It's become something of a Premier League tradition that when Manchester United and Liverpool collide, it's Mohamed Salah who steals the headlines, which the Egyptian did this weekend -- on and off the pitch.
The Red Devils were humbled 3-0 at Anfield, and Salah ensured that he was at the centre of the post-match discussion, as Salah tormenting United - while thoroughly enjoying himself - has begun to feel like something of a formality.
His northern opponents will be glad to see the back of him when he does eventually depart from the top flight, which was the other element up for discussion post-match - his hints on this being his last season with the Reds drawing much attention.
He is - without question - the most lethal player in this famous fixture, having now scored 15 goals in 16 matches between Liverpool and United. For context, that's six goals ahead of Sandy Turnbull - in second place on the list - whose record had stood for over a century before the Egyptian arrived on the scene.
His two assists on Sunday means he's set up six assists across those 15 matches, and he should really have added to his tally only for a curling effort to be blocked and sent wide, and to loft another attempt over the bar.
Only Wayne Rooney has both scored and assisted in more Prem matches (36) than Salah (33), while no visiting player has scored more in a single away ground than Salah's 10 goals at Old Trafford, a record that equals Alan Shearer's haul at Elland Road during his storied tenure in the top flight.
Will he get the chance to add to that tally?
Now entering the final year of his contract, this may be the last time we see Salah at Old Trafford, a fact acknowledged by the attacker in a coy post-match interview with Sky Sports where the 32-year-old knowingly put the subject of his future on the table.
"I had a good summer and had a long time to myself to try to stay positive because as you know, it's my last year at the club," Salah declared nonchalantly.
"I just want to enjoy it and I don't want to think about it. I feel like I'm free to play football and then we'll see what happens next year.
"I was coming to the game today thinking it could be the last time," he added. "Nobody at the club has spoken to me yet about a new contract so I just play this last season and then see at the end of the season.
"It's not up to me but nobody talk to me about a contract with the club. We'll see."
Following his showing against the Red Devils, it may appear a no-brainer that Liverpool will offer the forward a new deal, but with an eye-watering salary - estimated to be £350,000 per week - as well as his advancing years, it's not yet a clear-cut conclusion.
While Salah appears content and still keenly motivated at Anfield, he'll have no shortage of suitors in Europe and beyond, and while his impeccable physical conditioning continues to ensure intense, committed performances, this cannot continue forever.
Arne Slot reacts to Mohamed Salah's suggestion that this will be his last season as a Liverpool player.
"Most footballers think 35 is the time to finish," Liverpool great Jamie Carragher also told Sky. "I think Mo Salah will be looking at his late 30s and winding down then in his head.
"He'll be looking at breaking every record he possibly can, either in the Premier League or Liverpool.
"I think he is aware of his status and I find it very difficult to see Mo Salah in the Saudi League, for instance, next season. He is playing that well at one of the biggest clubs in the world."
Perhaps working in favour of an extended stay for Salah at Liverpool, albeit a theory based on limited evidence, is the apparent ease to which this Liverpool side have adapted to life under Arne Slot.
Early days of course, but despite a mixed transfer window, and the unhappy precedent of managers struggling to succeed a long-tenured, successful, beloved head coach, Liverpool are surpassing expectations under the new man and appear primed to mount a credible title challenge.
If the club decide there is leeway to at least postpone an expensive overhaul of this squad in 2025, then they may decide that they can afford the luxury of allowing an ageing Salah to gobble up a hefty chunk of their wage bill.
If not, then as unpopular a decision as it may be, we may yet be witnessing the start of the long goodbye and Salah's final hurrah at Old Trafford... at least as a Red.
While this was - emphatically - a day to forget for United, they may take some succour from the performance of the lively Amad Diallo.
A rare ray of encouragement for Not-Harry-Potter Erik ten Hag last term, the Ivory Coast wideman netted against Brighton last weekend, and would have been hopeful of making an impact against Liverpool after eliminating Jurgen Klopp's side from the FA Cup last term.
Instead, the Dutchman opted to start Marcus Rashford in his stead against the visitors, sparking the ire of United supporters in the process.
In Diallo's 21-minute cameo, after belatedly replacing Rashford, he registered more touches in the opposition box than any other United player managed in the previous 70 minutes - or indeed the entire match.
Yet further evidence that Ten Hag doesn't have an entirely lucid grip on proceedings at Old Trafford, but at least one positive to attempt to work around when the team return from international duty.
Meanwhile, at Chelsea...
While much of the transfer deadline day talk at Chelsea focused on the actual arrivals (Jadon Sancho), the potential arrivals (Victor Osimhen) and those who were bundled out of the backdoor (Romelu Lukaku, Trevoh Chalobah), Nicolas Jackson's new contract signing went somewhat under the radar.
The Senegal international, who received mixed reviews for his debut season in England, penned a two-year contract extension, tying him down to the club until 2033.
While Chelsea's extended contract lengths put them in a category of their own, the new deal still appears to be a show of confidence for a player who encountered his fair share of criticism last term.
Gab & Juls discuss Enzo Maresca's comments after Chelsea's draw with Crystal Palace.
Amidst a raft of exciting attacking players - albeit none who are like-for-like replacements for Jackson - the West African has demonstrated so far why he could still an effective leading man for the Pensioners this season.
After a goal and an assist in the 6-2 humbling of Wolves, Jackson opened the scoring in Sunday's draw with Crystal Palace, tapping in after being played in by Cole Palmer following a quick counter-attacking move.
As has been too often the case with Jackson at Chelsea, however, it's a case of one step forward two steps back, as his early contribution was cancelled out by a raft of spurned opportunities after Eberechi Eze had equalised for the Eagles.
Twice in stoppage time, with all three points appearing to be in reach for Enzo Maresca's side, Jackson was played through on goal only to fluff his lines - first shooting into the side netting, then being denied by Dean Henderson.
Once again, Jackson the hero became the villain of the piece, and Maresca's patience may not endure forever.
One suspects, given the club's high-profile yet failed pursuit of Osimhen, that the Stamford Bridge hierarchy don't have boundless faith in the 23-year-old.