Result: Middlesborough 1 (Gareth Southgate 82 min) Liverpool 0
Having successfully guided his team to the top of the table, Gerard Houllier came unstuck at the Riverside as Boro grabbed a deserved 1-0 win against his Liverpool side, capitalizing on the normally reliable Jerzy Dudek's inability to grab hold of a cross.
But even before that, the Reds (in their black/grey away strip) had been outplayed for large periods of the game, giving the ball away far too often and created precious little with their even more precious little possession.
Even with their recent surge to the top, it cannot quite mask that the 'red machine' has done the job efficiently rather than generating the sort of exciting play that is associated with potential champions.
They say championship teams are able to grind out results even when they don't play well. That is perhaps only half the truth, and on tonight's performance, the Reds have been cruelly exposed on the other half, the need to play well and take the game to their opponents, the same way Arsenal had begun this season.
One aspect that perhaps may have brought about this 'blip' (Reds fans can only hope that it is but a 'blip') is the formation that Gerard Houllier has chosen to play the last couple of games.
Liverpool played with two recognised strikers (Emile Heskey and one Michael Owen) but instead of a more conventional 4-4-2, Houllier has chosen somewhat peculiarly to sticking Heskey out on the left wing, leaving Owen all on his own upfront supported by Danny Murphy in the 'hole'.
It worked well in the previous league game against Westham when Vladimir Smicer had one of his better games in the red of Liverpool but Murphy's inability to link effectively and carry the ball left Owen with precious little service. This was not helped by Steven Gerrard's wasteful passing and the lack of other creative alternatives.
One wonders if Houllier has caught a bout of the 'fergies' (a syndrome associated with treble-winning managers who decide somehow to change a perfectly fine and working 4-4-2 in preference of a 4-5-1 which is often plagued by putting a skilful and proven goalscoring midfielder in the 'hole' position, and thereby upsetting the whole balance and rhythm of the team).
Let us hope that this defeat provides the perfect cure for the illness Houllier appears to have caught and sharpens the team for the crucial Champions' League game against Basle.