Ralph Hasenhuttl called it their Champions League final. Give him his due, he has an imagination. Given him a little more, his bunch rose to it.
For a time, anyway. Between the 13th and 27th minutes, Southampton made it their business to get in the way. They led 1-0 with a corker from Nathan Redmond and, in that slither of a single evening in a long season, Liverpool had blown it. Given it to Manchester City. Coughed it away with an understrength side to an inspired one.
But they got there in the end.