It felt like a return to old times at Anfield, as a packed Kop found its voice to acclaim the number nine who they believe is the world’s best.
Plenty of Liverpool players looked out of sorts during the grind of last season, when charmless matches were played in empty stadiums, but nobody suffered more than Roberto Firmino. Usually so influential, nine goals in 48 appearances was way below the standards he had set.
Only two of those strikes came at Anfield – the last of which was against Tottenham on December 16, 2020 – but if this was the Brazilian setting his intentions, it would appear that normal service may about to resume.