Jurgen Klopp was not in the mood to think about the poignancy, as his best laid plans fell asunder, but perhaps it had to be this way.
Under Anfield's floodlights, a little Argentine with broad shoulders and a silky left foot stole the show. Nobody is comparing Alejandro Gomez to Diego Maradona but the symbolism of him starring in a No 10 shirt – the number made famous by the late, lamented genius – could not be missed.
Liverpool, who were aiming to secure progress into the Champions League knockout stages with two games to spare, were second best all night against opponents they had steamrollered in Italy at the start of November and could not contain Gomez.