Outstanding Fabinho grows to fill the void left by Virgil van Dijk's absence

Given the apocalyptic visions since Virgil van Dijk’s prolonged absence was confirmed, it was inevitable the opening Champions League game would be decided by a defensive calamity.

Sadly for Ajax, they were the perpetrators, Liverpool gifted a hard-working victory courtesy of an own goal.

Having gone into the evening wondering how often he will have to deploy Fabinho as an emergency centre-back, Jurgen Klopp left the Johan Cruyff Arena with a different dilemma. Which of his remaining senior centre-backs, Joe Gomez or Joel Matip, will earn the right to play alongside the Brazilian?

Fabinho was outstanding. He had to be.

It will stoke the manager’s confidence that the Brazilian was the most accomplished defender in an otherwise uncomfortable first half, his perfectly timed tackles and acrobatic goal line clearance on the stroke of half-time somehow preserving an interval lead. He was the assured presence Liverpool needed as they eased to victory with fewer concerns after the break.

Before then, there were moments early on when it seemed the doom-laden prophecies carried too much substance for Klopp’s liking.

Witness the image of stand-in goalkeeper Adrian and Gomez treating a rolling ball like a landmine in the first two minutes, fortunate to escape a collision and the gift of an opening goal for Ajax.

See how the deputy keeper failed to heed recent lessons by his goal kicks, striking direct at Dusan Tadic in his penalty area after 15 minutes, relieved to see the rebound bounce harmlessly to safety. For the sake of Adrian and his teammates, someone needs to stop telling him to stop thinking he is a playmaker. He needs to focus on being a goalkeeper again first.

Here was the first glimpse of the post-Van Dijk world Liverpool must temporarily inhabit, bereft of the surety he has installed for two years. Fabinho was the man who took responsibility to bring more certainty.

His relocation creates other issues, of course.

Adjusting to a new line-up in midfield as well as centre-half, some of the early nervousness could be attributed to post-traumatic stress as Ajax sought to profit from individual mistakes rather than structural problems.

With respect to an Ajax side undergoing transition, they are not one that you would most expect to expose Liverpool’s frailties, even without the best centre-back in world football.

In theory, although still missed, the void ought not to have been so obvious against the ball-playing Ajax, a side built to thread holes in an opposition defence rather than drop bombs.

The sterner tests are to come, not just when Liverpool meet Manchester City next month, but against the likes of Crystal Palace or Burnley — the kind of sides who frequently troubled Liverpool prior to Van Dijk’s signing by doing nothing for 85 minutes but calculating the occasional set-piece will bear fruit in the other five.

It is when Liverpool lead heading into the latter stages of games, when Van Dijk presence radiated calm on the concession of a corner or free-kick where once there was panic, that Klopp will have more cause to fret. That was pretty much what happened at Goodison Park last weekend.

Given the starting-up — missing Alisson Becker, Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson as much as Van Dijk — occasional problems were not surprising. Henderson, left out for his protection as he eases to 100 percent fitness,  was summoned at half-time in a signal that Klopp saw the fault lines in midfield as much as his back four.

That the famed front three was removed before the hour hinted that the manager may have felt the issues began further up the pitch, although he will certainly have forthcoming Premier League games in mind.

The honest assessment here is the returning goalkeeper will make a monumental difference to the backline, even when accounting for Van Dijk’s absence.

“Our weapon is football,” said Klopp when he spoke about how the club will overcome its latest adversity.

His Liverpool team has always been as good as any at firing shots. It’s resisting them without his charismatic Dutchman and superb goalkeeper he needs to worry about. The irony of a clean sheet at the first attempt will be lost on no-one.