LIVERPOOL TEASED THEIR supporters that this would be a night that they’d get their business done good and early.

Anfield was instead caught up in the delirium of another thrilling injury-time comeback after two goals from Atlético Madrid’s Marcos Llorente stirred them into action.

For the third time this season, Liverpool threw away a two-goal lead only to then find salvation. Virgil van Dijk’s powerful header from a Dominik Szoboszlai corner in the 92nd minute gets them up and running in the league phase of the Champions League.

Is it papering over the cracks or adding layers to their resolve?

Rivals must only hope that the emotional and mental toll of these comebacks somehow slow them down. It’s only mid-September and there already feels like a conjuring of destiny, of inevitability for this team.

Right now, Liverpool just look like a side that can win, whatever the situation.

In the beginning, they threatened to do so by blowing Atlético Madrid away – those early goals from Andy Robertson and Mo Salah after just six minutes.

Such was Liverpool’s dominance in that first half, different questions centring around one player flashed into the consciousness.

Will Ryan Gravenberch become their most important midfielder this season?

Is he already that talisman?

How many are as adaptable, powerful and technical as the Netherlands international?

How much better can the 23-year-old become?

By the end of the game, some of those questions were answered by the way in which midfield partner Szoboszlai took command and helped drag Liverpool back into contention.

But Gravenberch was pivotal for Liverpool’s first two goals, his quick thinking and even quicker feet winning the free kick on the edge of the box that led to the first on four minutes. The dead ball was struck by Salah and deflected off Robertson.

A little over 100 seconds later and Gravenberch was again on the edge of the 18-yard box to give a one-two with Salah. Granted, from that point on it was all about the Egyptian’s grace, strength and awareness, but his Dutch teammate was the one helping to probe.

Liverpool were rampant yet fast-forward to the final quarter of the game and it was the visitors probing for an equaliser, which duly came when Llorente’s volley deflected off substitute Alexis Mac Allister and beat Alisson.

For the previous hour Gravenberch had been a throwback, leading a dominant press in the final third while also showing the athletic capabilities to cover in his own box when van Dijk, and others, would be out of position. He received the ball on the half turn in the middle and opened the pitch up for teammates. He had Alexander Isak making his debut up front and Florian Wirtz in behind, about €250m worth of talent, yet Gravenberch looked every bit as valuable.

There was a moment just a few moments before Llorente did pull one back for Atléti on the stroke of half-time when a breaking ball in the middle was there to be won. The man – in this instance Pablo Barrios – was also there for the taking. He did both, and Anfield roared with delight.

There would be silence as Liverpool slowly lost control.

They romped to the top of the league phase last season, and what was their reward? A round of 16 tie with Paris Saint-Germain.

The French side only scraped through the knockout phase play-off round after finishing in 15th place but were finding the kind of stride under Luis Enrique that would lead to them eventually being crowned European champions.

That is the title this Liverpool squad now covet, and until Atléti sliced them open with such ease in first-half injury time to halve the deficit, they were looking imperious.

The manner of that goal and then his equaliser on 81 minutes was a reminder that it would be ignorant to suggest dominating this competition is the next logical step for the English champions, but given the sheer nature of the squad rebuilding that has taken place over this summer it’s clear that adding a seventh European title is the next frontier they have set out to conquer.

When it comes will not be determined by a night like this one at such an early stage, but if they continue to give up the initiative from a position of power going forward, then it’s hard to see how there will not be further disappointment to come against even better sides.