But it was the Anfield lads who claimed the points in an entertaining but occasionally fiery clash.
This fixture, at every level, is the one most supporters look for when the season’s list of matches is revealed, and apart from the obvious rivalry between the two great clubs, it’s an occasion that rarely fails to deliver the goods.
This contest could comfortably be bracketed into that category if, ultimately, Neil Wood’s young and inexperienced line-up came out of it on the losing side, against a Liverpool outfit containing a number of players familiar with first-team and full international football.