They came lamenting the imminent loss of one of their favourite number nines.
Come full-time, though, Anfield had fully embraced the man signed as his successor on an afternoon that will forever be etched in the annals of Liverpool’s long, glorious history.
Beating Manchester United is good no matter how the manner. But to inflict such an absolute humiliation on their most bitter rivals – this 7-0 destruction equalling United’s heaviest-ever defeat – will resonate for years, decades to come.
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So much for the power shift that was being mooted by some. Even United know it will take more than a League Cup success to be regarded on a par with a Liverpool team that here issued a reminder, even if only to themselves, of the dizzying heights of which they are capable.
And it all started with the man who, had United boss Erik ten Hag had his way in the summer, would have been lining up in opposition to Liverpool.
By his own admission, Cody Gakpo had a slow start following his January arrival from PSV Eindhoven, thrown into a struggling team in a new league in a new country. It was almost unfair on the forward, targeted as a long-term replacement for Roberto Firmino, who it was confirmed on Friday will leave when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Lately, though, have come signs why Jurgen Klopp was keen to ensure United didn’t nip in come the summer and snap up the Holland international, a first goal against Everton followed by a well-taken finish at Newcastle United.
And now this, a performance that will surely become Gakpo’s calling card. The spark was the opening goal on 43 minutes, racing on to Andy Robertson’s superb pass inside Fred before cutting in front of Raphael Varane and sidefooting into the bottom corner. It was, dare it be said, almost Firminoesque.
But even more representative of his qualities was Liverpool’s third five minutes after the interval, Gakpo initiating the goal with a forceful run out of defence and then possessing the energy to race on to Mohamed Salah’s throughball and finesse to finish brilliantly into the bottom corner.
Deserved, then, was the standing ovation on his late substitution, which in turn became an emotional welcome for the introduced Firmino on one of his final Anfield appearances as a Liverpool player.
Ever the showman, there was still time for the Brazilian to cap a remarkable occasion by snaffling the seventh in front of the Kop before being mobbed by his delighted team-mates.
The baton, though, is being passed in the Reds attack. Now, what’s the Dutch for ‘si senor’?
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