The numbers told their own story: 62, 53, 42, 76 and 78. Liverpool had also started with an 84.
Convention dictates managers are supposed to begin the Carabao Cup with weakened sides, not end the final with one.
Yet as the time ticked down Liverpool would finish with only three regular starters on the pitch, with the rest of their ranks largely made up of a gaggle of youngsters who found themselves thrust on to a stage that just a few weeks ago they could only have dreamt of experiencing.
• Match report: Van Dijk delivers Carabao Cup triumph for Klopp
The travelling Kop has enjoyed many great Wembley victories down the years and, as another piece of silverware was passed along the line of players to a cacophony of cheers, it was already clear this will undoubtedly count as one of the sweetest.
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And yet the thing is that at various points during the preceding two hours, Jürgen Klopp would have looked over his shoulder and seen only talented Liverpool players. To him they were not inexperienced rookies or kids but, as he had said in the build-up, “boys who will throw their heart and soul on the pitch”.
There is an obvious contrast to draw with Chelsea, who may have spurned chances, most notably from Conor Gallagher towards the end of normal time, but seemed to be lacking in so many of the basics, including a coherent game plan.
When the time comes for Klopp to leave at the end of the season — and what an emotional send-off that will be — his legacy will not simply be judged by the trophies he has brought to Anfield, with victory here swelling that number to eight.
It can be measured in an attitude that screams anything is possible, an identity, a belief and a pride in performance that is as fundamental to the matchwinner Virgil van Dijk as it is to Bobby Clark, for example.
To Klopp, it didn’t matter that 19-year-old Clark, son of former Newcastle United midfielder Lee, had played only 48 minutes this season before this game.
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He came on for Conor Bradley, himself just 20, and who had started at right back before moving to the right of midfield when Ryan Gravenberch was taken off on a stretcher with an ankle injury after Moisés Caicedo’s late challenge. Gravenberch joined the giddy post-match celebrations on crutches.
Later James McConnell, 19, replaced World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and 18-year-old Jayden Danns, who had not played a minute for the first team before last Wednesday’s cameo as a substitute against Luton Town, stepped into Cody Gakpo’s shoes.
That was partly because Liverpool wanted to protect established players for the coming fixture demands in what is shaping up to be a remarkable season, but there was no discernible dip in quality.
A few minutes after trotting on Danns, whose father, Neil, is assistant manager at Tranmere Rovers, was forcing Djordje Petrovic to tip his header over the crossbar and then save on the line as he looked to add to his tally of 21 goals this season for the under-18s and under-21s.
“We needed fresh legs,” Klopp said. “But the development of Bobby Clark? Oops, that is really crazy. The development of James McConnell — insane. Dannsy almost scored two goals in a Carabao Cup final, that is absolutely insane.”
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The fearlessness of youth revealed itself in all its glory — Jarell Quansah was also introduced for Ibrahima Konaté in extra time — but to have the confidence to showcase their skills owes everything to the trust Klopp imbues.
Liverpool’s academy director Alex Inglethorpe — who has introduced a £50,000-a-year academy wage cap and banned youngsters from buying cars with engine sizes above 1.3 litres to keep them grounded (and safe) — would recognise that as crucial in why the production line at Kirkby is producing a rich conveyor belt of talent.
The presence of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Núñez and Dominik Szoboszlai on the pre-match walkabout had raised hopes they might be involved, only for reality to quickly set in. At kick-off, Klopp was without 11 players.
In those circumstances, there are some managers who would have decided against filling the substitutes’ bench with a full quota of players. By leaving a couple of spaces blank, it draws attention to a ready-made excuse in case of coming up short.
However, Klopp believes in offering opportunities, and the joy he took from this occasion was obvious as he conducted the travelling hordes while the gold ticker tape rained down on his head. Lewis Koumas — whose father, Jason, played for Wales — did not feature, nor did 16-year-old Trey Nyoni, but their afternoon ended with a winners’ medal swinging from their neck.
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Certainly, the outcome took Klopp’s mind off Gravenberch’s injury, even if he declined to shake the hand of referee Chris Kavanagh at the final whistle, while Wataru Endo also hobbled away on crutches but said he was OK.
The head count can be saved for another day thanks to a run and a giant leap from Van Dijk. The captain led from the front but, behind him, came a fresh-faced cavalry who refused to take a backward step.
