Gerry Francis believes this was the beginning of the end for QPR as a Premier League force.
Speaking on his return to the club in 1998 following relegation two years earlier, Francis made it plain he was no miracle worker, and even then there was a PL for the serious contenders, the mid table battlers, and the relegation strugglers.
Francis reckoned the Berlin Wall was easier to dismantle than football’s three-tier system.
But in this game they knocked down Liverpool's wall even if it was the second last game for Francis as a manager in his first spell. Two weeks later, he arrived at Tottenham and Ray Wilkins stepped into the breach.
Butch had a decent first season and it ended in heady eighth before suffering a disastrous second once he lost the services of Les Ferdinand to Newcastle for a record £6 million.
It was somewhat handy for headline writers that Halloween night provided a 'shock. Ferdinand, back from a three match suspension, struck five minutes from time after he sprung the Reds off-side trap to steer Clive Wilson's long ball beyond goalkeeper David James.
It was only Liverpool’s second defeat in 10 games, and it left them in fifth and shunted Rangers up to 15th.
Liverpool looked as if they would get a grip after John Barnes crashed a marvellous equaliser to cancel Trevor Sinclair's 29th minute header.
David Bardsley centred to find the unmarked Sinclair. But Barnes crashed a thunderous 30 yard sighter against the crossbar before a sharp one-two with Ian Rush brought it back to 1-1.
Cue Sir Les and hero status.
Such was the lure of riches elsewhere that manager and marksman were gone by the following summer, but such is the siren call of their beloved clubs, first Francis, and now Ferdinand, returned to the scene of their greatest triumphs.
QPR: Sieb Dykstra, David Bardsley, Clive Wilson, Simon Barker, Alan McDonald, Steve Yates, Andy Impey, Steve Hodge, Les Ferdinand, Kevin Gallen, Trevor Sinclair
Liverpool: David James, Rob Jones, Phil Babb, John Scales, Stig Inge Bjørnebye, Neil Ruddock, John Barnes, Jamie Redknapp, Steve McManaman Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler
Att: 18,295
