genuine title charge.
So what are the biggest questions facing the Reds if they want to end their 28-year league title drought?
1. No more dropping points against lowly opposition
If there’s one thing that must frustrate Liverpool things more than anything else in recent years, it has to be the points dropped in eminently winnable games.
Finishing fourth was a huge achievement last season but it could have been second had they defeated Everton, West Brom (where they led 2-0 until the 79th minute) and Stoke in April last year – before starting May with a defeat to a sullen Chelsea side.
While fourth place was considered proof of improvement under Jurgen Klopp, the fade-out had some fans feeling as though they still lacked the bottle to push for a title.
Indeed, that remains the biggest, over-arching theme this season.
2. Is there a genuine alternative to Mo Salah?
Perhaps alternative is the wrong word. Let’s call it insurance – because what happens to Liverpool if Salah goes down at any point in the season?
While every club has a star player who they badly need to perform, no clubs lean more heavily on one player than Liverpool with Salah. They probably can’t even make the top four without him.
Last season, they spread the load well through Roberto Firmino (15 league goals) and Sadio Mane (10 goals) but it always felt that it was Salah or bust, especially in the big matches.
I’m not totally convinced they have a genuine goal-scoring alternative – which you usually need for a title challenge.
Interestingly, we saw Daniel Sturridge come on as a substitute against West Ham and score a goal to remind us that he’s still on the books.
Does he have 10-12 league goals in him? That can’t be said of Divock Origi nor Dominic Solanke right now.
3. Will Alisson become one of the Premier League’s best goalkeepers?
Liverpool haven’t had a top goalkeeper since Pepe Reina was at his peak. Simon Mignolet has talent but seemingly not the temperament – a similar accusation could be levelled at Loris Karius.
But Alisson keeps the sensational Ederson out of the Brazilian side, which must point to how much talent he has, even if it comes with a €75 million price tag.
A huge fee was paid, but you can’t win the league without having an absolutely elite goalkeeper between the posts.
The big-money spend on Virgil van Dijk, the rise of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez and the amazing bargain of Andrew Robertson has basically meant the only piece missing in defence, until now, is a goalkeeper. A quick adjustment is essential.
4. Making the Xherdan Shaqiri gamble pay-off
Don’t question the talent of Shaqiri for a moment – it’s more than most in this Liverpool squad. But where does he fit in the line-up right now? Who makes way?
He’s not a guaranteed starter, like he was Stoke City, where he was their most important player. That’s a pretty big step down in status.
Shaqiri isn’t going to displace Mane or Salah, who technically play as the wide forwards in Klopp’s system.
But he’ll certainly feel good enough to play every game, home and away, and may not feel terribly excited about only starting in Cup matches.
And he’s not the kind of personality to stay quiet if he’s not getting his way. While the Swiss winger is a title-altering talent, his ego is comparably sized.
5. Can Klopp balance his emotions for an entire year?
Finally, one of Klopp’s most endearing qualities is how much vibrancy he brings to the touchline. It’s almost as thrilling to watch him as it is to watch the matches themselves.
When Liverpool win, it’s wonderful to see his full emotions and how he embraces his players. It’s organic and it’s real.
But when things go wrong, Klopp gets a bit too sarcastic and downright narky. He wasn’t like that at Dortmund – but he was also in charge of a very different project in a very different climate. If Liverpool lose, he seems hungry for scapegoats and frequently clashes with the media.
While he wants to protect his players, which is fair enough, he should know he already has their total loyalty. Part of changing Liverpool's DNA needs to be stamping any kind of victim mentality. The boss should set the example.
