Sometimes, things just feel right. The warm feeling residing in the penetralia of the soul; a thoroughgoing knowledge the stars have aligned, if only for milliseconds. For Liverpool, there has been little of that this season; indeed, it has been lacking for a few years. Forgive those enjoying the rare occasions of unalloyed triumph.

For that is what Wednesday's 3-0 victory over Sunderland was. This was football's nine-darter; the maximum break of 147; an unblemished scorecard. Forget the past, disregard the future and focus on nothing but the rapture for just one moment. An overreaction to a routine win, granted, but Anfield has not witnessed a performance with such vigour and vitality in a while.

- Suarez and Sterling stun Sunderland
- Jolly: Suarez still the main man

Even those watching with the most splenetic disposition would struggle to find fault. Individual brilliance lit up the night as bright as the fireworks that preceded 24 hours earlier.

Luis Suarez was supreme, his two goals a concoction of composure, intelligence and finishing ability. His first was a mirror image of a fresh-faced Robbie Fowler, the nonchalant swing of the boot guiding the ball beyond a goalkeeper already at peace with his fate; the second was far more instinctive as Suarez found space, ball found Suarez and Suarez found net.

Steven Gerrard sent supporters on a 90-minute reminiscence of a time gone by, patrolling the midfield imperiously and firing accurate passes of all shapes, lengths and angles. He spun a ball out wide to Andre Wisdom; he found a galloping Raheem Sterling down the channel; he dropped a raking ball cross-field to Stewart Downing’s in-step.

All were mere teasers, however, to the denouement of Suarez’s second: Gerrard reared back his foot and picked Suarez’s run from 50 yards, his brain and foot in perfect tandem; the ball, javelin-like, found Suarez perfectly, quickly, intently. If all of Gerrard’s best work is now gone unnoticed this season, it was fine time he stole the show once more. Though some have accused Gerrard’s star of dimming - this gazer included - that assist would be his eighth of the season, the highest total in the Premier League so far.

The roll call could continue throughout the entire 11. Glen Johnson shifted to left back once more and still looked one of the world’s best full-backs; Andre Wisdom came back into the side and did not misplace a foot all evening; Jordan Henderson impressed at the apex of the midfield triangle once more with relentless running, while Downing worked tirelessly and exuded confidence. Even Pepe Reina, on the rare occasion he was called upon, made his best save of the season to deny Steven Fletcher from close range.

But most pleasing for Liverpool was that the individual brilliance was married with collective excellence. Suarez did what he does best, but it was the work of Sterling that provided him the platform with an intelligent run behind the defence; Gerrard has been given more time and space in midfield recently, but that is because of the return of Lucas Leiva alongside him, as well as the energy of Henderson ahead. That ensures he can run less, pass more and focus on accentuating what made him one of the greatest midfielders to wear a red shirt. Though Gerrard and Suarez will get the plaudits for the third goal, note the run of Downing, dragging defenders wide to create the space.

Sometimes, the little things go unnoticed. Sometimes, things just feel right. Though Liverpool have won by similar margins at Anfield this season, something still rested uneasily.

After Wigan in November, the uneasy feeling the world had simply bore witness to the madcap adventures of Jose Enrique as the defender-cum-midfielder, like Road Runner on performance enhancers, ran riot in a manner he never would do again. After Fulham and QPR in December, the inclination that those sides were well beaten before kick-off; Fulham lacked a midfield, QPR any semblance of footballing ability.

Sunderland were poor, of course; just five league wins from 21 this season, with 21 goals scored, serves as a fine synopsis of their troubles. Liverpool are yet to beat a side in the top 10 - though beating those in the bottom half of the table is no bad thing, particularly given Liverpool’s proclivity to fail against them last season. It is also one of Merseyside’s biggest mysteries that recent victories for Liverpool are attributed to poor opposition performances, rather than a young, improving side finding their way under a new manager.

But regardless of blame, this one felt right for Liverpool. Every player had an important role and there was no overreliance on any individual. This felt like a Liverpool side of old, played in the style befitting of some of those great teams. After the 2012 Liverpool had in the league, that’s enough for rapture, for now.

Maybe the feeling is not entirely misplaced, anyway. The win gives Liverpool their fifth in seven. The squad, once so subaqueous, is beginning to look stronger and fresher. Lucas returned from his rest at QPR and put in his best performance since returning from injury; Downing seems reinvigorated, Wisdom looked hungry and Sterling was full of running.

Even the substitutions gave Liverpool something they have had little of this season: options to alter the nature of the game.

Joe Allen, himself in need of the rest given him by Rodgers, appeared fresh in both body and mind. Playing further forward than customary, he broke into the penalty area numerous times in search of his first goal; though his efforts would ultimately be scuppered by the linesman’s flag, the smile never left his face.

Food for thought after an impressive cameo, and that strange feeling of a selection dilemma for Rodgers. Perhaps the Welsh Xavi is more suited to being the Welsh Iniesta - or Yniesta, as it were - instead. Suso would soon follow off the bench, he too looking more like the player so impressive at the start of the season.

Maybe that is where this feeling ultimately comes from for Liverpool. Irrespective of the result against Sunderland, things seem to be right. For the first time since Rodgers’ appointment, he is close to managing the squad on his terms. No matter the opinion on new arrival Daniel Sturridge, his signing serves as a trident of solutions: Suarez is given true striking support, an opportunity is presented to rest Sterling and Suso, and the pressure on Fabio Borini will lessen as he begins his comeback from injury.

Whether Sturridge manages those three things appropriately will be told in time. For now, debate can cease at Liverpool, because things just feel right. With a calendar year that would have seen them relegated finally behind them, and a trip to Old Trafford their next league fixture, they would be wise to savour it while they can.

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