Man-of-the match Dunn converted a low Duff cross on the quarter-hour mark to send the fans wild.
But fifteen minutes later Murphy hit a sweet first time shot from a Xavier cross. Liverpool followed this up on 77 minutes when Riise’s looping header cleared Friedel in what could honestly be called an accident.
Star of the show Grabbi was brought off the bench five minutes from time and scored within 60 seconds to give his doubters something to ponder.
Despite a disasterous showing last term, the Italian is showing early signs of having turned a corner.
Souness was often incensed by the obviously dire standard of referering, and it all got too much for him when, two minutes from time, he confronted ref Steve Bennett who didn’t punish Heskey for elbowing Johansson.
“I was sent off for the first time in a long while – and it’s probably the only thing the ref got right all night,” he fumed.
“But if you don’t get emotional, you might as well stay at home.”