Liverpool began their Players Cup campaign with a 4-2 win over Sunderland after an impressive second-half fightback at St Helens Stadium.
Gareth Taylor made eight changes to the side that lost to Manchester City in the WSL, but the changes did little to disrupt Liverpool's rhythm early on.
The Reds dominated the opening minutes, forcing two quick corners and seeing an early penalty appeal waved away.
Captain Marie Höbinger was heavily involved. In the seventh minute, she stopped a Sunderland attack before helping turn defence into attack with a pass that eventually led to an effort on goal.
Three minutes later, Sara Agrež produced one of the passes of the night, finding Aurelie Csillag from inside her own half. Csillag raced onto it and forced an excellent save from Sunderland goalkeeper Noa Schumacher.
Liverpool's pressure eventually paid off in the 23rd minute.
A corner from the right initially travelled through the six-yard box untouched before Beata Olsson headed the ball back into the danger area. It fell kindly to Zara Shaw, who reacted quickly and fired Liverpool ahead.
For much of the first half, Sunderland offered little going forward. It took them more than half an hour to win their first corner, but Chloe Paxton almost made it count with a header.
That proved to be a warning.
Sunderland began to grow into the game as half-time approached. Emily Grace Cassap tried an ambitious lob from more than 24 yards before a succession of corners put Liverpool under increasing pressure.
In the 44th minute, Sunderland finally found their equaliser.
Paxton, who had already threatened from an earlier corner, rose to meet another delivery and this time headed beyond Faye Kirby.
There was still time for another twist.
Deep into first-half stoppage time, a Sunderland cross found Matilda Parker inside the box and she finished past Kirby to complete a remarkable late turnaround.
Liverpool had gone from controlling the game to trailing 2-1 at half-time.
Taylor responded with two changes at the break, introducing Fuka Nagano and Cornelia Kapocs for Csillag and Lucy Parry Trueman.
Within two minutes of the restart, Liverpool were level.
Höbinger took advantage of a mistake in the Sunderland defence before producing a beautiful curling effort from outside the box to make it 2-2.
Then came arguably the moment of the night.
In the 55th minute, Natalie Ramos collected the ball outside the penalty area and simply took matters into her own hands. She glided past three Sunderland players, carried the ball into the box and calmly slotted beyond Schumacher.
It was a superb individual goal and one that brought the St Helens crowd to its feet.
Sunderland barely had time to recover.
A minute later, Höbinger struck again with a fine finish to make it 4-2 and complete an extraordinary spell in which Liverpool scored three times in around nine minutes.
From 2-1 down at the break, Liverpool suddenly had a two-goal cushion.
Taylor was then able to make further changes, with Sophie Román Haug replacing Olsson before Höbinger eventually left the field to warm applause after a captain's performance and two important goals.
Sunderland made changes of their own in search of a route back into the contest, but Liverpool managed the closing stages well.
Substitute Neve McDonald almost added a fifth in the 87th minute, firing wide from the right side of the penalty area, with her effort still earning applause from the home supporters.
And the Liverpool fans had played their part throughout.
The noise around St Helens was overwhelmingly red, with chants of "We are Liverpool" regularly ringing around the ground. Perhaps most impressive was that the support never disappeared when Liverpool went into the interval behind.
Their team rewarded them after the break.
After being caught by two Sunderland goals late in the first half, Liverpool responded with three of their own early in the second to turn the game around and begin their Players Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory.
Full-time: Liverpool 4-2 Sunderland.
