When the No 7 flashed up on the board a minute from time, Anfield stood to acclaim a display of breathtaking individual brilliance.
A beaming Luis Suarez departed to a deafening ovation before returning to wrestle the matchball from referee Jon Moss.
This was a hat-trick which will live long in the memory.
Three very different goals but all dispatched with the awe-inspiring quality of a master marksman operating at the peak of his powers.
"Luis. Magician," was the verdict of Liverpool's principal owner John W Henry. West Brom's overworked backline had no answer to the Uruguayan's scintillating bag of tricks.
Suarez is such a rare breed. Few possess his heady mix of hunger, desire and sublime talent.
There isn't a team on the planet who wouldn't be improved by having Suarez leading the line. The strong leadership shown by Brendan Rodgers and the owners has been rewarded. They refused to back down safe in the knowledge that once the transfer window shut they would get total commitment from Suarez. Half-hearted simply isn't in his make-up.
In the five matches since he returned from his 10-game ban he has only made headlines for the right reasons.
What's clear is that a love affair has been rekindled.
The frontman applauded all four sides of Anfield as he accepted the fans' appreciation for his heroics on Saturday.
He would need a heart of stone not to be touched by the unwavering support he has received.
Special players get special dispensation. The events of the summer have been forgiven, if not forgotten.
This time last year Suarez carried the goalscoring burden almost single-handedly. Not any more. Now he's part of the Premier League's most devastating double act which strikes fear into defenders.
Daniel Sturridge played the supporting role on Saturday but he did it with aplomb. He worked tirelessly for the cause and had the final word with a sublime 20-yard chip over Boaz Myhill.
The fact he even attempted it let alone pulled it off was the mark of a man bubbling with confidence.
Remarkably, in nine league games this term, only Southampton have stopped him from finding the net. With 21 goals, no top-flight marksman has been more prolific in 2013.
With every passing week that £12million transfer fee looks like small change. After years of frustration, Sturridge has finally found somewhere to call home.
Suarez and Sturridge are inspiring each other to greater heights and with such a potent strikeforce there's a buzz around Anfield which has been absent in recent years.
The real litmus test for this side awaits at the Emirates on Saturday evening. The timing is perfect with Liverpool heading for the capital on the back of their most convincing triumph of the campaign.
Make no mistake, West Brom are no mugs. Having won at Old Trafford and taken a point off Arsenal, they arrived on the back of a five-game unbeaten run and had conceded just two goals on their travels this term.
The Baggies had beaten the Reds in the three previous league meetings but their bogey team status was blown away as Rodgers' side excelled in all departments.
The hosts played at a tempo and intensity Steve Clarke's side couldn't live with.
The balance in midfield was much improved as the decision to recall Lucas Leiva at the expense of Victor Moses paid off handsomely. The outstanding Lucas provided the platform for Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson to shine further forward.
The contribution of the captain and his young protege made a mockery of the bitter criticism aimed at them from a former manager down the M62.
With Philippe Coutinho on the brink of a comeback, Rodgers has a welcome selection dilemma.
Liverpool led inside 12 minutes as Suarez, who hadn't scored in his five previous games against the Baggies, darted past Claudio Yacob, nutmegged Jonas Olsson and clinically drilled a low drive into the bottom corner.
Somehow he bettered that five minutes later, meeting Aly Cissokho's cross on the edge of the box and arrowing a thumping header into the top corner. The power and accuracy was stunning.
Suarez's fourth hat-trick for the Reds but his first on home soil was completed before the hour mark when Gerrard's enticing free-kick got the finish it deserved as he nodded beyond Myhill.
Strangely, it was also the first league goal scored in front of The Kop by anyone since Suarez's last-gasp equaliser in the infamous clash with Chelsea back in April.
West Brom got the sympathy vote soon after with a soft penalty, tucked away by substitute James Morrison, which briefly changed the mood, but the Reds responded in style.
Having already rattled the woodwork, Sturridge wrapped up the points with an exquisite lob. The Reds were rampant and it took a fine save from Myhill to tip Suarez's overhead kick on to the bar.
As the clocks went back, Liverpool took a sizeable step forward.
Source: Liverpool Echo
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