Anfield is famed for its atmosphere but the last two match days, for some reason, have been a reminder of difficult days in the past.
Complacency and quietness reigned on Thursday against Atalanta, which is remarkable considering that game was a European quarter-final.
Here everything felt tetchy and twitchy from early on, missed chances and squandered passes being greeted by impatient growls.
Jurgen Klopp was the catalyst for transforming the feeling inside this stadium but you wonder whether the ambivalence that was prevalent is a glimpse into the future.
Wharton has justified his transfer fee
Adam Wharton's January move from Blackburn to Crystal Palace was held up as a sign of how inflated the transfer market has become.