Modern life now has three inevitabilities - taxes, death and Liverpool making things difficult for themselves when they should be strolling down Easy Street. The good news is that as winning really is all that matters in knockout football the Merseysiders' first-ever competitive fixture in the Czech Republic was a success, albeit a far from unqualified one.
Indeed, not until the unknown, unfancied journeymen of Slovan Liberec began to tire did a team conservatively valued at £80 million impose their will on proceedings and thus guarantee safe passage through into this morning's UEFA Cup third-round draw.
Three and a half weeks after sustaining a head injury during a league game at Derby County, Michael Owen was back on duty, although with Robbie Fowler recalled to partner Emile Heskey he was on the substitutes' bench until, after 81 minutes, he strolled on to score with his very first touch, a deflected drive from 25 yards.
Despite the sub-zero temperatures, the playing surface was admirable and, mercifully, Liverpool did not perform with the monumental ineptitude which had characterised their display in the first leg.
This time we had an early goal - nine minutes in - and, astonishingly, it went to a Liberec team which had failed to land a single shot on target a fortnight ago. Not for the first time in recent weeks the Liverpool defence was collectively at fault. Roman Jun found the time in which to cross from the left and Jiri Stajner climbed above Christian Ziege at the far post to send a fine header beyond Sander Westerveld.
It took 31 minutes before Liverpool restored parity, Nick Barmby flicking in a delightful header from Ziege's free-kick. At last Liverpool's football began to boast an acceptable level of authority.
Had Liverpool's finishing been more clinical we might have had a memorable rout, for as Liberec's appetite began to wane their defence toyed with the idea of capitulation.
But it came right in the end. Before Owen struck, Heskey capped a buccaneering display with a neat strike from a Vladimir Smicer cross 15 minutes from time. Liberec reduced the arrears with a splendid goal by the substitute David Breda, but by then Liverpool had taken care of business.
SLOVAN LIBEREC (4-4-2): Hauzr; Capek, Michalik (Breda, 84), Lexa, Stajner; Jun (Nezmar, 81), Johana, Janu, Neumann; Liuni (Kozuch, 72), Pilny.
LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Westerveld; Carragher (Murphy, 54), Hyypia, Babbel, Ziege; Smicer, Gerrard, Hamann (Owen, 82), Barmby; Fowler (McAllister, 62), Heskey.
Referee: E Steinmuller (Germany).
