Liverpool - 3 Birmingham City - 0: Nicolas Anelka knew he had arrived when the Kop rose to sing his name. His face melted into a broad smile as he accepted the high-fives, basking in the glow of rounding off a magnificent full home debut with his first goal for Liverpool.
It was a goal to savour, too. Steven Gerrard roamed in the space left for him by the done-for Birmingham midfield and threaded the ball through to Anelka, who allowed himself one steadying touch and two goalward nudges before firing the ball with utmost precision past Ian Bennett.
Even though Anelka knows what it is to score in a Cup final, as he did for Arsenal in 1998, it was a sweet moment in only his fourth appearance since arriving on loan from Paris St Germain.
"It was nice for him that it was in front of the Kop," enthused Liverpool's assistant manager Phil Thompson later. "They appreciated everything that he did today. I thought, 'You deserve it, son, you deserve that'." Anelka had already set up his side's second by sneaking up on Martin O'Connor as he dilly-dallied on the halfway line. Spare a thought for poor Darren Purse who, after seeing his captain dispossessed, looked up to find not just Anelka but Michael Owen haring towards him. Their pace was unmatchable and Owen duly scored with his left foot from the tightest of angles to add to his earlier goal, clinically struck from the edge of the area.
It was the first time Anelka and Owen had started together up front and the pairing worked well until the latter was removed with 13 minutes left to protect an ankle knock from the first half.
Owen, who scored twice in the last seven minutes to win last season's Cup final, was hungry for more. He was on for a hat-trick after lofting Gerrard's pass over Bennett but the ball hit the top of the crossbar.
Liverpool had learned their lesson from the League Cup defeat here to Grimsby last October and took tight control of the game from start to finish. There was never any chance of them getting the blues this time because the Blues struggled to create a purposeful opening.
"There was an element of fear about us," lamented City's manager Steve Bruce. "At times in the first half it was like a testimonial pace from them. That upset me a bit."
Bruce could only marvel at the Liverpool strikeforce: "They're both razor sharp," he said. "We all know Anelka from before with Arsenal. We all know what a wonderful talent he is."
Gerrard, who had revealed that being put on the bench against West Ham the previous weekend was "the kick up the backside I needed", reaffirmed that kick with tireless work in midfield. And as well as supplying Anelka it was his long crossfield ball to Vladimir Smicer that started a neat move to set up Owen's first.
For Liverpool this was a welcome return to top form after winning only one of their previous six games, though Thompson made it clear the sudden spark ignited by his latest front pairing would guarantee no special treatment in a tricky couple of weeks that include trips to Highbury and Old Trafford.
"We'll take each game as it comes and choose the personnel for the day," he said.
"We've got some tremendous talented players. Look at Jari Litmanen, who's been doing exceptionally well.
We've got Emile (Heskey), Nicolas, Michael and Milan (Baros) - a nice array who have different qualities."
Anelka will be left scratching his goatee on the bench from time to time but at least he can now do so feeling part of the Anfield furniture.
LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise, Murphy, Hamann, Gerrard, Smicer (Berger 82), Owen (Heskey 77), Anelka. Subs Not Used: Kirkland, Wright, Litmanen. Goals: Owen 17, 25, Anelka 86.
BIRMINGHAM: Bennett, Gill, Purse, Vickers, Burrows, Andrew Johnson, O'Connor (Hughes 80), Woodhouse (Marcelo 66), Bak, Mooney, Horsfield. Subs Not Used: Eaden, Michael Johnson, Vaesen. Booked: Woodhouse, Andrew Johnson, Bak.
Referee: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).
