For Pennant and Idrizaj it was a different story, especially for the latter, who went from unknown quantity to genuinely promising potential by the 24th minute.

Before the 19-year-old Austrian gets too carried away by his goal-scoring exploits, however, it might have been a good idea for him to wander round and take a moment of quiet contemplation in front of the gravestones scattered around the Racecourse.

This was, after all, the ground where Bellamy marked his first Liverpool appearance with a goal in his homeland – 51 weeks later and he’s off to West Ham.

And three years ago Benitez kicked off his Liverpool career in this town with a victory thanks to a double strike by another promising forward from the continent – Anthony La Tallec, whose subsequent assertion that two goals against Wrexham should be enough to make him an automatic pick on the new manager’s team sheet was as empty and laughable as his subsequent Anfield career.

Things on that score looked more promising for Idrizaj when he was spared the half-time cull and remained one of only three players not to be substituted at half-time.

This changed 16 minutes in when Hungarian duo Krisztian Nesmith and Andras Simon entered the fray along with Danish goalkeeper Martin Hansen, who did himself no favours by setting up – via a weak clearance and unconvincing punch – both Eifion Williams goals that made the final score more bearable from Wrexham’s point of view.

But Idrizaj did do enough to suggest that he has more about him than just the one goal in seven appearances on loan during Luton Town’s descent into League One towards the end of last season.

He finished all three of his goals extremely well as, despite Pennant’s excellent wing work, the finishes were by no means foregone conclusions. His first came via a neat lay-off from Dutch strike partner Jordi Brouwer after five minutes, which set Idrizaj up for a volley into the top corner.

Pennant had time to set up a chance for the lively Scot Adam Hammill before picking out Idrizaj for his second, the signing from Linzer ASK two years ago lunging at the cross and powering his diving header into the corner.

He emphatically nodded in his third seven minutes later, although the easiest opportunity he had, after yet another assist from Pennant, he wasted by taking far too long to decide what to do after rounding goalkeeper Anthony Williams.

Fernando Torres needn’t worry about having to fight for his place up front just yet on that evidence.

Idrizaj further displayed his prowess in the air by forcing Williams to tip over another towering header early in the second period but the opening half – and to that effect the day – belonged to Pennant.

It’s clear he’s been itching to build on his Athens display in the 45 days since that final – and he showed how much in the space of one exhilarating 45 minutes.

Match Facts:

WREXHAM: first half: A Williams; Spender, Pejic, S Evans (Hope 30), M Williams; Mark Jones, Llewellyn, Murtagh, Done; Roberts, Carvill. Second half: Mike Jones; Valentine, G Evans, Hope, Taylor; Makin, D Williams, Fleming, E Williams; M Williams, Proctor.

GOALS: E Williams 61, 89

LIVERPOOL: first half: Martin, Finnan, Hobbs, Paletta, Arbeloa; Pennant, Peltier, Sissoko, Hammill; Idrizaj, Brouwer. Second half: Martin (Hansen 59); Darby, Huth, Roque, Threlfall; El Zhar, Flynn, Spearing, Hamill (Nemeth 59); Idrizaj (Simon 22), Lindfield.

GOALS: Idrizaj 5, 17, 24

REFEREE: Mike Jones.

ATT: 11,210

NEXT GAME: Crewe Alexandra v Liverpool, Saturday, July 14, 3pm.