Barnsley have had real drubbings in their last two matches against Premier League opposition but it took nearly 84 minutes and two substitutes who cost them around £179m in the summer to finally knock them out of the FA Cup.
Liverpool progressed to a fourth-round tie at home to Brighton and Hove Albion – who won 6-0 at Oakwell in September – as everyone expected they would.
But despite the English champions scoring a "back in your box" goal just nine minutes in, they were left on tenterhooks until very late in the night at Anfield by a League One team with a history of causing them nightmares.
They were even holding their breath when Reyes Cleary went down in the area at 2-1 calling for a penalty.
THE MOMENT: Former Liverpool midfielder Adam Phillips finds the net for Barnsley at Anfield (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)placeholder image
THE MOMENT: Former Liverpool midfielder Adam Phillips finds the net for Barnsley at Anfield (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Only when Hugo Ekitke backheeled the ball into the path of Florian Wirtz to make up for the sitter he had missed eight minutes earlier could Liverpool breathe a sigh of relief and finally bring on a substitute for experience, rather than a seasoned campaigner.
In stoppage time Wirtz would return the favour and leave a 4-1 final scoreline which was harsh on those in all white.
But Barnsley had put in a performance which allowed their 6,000 fans to sing loud and proud. The only pity for them was the Adam Phillips' goal came at the other end – not that he would have been complaining about scoring in front of the Kop.
They set up in a 5-4-1 formation and when Liverpool had they ball, they banked in, but when they broke, they did so with intent.
LIVING ON A PRAYER: Dominik Szoboszlai gives quiet thanks for the opening goal (Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)placeholder image
LIVING ON A PRAYER: Dominik Szoboszlai gives quiet thanks for the opening goal (Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Davis Keillor-Dunn hit a post inside 30 seconds, heading an Phillips cross onto the woodwork.
In the third minute they caught Joe Gomez in possession, only for Cleary's cross to clear Keillor-Dunn's head.
Vimal Yoganathan, a former Liverpool academy player and one half a young central midfield with Jonathan Bland which did not look out of place, released Cleary for another cross in the sixth minute. He mishit, but had Giorgi Mamardashvili worried for a second until it landed on the roof of his net.
But Liverpool, who showed Barnsley the respect of picking a strong side, inevitably woke up.
NEAR-MISS: Davis Keillor-Dunn heads against a post (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)placeholder image
NEAR-MISS: Davis Keillor-Dunn heads against a post (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
In the ninth minute they were allowed to shift the ball sideways in front of nine white shirts until Dominic Szoboszlai lashed in a shot from distance and nonchalantly reacted as if this was just what he did.
Liverpool set up camp in Barnsley half, Yoganathan having to nip in well to stop World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister getting on the end of a pull-back from former European Championship winner Federico Chiesa, and Jack Shepherd put his head in the path of another Szoboszlai path.
But when Barnsley broke, they did it well.
In the 23rd minute Liverpool smuggled a Corey O'Keefe cross behind, relieved his mishit effort had not sneaked inside the far post. Before the hosts could get the ball away, Bland hit a volley which had Mamardashvili diving to makes a great save.
PENALTY SHOUT: Reyes Cleary goes down (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)placeholder image
PENALTY SHOUT: Reyes Cleary goes down (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Keillor-Dunn shook off the attentions of Virgil van Dijk but put his shot at the goalkeeper.
But Liverpool scored again, Jeremie Frimpong coming inside and hitting another shit that was past Murphy Cooper before he knew it. With 36 minutes in, you started to worry about another Manchester United, another Brighton and Hove Albion.
But four minutes later, Barnsley had their moment.
It was gifted to former Liverpool youngster when Szoboszlai, sweeping up minimal danger, got too full of himself and attempted but fluffed a simple dragback on the six-yard line. Phillips pounced.
Hopefully Josh Earl, who cruelly missed the game with a broken metatarsal enjoyed a goal scored against Liverpool for the first time in his life. The Barnsley fans in an Anfield Road End much bigger than when the South Yorkshire side knocked Liverpool out of the 2008 FA Cup lapped it up too.
The second half continued in the same pattern as the first – Liverpool making most of the running, Barnsley keeping them honest.
Chiesa hit a shot into Nathaniel Ogbeta and Cooper made an excellent save to turn van Dijk's volley onto the crossbar. When the defender headed wide later, he mouthed "How?"
Before that Cody Gakpo had a shot on the turn at Cooper and Shepherd turned a Curtis Jones effort around the post.
In the 61st minute, Barnsley thought they were going to have another moment.
Only just switched to right-back, Szoboszlai again took a big chance, putting his hand on Cleary's back as he won the ball from him. Cleary's eagerness to go to ground did not persaude the referee, Conor Hourihane's anger earnt him a booking.
Just to rub salt into the wound, it was the Hungarian who cleared Phillips' goalbound effort in the 70th minute.
Liverpool just refused to put the game to bed, substitute Wirtz clearing the bar from seven yards out after being set up by Szoboszlai. Gakpo headed a chance wide under pressure from O'Keefe, switched from right to left-back.
Wirtz spared his blushes with a wonderful finish,
No sooner ahd David McGoldrick headed a Cleary cross onto the roof of the net than Liverpool broke down the other end, Wirtz laying on a goal for Ekitike.
So Barnsley lost 4-1, but from their perspective it had not been a 4-1 performance. At full-time they stood in a line in front of their travelling supporters and took their deserved applause.
This was not a game to slink out the back door after.
Liverpool: Mamardashvili; Frimpong (Wirtz 59)`, Gomez (Konate 59), van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister (Nyoni 88), Szoboszlai, Jones; Chiesa (Ekitike 59), Gakpo, Ngumoha (Gravenberch 73).
Unused substitutes: Alisson, Endo, Kerkez, Ramsay.
Banrsley: Cooper; O'Keeffe, Watson, de Gevigney, Shepherd, Ogbeta (E O’Connell 73), Phillips (Kelly 73), Bland, Yoganathan (Gent 88), Cleary; Keillor-Dunn (McGoldrick 81).
Unused substitutes: Roberts, Jalo, Barratt, Farrell, Flavell.
Referee: F Hallam (Surrey)