Any second now I'm expecting to wake up and find it was all a dream. Sami and Steph back together, a noisy and standing Kop, attacking football and two goals from Bruno Cheyrou! Did it really happen?
Well until I awaken and find out that it didn't, I'll just have to assume that it isn't all just a dream, and that as surreal as it seems, there WERE thousands of reds chanting "Bruno, Bruno" in unison. It was quite an evening at Anfield.
There's something about Newcastle which always seems to bring the best out of the reds at Anfield, and this was no exception, although it did take until the second half for Liverpool to find their feet.
The opening half was not good, despite Cheyrou giving his side the perfect start when he opened the scoring a little after a minute into the game. The Frenchman was involved twice during the build up, and when H*skey's shot was blocked by Given, Bruno gobbled up the rebound at the Anfield Road end.
Anfield had been noisy prior to kick off, as noisy as it's been all season in fact. The only disappointing thing about the crowd was that the first name they chanted before kick off was that of our fraudulent number eight.
At a time when the fans should be doing everything they can to show Michael Owen how much he's loved and appreciated, it's absolutely fucking ludicrous that they should choose to chant the name of his sorry excuse of a strike partner.
Michael's name was sung next, but the damage was already done in my eyes, and I'm sure Owen, not to mention the likes of Gerrard, Carragher, Hyypia, Henchoz, Hamann etc must also be tearing their hair out at the continued backing of a player who simply doesn't deserve it.
But other than that, the crowd were excellent throughout. I understand there was a 'Houllier Out' banner on display for a while before kick off, but it had been taken down by the time I got into the ground. My felings towards Houllier are well known, but there's something about this type of thing which just doesn't sit right. And the idea of a repeat performance next week needs to be quashed instantly. The blues would lap that up, and if there's one game when we need to keep a united front it's that one.
But Cheyrou's goal sent the noise levels inside Anfield through the roof. It could be because I was seated nearer to the Kop end than usual, but to me this was the loudest Anfield has been all season by some distance.
No doubt some will say "why can't it be like this every game?". I had this discussion with Smithy afterwards, and he put it down to the cliched 'magic of the cup.' Personally, I put it down to the fact that for once winning a game actually meant something.
The cup has given us a welcome break from the tedium and mediocrity of our league campaign. When we beat Villa recently, how did you feel about it? Ecstatic? Delighted? A bit happy? Or like me, did you just shrug your shoulders and see it merely as temporary respite until the next embarrassing defeat?
Winning in the league doesn't mean as much now, because when we win we're still only fifth, sixth or seventh in the table. Hardly anything to get excited about. But this was different. A win over Newcastle in the tie of the round was cause for celebration because it takes us one step closer to Cardiff.
The fans were up for it because this was a game that meant something. It was also a game which was going to be tough, as Newcastle on paper look a quality side. In the opening half they showed that, and it was never more evident than with their stunning equaliser from the enigmatic Laurent Robert.
Firstly, I have to say that Dudek's 'attempt' at keeping it out left a lot to be desired. Jerzy has a nasty habit of trying to make saves for the camera. Thrusting out one arm and palming the ball away spectacularly instead of getting as much behind it as possible. Chris Kirkland wouldn't have let that in. Neither would Paul Jones for that matter. Still, Dudek would redeem himself later on.
But the quality of the strike from Robert can only be admired. He tried it again twice more afterwards with dreadful results, but he's scored goals like this on enough occasions to prove that this was no fluke. The goal almost ripped the net out of the Kop end goal, and temporarily silenced the home crowd.
The massive travelling Geordie support were delirious. Robert is a big favourite of the Toon Army, but other than the goal I thought he was disappointing. Dyer and Solano were looking very dangerous though, and some of Newcastle's one touch passing and movement in the first half put us to shame.
There wasn't too much to test Dudek, but that was mainly due to some excellent defending from the reds back four, who to a man were excellent all evening, none more so than Jamie Carragher who was immense on his first home appearance in five months.
'Carra' stuck to the lively Solano like glue, and as the game wore on the Peruvian's influence lessened by the minute, until he was eventually subbed in the second half, much to the disapproval of the seven thousand or in the away end.
Dyer then switched to the right wing, but he got no change out of JC either. It's hard to believe Jamie has been out for so long. He'd only played on reserve game before he was thrown to the Wolves so to speak last Wednesday, but he looks like he's never been away.
The same can be said of Steve Finnan, who has also done very well in both of his comeback matches, although his crossing against Newcastle was way below par for most of the game.
But if the first half belonged to Newcastle, the second was definitely Liverpool's. The once again largely ineffective H*skey was withdrawn at half time, presumably through one of his 'injuries', and Anthony Le Tallec came on in his place.
The difference in how the reds played was there for all to see. The first half had seen lots of balls up in the air for H*skey to try to flick on, but with him no longer there, the ball was kept on the floor.
Le Tallec was excellent, switching between the right flank and the free role behind Owen. Le Tallec, Cheyrou and Kewell all regularly swapped positions, and the side looked much more flexible than in the first period.
Gerrard came into the game much more, especially with his driving runs from midfield, and it was no surprise that the skipper was the creator of the winning goal, when he surged down the left, cut back onto his right foot and delivered an inviting ball into the box.
What happened next was something which I'll remember for a long time, as it was almost surreal. The ball seemed to hang in the air for an eternity, and it was just like the movies, when everything suddenly goes into slow motion. Like Pele's' scissor kick in Escape to Victory, or the moment when Rocky Balboa and Apollo Crede both hit the canvas at the same time in their epic battle in Rocky II.
So the ball is hanging in the air, and I look to the edge of the box to see who's attacking it, and there he is, gliding into the box and then powering in a header just like Zinedine Zidane in the 1998 World Cup Final. The crowd went nuts, and Bruno had the moment of his career.
He's had a miserable time since coming to England, and has had to endure plenty of ridicule and mocking, not least on this site and in the fanzine. I've said a few times that he's been so bad that I've actually started to feel sorry for the guy, and that his confidence had to be on the floor.
In reserve games Bruno has struggled to do even the most basic things. It was clear that he couldn't possibly be that bad, as no player could have done what he did in France if they couldn't play, but he had no confidence and at times he was embarrassing.
But the goals he scored at Chelsea and Wolves seem to have done a lot to restore some of his self belief, and this double blast will do him no harm either. Aside from his goals, he was steady if not spectacular, but he did nothing wrong, he worked hard and I'm pleased for him.,
I've had a go when he's played badly, but I'm genuinely happy to be able to say some nice things about him at last. I was as happy as anyone to see Bruno become the hero against Newcastle, as he's had a rough time and it's nice to see things turn around for him.
The four goals he's scored recently have all been expertly taken, and although at times he still looks unconvincing, at least we have someone who is scoring regularly, because no-one else is.
Shay Given wasn't tested that much, but some of the reds approach play was excellent and it's surely no co-incidence that football improved when H*skey wasn't there. The team that finished this game should be the one that starts the derby game, but I don't think any of us would be surprised to see Emily back next week.
The final five minutes of the game were a bit edgy, as the reds dropped deeper and deeper, and it needed a wonderful save from Dudek to deny the outstanding Shearer an equaliser. But overall Liverpool did enough to deserve this win, overcoming a poor opening half to play some nice, attacking football and score an excellent winning goal.
It's back to league action next weekend, but with it being a derby game that should ensure that crowd are just as up for it as they were for this game. Hopefully the players can repeat their second half display, and Bruno can keep knocking the goals in. Ditching those white boots look to have been the making of him!
