The trouble with the Premier League’s winter break is that it’s allowed too much time to think.

Not so much about the fading possibility of achieving Daniel Farke's 'little miracle', it's the gargantuan task more immediately at hand that is really concentrating the mind.

The only prospect that could be more intimidating than facing this season's Liverpool is playing this season's Liverpool when they are fully refreshed after a fortnight off.

Jurgen Klopp's refusal to show up for their FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury threatened to extinguish some of the goodwill he has built up by constructing one of the most formidable sides English football has ever seen.

It also means that Mo Salah and co. will be well rested by the time their Premier League title winning parade arrives in Norfolk on Saturday.

One of the reasons that promotion was celebrated so wildly on the streets of Norwich last May was that it meant the Canaries had earned the right to take on the might of Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea to name but three.

It's an inspiring prospect until the time comes around to actually play them in a proper match.

A look at the league table, the form guide and Liverpool's squad is enough to make even the most optimistic Canary gulp in anticipation.

Sometimes one has to put any feelings of club loyalty and tribalism to one side and just appreciate how fortunate we are to be able to witness such quality in our own backyard.

When Norwich City's hopes of winning the inaugural Premier League title in 1993 were blown out of the water by Manchester United's 3-1 win at Carrow Road as the season entered its final furlong it was clear we were witnessing the start of something special.

The pace of Giggs, Kanchelskis and Ince coupled with the brilliance of Eric Cantona was just too much for even that great City team to live with.

Since then Arsenal's 'Invincibles' strutted their stuff against Nigel Worthington's Canaries in August 2004 as Thierry Henry led that newly promoted Norwich defence a merry dance and, with Liverpool in mind, it may be hard to like Luis Suarez but it was impossible not to appreciate his brilliance as he embarked on a one man Goal of the Month competition against the Canaries.

Whatever Liverpool do to Norwich City on Saturday we will probably have experienced it somewhere before in the constant battle to punch above our weight.

But what if….?

This is football and there is always a chance.

The last time I was bracing myself for a Norwich City game with such trepidation was ahead of Manchester City's visit in September.

Daniel Farke's squad was decimated by injuries and the pundits on TV and radio had been telling us that last season's Premier League title win underlined why Man City would dominate the league for years to come.

They're saying the same things about Liverpool now. There was no way Norwich could possibly win that game until they actually did.

I am old enough to remember Liverpool's last league win in 1990.

In those days it was John Barnes and Ian Rush that nobody else could live with. It's why seeing Norwich City beat them 3-0 at Carrow Road in February 1992 remains one of the most memorable games of my formative years.

We didn't know that Liverpool wouldn't win the league for another 30 years at that point so actually beating them felt enormous.

Robert Fleck scored two lovely goals in the second half after the deadlock had been broken by defender Colin Woodthorpe's only strike for the Canaries.

Sometimes that's what it takes, an unlikely goal scoring hero.

If Norwich can't find one on Saturday and all goes to form and Liverpool go on to break all the records we will always be able to cling on to the fact that their very first goal of the season was scored by Norwich City.

Grant Hanley's own goal at Anfield on the opening night has been the true catalyst for Liverpool's amazing campaign.