When the call came, it arrived as no surprise for Fabinho. He was expecting it. He was ready for it.
The 27-year-old has spent much of the season to date operating at centre-back; making the transition from deep-lying midfielder to a cornerstone of the defensive line – and doing so to eye-catching success.
He did hold some prior experience with a handful of games at the heart of Liverpool’s defence, first coming in a 1-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion in January 2019.
However, for Fabinho, the most significant aspect in enabling the conversion to be so seamless has been essentially a simple one: preparation.