As grown men hugged each other in euphoria, St Valentine and his pal Cupid must have been perched on their cloud contemplating whether they'd created a monster.
For the second consecutive season, Arsenal were undone with one of the last kicks of the game at Anfield.
Given the way their travelling fans are still going on about 'that' late title win of 1989, one can't help
encouraging a tentative sense of smugness about this admittedly minor consolation for nightmares of old. For obvious reasons, there's nothing like seeing the Gunners gutted in the last minute of a game.
With two straight wins to their credit, Liverpool's mid-season dip could be over sooner than first feared. While victory brought huge relief, Benitez would already have taken consolation from his team's excellent showing.
As for Arsenal, they're a side for whom the generous phrase 'transition' clearly masks serious deficiencies.
Wenger has rightfully earned himself some slack for his decade of impeccable football in the Premiership, but whenever a Liverpool team is comprehensively outplayed by their rivals like this, the crisis headlines aren't usually far away.
If the Gunners rise from this to leapfrog Liverpool and mount a serious challenge to Chelsea next season, Wenger is an even better manager than he's currently given credit for.
For Benitez, it seems a huge tick can be placed on his blackboard alongside the name of the most attractive of the traditional Premiership 'big three'.
He just has to work out how to bulldoze his way past the other two now.
Where better to start than a feisty home FA Cup tie against Manchester United?
LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Dudek; Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise; Gerrard, Alonso (Hamann 72), Sissoko (Garcia 84), Kewell; Morientes, Fowler (Cisse 80). Subs: Carson, Traore.
ARSENAL (4-4-2): Lehmann; Eboue, Toure, Send-eros, Flamini; Ljungberg, Gilberto, Fabregas, Pires (Hleb 79); Abedayor, Henry. Subs: Almunia, Larsson, Djourou, Diaby.
BOOKING: Ljungberg (foul).
REFEREE: Graham Poll.
ATT: 44,065.
