The Carabao Cup has suffered badly in recent seasons, with even clubs outside the Premier League now choosing to field second-string teams.
It's a little more important to Liverpool, since they have won this trophy eight times -- three more than any other club. There's also the small matter of a six-year trophy drought, going back to this competition in 2011-12, with many supporters believing the club can't afford to be dismissive about any silverware.
Virgil van Dijk paid lip service to the idea of full commitment by insisting Liverpool wanted to win every competition. That wasn't realistic but it's a great soundbite, and everyone expects this competition to be the most expendable.
Liverpool are on a great run though and it would be a shame, perhaps even a folly, to surrender any game without a determined fight.
There's much more confidence in the squad depth than there has perhaps ever been, in stark contrast to how the decade began.
It's just over eight years since Northampton beat the Reds on penalties to knock them out of the competition. Roy Hodgson's XI was full of players with little or no chance of getting into his first team -- and it showed all evening.
In the two most recent games, Daniel Sturridge played well against PSG, with a goal and lots of hard work. Xherdan Shaqiri was man of the match against Southampton, and Joel Matip was also very good.
These are players not really regarded as first-choice, yet they were determined to impress Jurgen Klopp. This level of commitment is essential for any challenging club.
Star players can put you in the mix but it is the overall strength of the playing staff that puts you on top. This is why there was such a big spend in the summer and why Liverpool are regarded as one of the favourites for success this season.
If Klopp selects a "weakened" XI on Wednesday against Chelsea in their third-round tie, it shouldn't be seen as him glibly throwing away a chance of silverware. It must be seen as part of a season-long plan that keeps players focused and determined to impress the manager when the biggest of matches come in the second half of the campaign.
As Klopp enters his fourth year as coach he'll know more than anyone that trophies are expected here. He's also aware of the increasing difficulty of pulling that off, while the talent and power of other clubs also continues to be so high.
He'll know that lifting this trophy wasn't enough to save Kenny Dalglish from the sack in 2012. That said, given their start this season and two consecutive fourth-place finishes, Klopp probably won't finish eighth in the Premier League like Dalglish did, and this is what sealed the legendary Scotsman's fate.
Klopp's regard for the collective is vital now. The Carabao Cup perhaps could get in the way of plans for the biggest of trophies, but how Liverpool get through their fixture workload is important and it can't be done with the same 11 players.
This week the manager will probably get a pass should things go wrong. Seven wins in a row has cushioned what was being deemed a "nightmare" month, with difficult opponents in future Premier League and Champions Leagues fixtures. Liverpool make the trip to Chelsea in the Premier League at the weekend before going to Napoli in midweek. Their last game before the international break is at home to defending champions Manchester City.
New Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge, and they only dropped points for the first time this season in drawing 0-0 at West Ham on Sunday. But Sarri, like Klopp, may feel Saturday's league clash at Stamford Bridge takes precedence.
When Liverpool played their first League Cup game in 2011-12, Luis Suarez was man of the match against Exeter. He was not the world superstar he is today but it was still clear intent from Dalglish that the trophy was there to be won, not just a fixture to fulfill. That said, there was no European football for Liverpool that season, so it was easier to commit to the third cup competition.
Klopp feels his so-called "lesser" players can still get the job, and after all games like this are one of the reasons he has added to the depth of his squad.