Liverpool has been looking for a new NR .9 all summer with Darwin Nunez who would still be expected to leave the Reds, and suddenly all eyes are focused on movements on Tyneside
Forget that Double in Brentford, Sunday's goal in Preston, perhaps the most important thing is Darwin Nunez once scores for Liverpool.
After 10 days of unimaginable sadness, it was the sight of grinning Nunez those two of Diogo's parties turned home after rolling the ball home in Deepdale, who brought a collective smile to Liverpool, and made sure that this first step would go on the most difficult journey.
Before that, and so beautifully placed by Arne Slot earlier on Sunday, nobody was really sure what was the right thing to do. Even the opening goal of Conor Bradley in Preston hardly brought a flicker of recognition.
The truth is that of course there is no good thing to do, there can never be sadness. And neither is the journey through it linearly, as evidenced by the tears of Nunez before the end after full -time.
But Liverpool's life will never stop, and after scoring the goal that at least tilted the balance of Anfield's life in the positive direction, Nunez will now have a lot to say about the following steps in the direction of something that resembles normality.
Because although not entirely in the departure clock, the Uruguayan has been prepared for the exit door of Liverpool for some time. His last league match was in March, after which Slot did not chose him again from the start of a Premier League match because of a payment that would be due to the former Benfica club.
Nunez himself seemed to be resigned for a long time that he would leave the Reds this summer, and when the news about Napoli's interest arose for the first time, it seemed to be a perfect match. The Italians remain interested in a deal, but Liverpool has recently paused understandably.
Nunez will always have his fans in the club, but after three seasons in Anfield it would still be no surprise to see him go further as long as the Reds will get the compensation they will look for. That will always have been the plan, but many plans can also suddenly change.
The addition of a new NR .9 has always been on the agenda and a few market movements now bring the Reds back to the table when the time is ripe.
Viktor Gyokees finally seems to complete his long -term move to Arsenal or to make a few agent payments, while Victor Osimhen is always in the headlines and Joao Pedro The Life has started excellently at Chelsea. Under everything it was interesting to notice sudden interest in Benjamin Sesko after Liverpool on Instagram in a classic little summer transfer window. It's all just a game at the end of the day.
But for the next chess piece to fall, you have to look at Tyneside. The goals of Newcastle, King Alexander Isak, is a valuable piece that fans hope that it is protected at all costs, but the sudden rise of Hugo Ekitike as a galloping knight in the Geordie frame is intriguing.
Ekitike is a name that has of course been connected to Liverpool for a long time, and shares surprising similarities with Isak in the way he plays the number 9 role. Now in conversation with the Frenchman, Newcastle insists that they want to play the two together, but how they work on both financial and tactical level is unclear.
It is possible, and something like that is done earlier, but after having spent £ 55 million to Anthony Elanga and with well-published PSR problems to contend, it will be fascinating to see what their next step is.
The PSR headroom of Liverpool remains strong despite their publication to Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong this summer, with home-grown players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cooimhin Kelleher and Jarell Quansah all generate pure profit transfer costs. More outputs will follow theirs, with the Luis Diaz situation not leaving.
So for now it is a waiting game, with many and two and two merging and predicting that a remarkable move for Isak can just come loose. Liverpool will want to stay in the conversation for the Swede, whose proven Premier League goals from pedigree De Kampioenen would make an even more proposition.