Two Frenchmen departed this arena cramped by pangs for the Champions League though, for all the utterances of optimism, realism dictates Gerard Houllier may, like Nicolas Anelka, have to wait another year.
The latter's jaw-dropping volley deep into stoppage time on Saturday left Liverpool requiring a first win at Chelsea since 1989 if they are to salvage a return to Europe's elite from the final day of a season of toil. A draw here would have left Houllier's side merely needing to avoid defeat at Stamford Bridge to qualify. This was a missed opportunity.
The Kop had welcomed Anelka back to Merseyside with a cheer but they sent him on his way with a snarl. The striker would have cost Liverpool £15 million had they taken up their option with Paris St-Germain last season. He may have cost them £20 million in lost revenue on Saturday, though this victory simply whetted the former Real Madrid forward's own appetite.
"I need to be playing in the Champions League," he conceded to an anxious intake of breath from Kevin Keegan at his shoulder. "I see my long-term future at City but I don't have (a place in) the national team any more, so I need to be playing in the best club competition out there. We can finish as high as eighth and we could finish fourth or fifth next season but we have to qualify. I feel that is realistic."
There were enough flashes of promise to suggest such optimism is not wholly misplaced, most notably from City's youthful midfield, with Joey Barton and Shaun Wright-Phillips outstanding, and at the heart of their Gallic defence, though not, as yet, in the ex-Liverpool partnership of Anelka and Robbie Fowler up front.
Even so, Keegan will need to replace the man who effectively won them this match. Anelka may have stroked home an equalising penalty and then battered in the late winner but it was Peter Schmeichel's saves that left Liverpool cursing.
The Dane is despised on Merseyside for his Manchester United connection and, not for the first time if definitely for the last, he revelled in the vitriol. His flick to turn El Hadji Diouf's drive on to the crossbar defied belief. The stop from Milan Baros's close-range attempt deflated the home side who wilted, perplexed at their inability to add to the lead gleaned by the Czech just before the hour mark.
"Peter's the best goalkeeper the Premiership's ever had," said Keegan. "He's 39 and can still hack it with the best."
For Liverpool the future is up in the air for another week. The club's tour of Hong Kong and China in July is likely to be cancelled due to the Sars crisis with summer spending plans on hold until the club's Champions League destiny is resolved. That no club boasts more wins on their travels in the Premiership this season gives grounds for hope.
At Chelsea on Sunday, Liverpool's season will boil down to converting what can be created.
LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Carragher, Traore, Hyypia, Riise, Diouf (Heskey 78), Hamann (Cheyrou 78), Gerrard, Murphy, Owen, Baros. Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Diao, Biscan. Booked: Hamann, Heskey. Goals: Baros 59.
MAN CITY: Schmeichel, Dunne, Sommeil, Distin, Wright-Phillips, Barton, Benarbia, Horlock, Jensen, Fowler, Anelka. Subs Not Used: Nash, Macken, Jihai, Bischoff, Belmadi. Booked: Horlock, Dunne. Goals: Anelka 74 pen, 90.
Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire).
