Yes, it was only the Community Shield. That, though, was all the excuse Liverpool needed.
As Jordan Henderson rolled out his trademark trophy lift shuffle and the travelling Kop sang along with the now-familiar celebratory playlist containing the likes of Dua Lipa and Bob Marley, Jurgen Klopp and his players bounced around the King Power Stadium turf in a manner that echoed their League Cup and FA Cup triumphs of earlier in the year.
There was, of course, added significance with Manchester City having been the team vanquished in thrilling style through the late double of Mohamed Salah's penalty and Darwin Nunez's debut strike.
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But Klopp would be the first to admit the traditional curtain-raiser to the season is nothing more than a glorified friendly that, at the very most, offers a few pointers towards the new campaign. As Bob Paisley used to say about the competition's forerunner: "The result of the Charity Shield means nothing to me as long as someone says you'll be in it next year."
What happened last Saturday instead underlined the relationship between this Liverpool side and their supporters. When they win, Klopp and his players want everyone involved, and vice-versa. It became another big party.
Fans always have a connection with their team. Why would they otherwise invest so much emotional energy into them? But rarely can the bond between Liverpool supporters and the squad have been quite as strong as it is now.
That can be traced all the way back to Klopp's introductory press conference on his unveiling as manager in October 2015, when he vowed to turn "doubters into believers". Behind the scenes, the Reds boss worked on ensuring the 'LFC family' - as it became known - were all on first name terms with each other, all part of the same greater whole.
It didn't happen overnight, but slowly Liverpool supporters began to buy into the Klopp ethos. The failures - losing the League Cup and Europa League finals in 2016, the Champions League final in 2018 and then agonisingly missing out of the Premier League title the following year - offered hope rather than despair. And few would disagree the team, with a succession late winners and comebacks, were leaving every single ounce of effort on the pitch.
Then there's the great overlooked factor of Liverpool's praised recruitment policy. Good players, yes. Often great, in fact. But, as James Milner said earlier this year, the Reds "wouldn't sign any k***heads". These are guys you wouldn't mind having a pint - or low-sugar soft drink - with.
For sure, it helps when you're winning week after week. But even when the Reds missed out on the Premier League and Champions League in successive weeks in May, hundreds of thousands of supporters lined the streets of Liverpool to celebrate their heroes in a parade that stuck two fingers up to the naysayers who claimed it was farcical.
There were mitigating circumstances, not least the fact Klopp and his players could parade the trophies won earlier in the campaign. And there was a sense, at least for the Reds boss, for everyone to commemorate the historic Premier League title win of 2020, the celebrations of which were dashed due to coronavirus restrictions. Even becoming world champions for the first time at the end of 2019 was an achievement that passed without much pomp and circumstance.
How important those supporters are to Liverpool became painfully apparent during pandemic football. All clubs suffered with having to play in cold, soulless, concrete stadia, but it affected the Reds more than most. Indeed, it's telling Liverpool still haven't lost a home Premier League game in front of supporters since April 2017, a run of 78 games. In the 19 home league games with nobody inside, they lost six.
Yes, Saturday was only the Community Shield. But Liverpool and their supporters will hope it's just the latest chance to party together this season. Possibilities.
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