With Liverpool holding on to the faintest of leads in the closing stages, Harvey Elliott hurtled into a crunching tackle and turned immediately to the away end in wild, fist-waving celebration as their team were awarded nothing more than a throw.
That Elliott marked the official’s decision with as much gusto as his wondrous winning goal showed exactly what it meant to him. It was the moment he knew a hard-fought and challenging assignment at Wolves had been successfully passed.
And in the wider scheme of things, Liverpool's victory here at Molineux was about more than just securing a fourth-round place in the FA Cup against Brighton. Much more, in fact.
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Given that a turbulent and often difficult season had reached something of a nadir in recent days after that 3-0 loss at Brighton, another setback in the Black Country would have left the door wide open for those hoping to continue the pile on.
As one of the great clubs of the game, Liverpool are big news, so dismal defending, misshapen midfields and shot-shy striking brings them all out of the woodwork to criticise, particularly when it is a run of form that contrasts so jarringly with the quality of players within the ranks at Anfield.
Every pundit, ex-player and media personality has been quick to give their twopence for the reasons behind the Reds' struggles this term and given the paucity of what has been served up of late, Jurgen Klopp has been made to simply take his medicine.
So while this slender 1-0 victory was not the stinging riposte of a wounded team with a point to prove, it was a performance full of heart and desire, which makes it, almost by default, a major improvement on what has preceded it in the early days of 2023.
It may take some time before this group of players are swaggering with the levels of confidence that coursed through them all back in the Spring of last year, but this was at least a decent-sized building block that has been put in place.
Klopp made as many as eight changes as he handed a first start of the campaign to Naby Keita alongside the likes of Joe Gomez, Stefan Bajcetic and James Milner, who came in at right-back after his recent return to fitness.
Having not started a competitive game since May, this was an encouraging outing for Keita, who completed 90 minutes. The Guinea international was understandably not at his creative best but he did more than his fair share of the midfield grunt work and looked to keep it simple whenever he had it. "Naby was really there tonight," enthused Klopp at full time. More of this is now needed from the No.8.
In truth, the manager could have made a full complement of changes given the paucity of the collective display at Brighton but there were reprieves for Thiago Alcantara and Ibrahima Konate, who were both excellent, as new-boy Cody Gakpo once again led the line.
Klopp could really have 'dropped' them all from Saturday's south coast horror show - but it did provide a signal as to how important he views the weekend's visit from Chelaea.
Elliott's stunning goal was enough to separate the sides. Having picked the ball up in his own half, Wolves were made to pay for a lack of closing down as the teenager unleashed a dipping effort from about 25 yards to beat Jose Sa.
It was noticeable how much confidence Elliott took from the goal and the 19-year-old looked a different proposition when liberated on the right of the front three as opposed to the hustle and bustle of the midfield, where Klopp has tried to reinvent him somewhat over the last 18 months or so.
Perhaps, for now, this is the best way to use a player who is still growing and learning his trade at a club the size of Liverpool; in the position he has played for much of his fledgling career to date. "Oh when he plays well, I like him anywhere!" said Klopp. "If you play that position you need to score goals, that is it."
A much-improved first-half performance saw chances arrive for Kostas Tsimikas and Gakpo before Fabio Carvalho finished off a sweeping move only to see the offside flag raised.
Liverpool's main problem after the break was the absence of real pace in the side. Too often passes were being played to feet with the Reds content to keep it neat and tidy due to the fact there was no-one in the team really capable of stretching the defence and opening up spaces across the pitch.
Klopp's response to that flaw was to send on Mohamed Salah for Gakpo alongside Curtis Jones, who replaced Fabio Carvalho. Nat Phillips arrived for Milner and Gomez was shifted into the right-back slot. The vastly improved Thiago was then taken off with the tiring Bajcetic as Fabinho and Ben Doak were introduced for the final 15 minutes.
If Klopp is indeed in the embryonic stages of rebuilding another great Liverpool team, you can be sure he will give the likes of Bajcetic and Doak every opportunity of being a part of it alongside Elliott and Carvalho. The pair have been fast-tracked from the Academy ranks and the scouts and coaches will rightly be proud of their efforts to get them into this position. Their hard work is just beginning, though.
The final moments saw the Reds rely on defensive nous and a backbone that has been missing in action of late as they impressively repelled the attacks from Julen Lopetegui's men.
Given the way the Reds were ruthlessly put to the sword at the Amex last week, a return visit later this month will be taken with trepidation, you feel, but victory here does at least inject a dose of confidence to take forward, particularly given Chelsea are up next in the Premier League at Anfield.
It may be far too early to say the corner has been turned, but this was a big step in the right direction.
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