TWO FER ME ... Kop hero Fernando Torres celebrates his match-winning double
The man with the tightest grip on the tiller is definitely Fernando Torres, the fit-again hitman proving by the week he has no peers when it comes to sticking the ball in the net.
Two goals against Portsmouth on Monday and another couple here.
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Little wonder they streamed out of Anfield convinced the next six weeks are going to bury the nightmare of the last seven months. Lille centre-back Adil Rami will have his own nightmares about the night he spent chasing a Spanish shadow.
In fact, given the runaround he got off Liverpool's prize asset, you would not have backed him to keep Torres quiet had he taken a trawler net out there with him.
If misfit winger Riera had intended his outburst against Rafa Benitez's management methods as some form of twisted team-talk, he could not have done a better job.
The Reds tore out of the blocks and, bar a few hairy minutes before Torres' second soothed fraying nerves, it was pretty much plain sailing all the way.
Steven Gerrard had stressed the need for an early goal in his programme notes. Inside 10 minutes the skipper had his wish.
A superb flowing move saw Lucas ghost his way into the box and Rami left a leg trailing.
The Brazilian went over it and Gerrard rolled his penalty almost contemptuously into the corner.
It was the perfect way for the Kop idol to celebrate his 300th game as Liverpool skipper. Talk about aye, aye cap'n!
In seven previous knockout ties against French opposition, Liverpool had never failed to progress.
At that moment you would not have backed Lille ending that sequence.
Certainly the Reds were a totally different animal to one which has dithered and stuttered through the rest of the campaign.
And in Torres they have a man looking, yet again, as deadly a finisher as there is.
That will give Nemanja Vidic nightmares ahead of Liverpool's Sunday visit to Manchester United.
Yet for all their pressure, it took until four minutes after the break for Torres to finally edge them ahead on aggregate.
The striker showed his hamstring and hernia woes certainly have not dulled his predatory instincts.
Ryan Babel's punt downfield was more of a clearance than anything else - but Rami got things totally wrong and was stranded as it bounced over his head.
It handed Torres a clear run on goal and we all know the result when that happens. Keeper Mickael Landreau was quickly picking the ball out of his net again.
Amazingly it was his first Euro goal since the consolation strike in last year's Champions League loss to Chelsea here last April.
Yet it did anything but calm nerves, as Lille desperately threw men forward to try and drag the tie out of the fire.
Pepe Reina had already made one outstanding save to deny first-leg hero Eden Hazard.
But the keeper was thankful for a woeful finish from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang when he volleyed over from three yards.
Thank goodness for Javier Mascherano. The Argy tough-guy snapped at everything in midfield and lay down the platform for the rest.
His national boss Diego Maradona would certainly have approved as he looked on from the directors' box - but it was Torres who brought him to his feet.
With time all-but up, Landreau blocked a Gerrard drive and the electric Torres swooped.
Maradona was amongst those on their feet applauding Torres' contribution as the Spaniard was subbed.
Hamburg ahoy and a Europa League final? It may not lead to the same street parties which followed Istanbul five years ago.
But after the trials and tribulations of the last few months, it will do nicely for now, thank you very much.
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