In a pre-match dominated by the noise around Mohamed Salah's contract, it was his second-half celebration with the Liverpool fans that drowned it out.
Salah's 20th goal of an increasingly productive Premier League campaign was the moment this game drifted out of sight for a spirited Brighton to take the visiting Reds to within three points of Manchester City at the top.
But it was also the moment that the man so affectionately known as the 'Egyptian King' washed away the fuss kicked up by his own camp on the eve of this vital clash at the Amex.
Much of the build-up, unhelpfully from Jurgen Klopp's perspective, centred around the future of Salah, whose contract impasse goes on at Anfield.
"It's Mo's decision pretty much," Klopp said on Friday. "The club did what the club can do. That's how it is."
After stating that the ball was firmly in the court of the Egypt star, the player's agent, Ramy Abbas, reacted in typical fashion with a cryptic, emoji-laden tweet designed to get people talking.
The seven laughing faces in response to the manager's words eventually gave way to a report that talks had broken down between club and player since December.
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It didn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out the source of one particular journalist's story on Friday evening with Salah's agent clearly keeping himself busy in an attempt to shape the narrative to suit his client.
Salah, as he prefers to do, did his talking on the pitch instead, bringing up goal No.20 in the Premier League for a fourth time with a well-taken penalty to make it 2-0.
It was Liverpool's 2,000th goal in the Premier League as they joined Manchester United as the only clubs to reach that particular milestone.
Salah's outstretched arms in front of his adoring public in the away end did not suggest a player unhappy with the juncture he finds himself at right now, regardless of his agent's snipes behind the scenes.
The Liverpool attacker's performance and goal did, however, only served to underline just why this is a stand-off that needs a resolution.
Whenever he leaves, whether it is in the summer of 2023 or beyond, he will depart as one of the very best to pull on that red shirt with the Liver Bird on.
So while his representative continues to play silly beggars online, someone high up on the Fenway Sports Group chain of command needs to wrestle control of this increasingly worrying situation.
If Salah wants to stay - like his repeated public declarations would indicate - then the club must do their utmost to ensure he does.
An oversimplification of a complex issue, perhaps, but the bottom line is Liverpool need to tie their No.11 down fast.
This is a special player who demands the kind of treatment that his profile warrants.
Klopp made three changes to the side from Tuesday's defeat to Inter as Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson and Luis Diaz all returned.
After a sloppy start from the visitors, Liverpool took the lead through the sheer bravery of Diaz as he stooped to head home Joel Matip's pass before he was wiped out by goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
The goal was celebrated in subdued circumstances as the physios immediately rushed to the scene where the Colombian lay prone.
A red card check for Sanchez resulted in no action before the Reds winger dusted himself off.
It was fortunate for the home side that a goal concession was the only outcome after replays showed Sanchez to have led with a high foot on Diaz.
Had the goalkeeper's shirt been an outfield one, there would have been no question about the outcome.
"I’m convinced the red card wasn’t given because it was a goal," tweeted Reds legend Jamie Carragher, with some justification. "That header goes past the post and it’s a red card. It’s almost like a goal is enough. Brave Diaz."
It's been quite the six weeks or so for Diaz on Merseyside.
The forward looks like he has played for Klopp's Liverpool for years and allies a strong work ethic with silky skills and an eye for a goal.
This courageous header was his second for the Reds to go with the 16 scored for Porto in the first half of the campaign.
Diaz is not only keeping Roberto Firmino out of the side just now, he has also succeeded, temporarily at least, in doing the same to Diogo Jota as Klopp has used the full remit of his explosive attacking arsenal since the turn of the year.
The former Porto man was a constant threat down the left all afternoon but also put in quite the shift to ease the burden on Andy Robertson further back.
Lewis Dunk's block on Salah after the break almost looped over Sanchez but hit the bar before the rebound was put into the crowd by Sadio Mane.
Salah then snatched another big chance on the edge of the box before he was given the chance to reach 20 once more when Naby Keita's strike was handled by Yves Bissouma.
He belted the penalty down the middle and soaked up the resulting acclaim from the away end. It was just another day at the office for a player who has surely been the world's best this season.
How many celebration emojis did this goal warrant?
That was pretty much Salah's day done and dusted after he was replaced moments later for Jota after picking up a knock as Keita was withdrawn for Thiago Alcantara.
"We will see, he thinks it's not serious," Klopp said after the game. "When he hit the ball and it got blocked, I think the foot got slightly overstretched, let's see."
Alisson Becker tipped Danny Welbeck's effort over the bar late on to preserve a clean sheet as the Reds made it eight straight wins with just two conceded in the league.
The Reds are rolling on with little to no problems on the pitch - but now is the time to sort that one major one off it where Salah is concerned.
