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Liverpool has advanced to six wins out of six in all competitions to start the season, with Alexander Isak barely featuring. Arne Slot has even had to defend his decision to sign both the Swede and Hugo Ekitike, with the Reds now seemingly spoiled for choice.
But with Liverpool enjoying an embarrassment of riches, Newcastle is feeling Isak's absence keenly. With the Magpies playing out a third 0-0 of the season at the weekend, Eddie Howe has admitted as much.
Naturally, Isak will grow in prominence at Anfield before long. The form of Ekitike has given Slot the luxury of a gradual introduction, and will hand him a dilemma when both are fully up to speed, but it seems a matter of time before the record signing is a regular presence in the Liverpool line-up.
It wil be a concern for the rest of the league that Liverpool has strung together so many victories without Isak. Adding in that extra ingredient to a side with a perfect record to start the campaign is ominous for the likes of Arsenal, which already finds itself five points behind.
It has been harder for Newcastle to rack up the points while still bedding in new additions. Howe has tried to be similarly gradual with Nick Woltemade, leaving him out from the start against Barcelona in midweek, but the scoring burden already sits squarely on the big German striker.
Anthony Gordon had been a regular makeshift striker in the league before his red card against Liverpool earned him a suspension. He has not looked to have the killer instinct needed in front of goal when called upon.
And while things started promisingly for Woltemade, with a debut goal against a hapless Wolves side, it's a big ask for him to fill Isak's shoes. As well as being new to the league, he is only 23, and faces a steep learning curve.
"It's three 0-0s away from home for us, which is really uncommon with our attacking style," Howe admitted after the draw with Bournemouth. "I think just naturally we're going to be a different team attacking-wise this year without Alex.
"I thought Nick played really well today... But we just need to know and get used to him and his style more and get more runners off him because he's very good in that respect."
Howe went on to express his hope that Newcastle may even be evolving into a better team in the absence of Isak. But he conceded that the process would take time.
Of course, from Liverpool's perspective, Newcastle could have bought itself some of that time by coming to the table much earlier in the summer. Richard Hughes indicated a willingness to do a deal for Isak at something very close to the final fee more than a month before the move happened.
And while it's something of an unknown, Newcastle might even have ended up with Ekitike in such a scenario. Given how he has started at Anfield, that should be a huge regret on Tyneside.
Howe will at least be pleased that the fundamentals of a good team remain firmly in place. The run of clean sheets is a positive indicator that another respectable league finish is in the works at St James' Park.
But perhaps challenging for silverware was only possible because of the magic that Isak brought to the table. As Howe and Newcastle get used to their new reality, it's another reminder to Liverpool that Slot has a world-class difference-maker on his books, just waiting to be unleashed.
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