Tottenham are not the first group of players to stumble blindly from the green acres of Anfield having been stripped of purpose, belief, hope and dignity. Nor will they be the last if Arne Slot and his team continue to play like this.
This was supposed to be a cup tie in the balance, a meeting of minds and styles, a contest. But it was not that. It was an evisceration of white by red. It was a dismantling, a derobing, a humbling.
It was four but it could have been five. Tottenham were simply never in it – their hopes of a season-saving cup final torn from them without mercy – as Liverpool produced a performance that was almost perfect.