The second balloon, or strictly speaking beach ball, boy to hit the headlines this week may opt to climb inside a box in the attic rather than take his place on the Kop or any of the other stands at Anfield on Tuesday evening.
However, focussing on the freak nature of Darren Bent’s goal deflects fans from the point. Rafael Benitez did of course mention it after the game but refused to be drawn in for a comment on the official. Not even in a “non-malicious and humorous manner”.
He quite rightly dealt with his team’s performance and Sunderland simply being better on the day.
There were no excuses. No mention of game’s laws which everyone can be sure he knew down to the punctuation marks. An acceptance of the decision and that it was probably right at least in these circumstances.
But while there is no doubt the course of Bent’s strike was altered enough by the inflatable by offering his right foot towards the trajectory but missing Glen Johnson put Pepe Reina on guard for a ball coming towards him that way rather than any other.
Though that was merely the means by which the ball had trundled its way through and hit the net.
Luck plays its part.
From being discarded the ball made its way towards the pitch then into the back of the net before the wind sent it rolling forward at some point during the attack which culminated in the winner. It was unfortunate that players come back from international duties tired and travelled or occupying various parts of the casualty list.
The rub of the green and certainly the run of the ball - both of them - was against Liverpool.
However, Sunderland who are well organised under Steve Bruce deserved their spoils. Bruce brought some very capable hard working players in and has instilled a work ethic in them and those he inherited.
The winner should have been disallowed under the foreign objects rule which states a goal should not stand if it goes in off something which should not be on the pitch - i.e. anything other than a player or referee and their attire. A flag post or goal frame - which alters the ball‘s course or speed and then impedes a player discharging the danger.
Unfortunately that failure to find at least an equaliser in the 85 minutes that remained is what will keep the manager and everyone else’s thoughts occupied. Johnson apart there was so little sustained threat and certainly not enough incision to truly trouble Craig Gordon until the very closing stages.
As with last year the Reds’ limitations are all too obvious though revolving thoughts around the absences of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres is far too convenient.
This is not a one man team and without the same duo as starters Liverpool beat Manchester United - albeit it home - but also drew home and away at Stoke.
Fulham, West Ham, Manchester City and Hull all came away from Anfield with something despite facing either Gerrard and Torres or one of the pair.
On the road Wigan Athletic got a draw against similar personnel managing to emulate Arsenal and Athletico Madrid in the feat.
Middlesbrough took their won at the Riverside with Gerrard amongst the XI
The above exercise is of course merely one of picking fixtures out with no regard for performance.
Liverpool played well at various times during the 2008-09 campaign yet emerged without points or just one to show.
Tottenham were battered at White Hart Lane with those on duty putting on - Old Trafford and Real Madrid at home aside - one of most impressive performance of the entire season.
This term Villa won at Anfield but were by no measure the better side on the night. Same with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. However, taking these games out and doing as the critics do focussing only on results ruins the pattern many believe is there.
Fingers have been pointed at all manner of directions.
The manager’s lack of empathy with players - ignoring the fact that Alex Ferguson and Fabio Cappello are little different in their outlooks. Ferguson may know how to woo a player or gee a dressing room up not to mention create a siege mentality but unlike his Liverpool counterpart has more rage about him than calm. Various drinks receptacles and teacups not to mention boots fly around his inner-sanctums and once someone comes to the end of their useful service they are often jettisoned in the cruellest way.
Over the past five years many professionals have left Anfield after short spells. It’s ruthless weeding of purchases often bought at budget rates but many of those who do file through the exit door bid goodbye far better players.
Rotation has had its airing each season and eventually will in the months to come despite the fact each manager does it and to a greater degree than has ever been seen at Anfield.
Add to that zonal defending not to mention squad size and the damning picture some like to paint is heading towards completion. Often from the same pundits and journalists who had Liverpool down as decent championship bets in August.
Over the past few seasons there has been a lack of quality in depth about Liverpool’s squad and that remains the situation. Even the classic submission about allowing Xavi Alonso to depart in the summer wouldn’t have lanced that particular boil.
There are all manner of important players but too little depth once the top layer is scraped away and no matter how well a side plays most weeks or how much luck is enjoyed such matters are cruelly exposed over the long hard slog of a whole season particularly 38 league games is simply not present.
Once a season ends the natural order is usually established. The table can lie but it is usually a good pointer.
Matters are made even harder by contributing factors such as summer competitions and too little give in the purse strings before a competitive ball had been kicked.
Those at Rafa Benitez’s disposal are - when all names are considered - marginally worse than that assembled at Stamford Bridge at a huge sum and below the standard at Old Trafford where again the manager has been no stranger to the waving of a substantial cheque.
Despite both squads being weakened by departures or other influences this basic equation remains the same.
It is tellingly Manchester United have no need to push round pegs in square hole. Chelsea have at times but never to the extent the Reds have done. When someone comes out be that through injury or at the manager’s behest a player who sees the role he takes as his natural place on the pitch slots in.
Though there may be players of varying ability the same is true now at places like Tottenham and Manchester City.
Does that mean all is lost? Far from it. Matters are difficult and have become more so on the back of a poor month meaning victory over Manchester United especially at home, while not exactly a must has seen its importance raised significantly but there are a huge number of points up for grabs.
Success is not necessarily gauged by winning trophies especially in the shape of a Premiership where it remains about the challenge which is still alive despite coming under earlier pressure and hitting difficulties.
All the Big Four are liable to lose games and not just to each other. Arsenal, Chelsea. Manchester United and of course Liverpool have conceded points to teams which should be beaten - no change from last season for the Reds though now those points are being shed in a very different but no less disappointing manner.
However, in previous years Manchester United would have already been dancing away with this race and been so far over the horizon by Christmas that the chase would be no more than literally playing out time.
At this point no one has grasped the league by the scruff of its neck and there is so much to play for.
Had Liverpool lost four games or even more last term the 11 draws being halved and turned in to wins would have landed the championship crown
Unlike many title races of the Premiership era this one threatens to be a very old style battle where as many as half a dozen or more games are lost by the eventual winners rather than just the more standard four or five.
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