The red ring had been circled on the calendars for some time - Saturday May 9 was to be the day for Liverpool fans.
It was supposed to be the moment they had waited a generation to see. The event that kicked off the biggest party this city had witnessed in 30 years.
The moment when all the near-falls and close-calls were swept aside in one glorious, sun-kissed Anfield afternoon.
Liverpool were due to host Chelsea on May 9 having surely already taken care of business to guarantee a first league title since 1990.
The Reds needed just six more points from their previous seven games to officially have their named carved on the trophy.
And given they had shipped just five in the previous 29, the Premier League engravers were on stand-by for the visit of Chelsea.
A party atmosphere would have spread across Anfield from the first whistle as 54,000 fans watched the Reds' final home game of the history-making 2019/20 campaign.
The match itself would merely be the opening act to the headline scenes that will have followed..
It headline scenes that will have followed and triumph. Elation and joy. Success and pride.
It should have been the moment that cemented Liverpool, for the 19th time, as the best team in the land.
With a 25-point lead over second place Manchester City, prior to the suspension of Premier League action, Reds fans can still proudly boast that tag, whatever happens to the final nine games of this campaign.
But the visit of Chelsea was about a lot more than simple bragging rights. It would - and should - have marked the culmination of a generation's worth of blood, sweat and terrace tears.
Instead, the wait goes on.
Liverpool supporters are now faced with the very real prospect of seeing their team become champions of England to the backdrop of silence behind closed doors.
After dreaming of the moment for 30 draining and often soul-searching years, Liverpool supporters will now be on the outside looking in if - or more likely, when - captain Jordan Henderson performs his now-famous trophy strut on the Premier League's podium.
There is a surreal sadness to it all.
A further extension of COVID-19's devastating impact, if one of its least important in the grand scheme. But that won't stop football fans lamenting their misfortune. Nor should it.
Bill Shankly's famous quote about football being more important than life and death has been made to ring hollow since it was first coined, but the game still means so much to so many.
For Reds followers, they have spent thousands travelling the length and breadth of the country to cheer their team to greatness this term, only to see the climax of their efforts stolen from them.
It may serve to only fuel the fire again next season, but for now, supporters are left cursing what might have been.
"Unfortunately Saturday has just become any normal day during lockdown," says Mick Birchall, a season ticket holder of 23 years.
"I'm hoping for good weather while spending time with the family and that is about all the the last eight weekends have consisted of. It is a massive contrast to what should have been happening this weekend.
"The season had been an unbelievable one to follow Liverpool. There seemed to be records being broken nearly every week by this side.
"Finishing the season behind closed doors is a very tough one to stomach not just from a fans' perspective, but also the players and manager who were not only going to bring the title back to Anfield after 30 years, but very much on track rewrite the record books by the way they did it."
Dan Kay has been attending games at Anfield since 1984. He says has reluctantly accepted that a behind-closed-doors finish must be undertaken to complete the current campaign, however tough it is to take.
He says: "For the first month or so of lockdown, I was of the opinion I'd rather wait until next year if necessary if it meant being in the ground to see the denouement of this most special of seasons.
"But that does not seem to be practical or feasible and I have gradually got my head around the fact the remaining games of the season will be played without supporters present."
So instead of visiting Anfield to witness history, how will he be spending his Saturday afternoon instead?
"Sobbing while rocking back and forth in the foetal position!" he jokes. "No in all seriousness, it is sad what's happened but it's not in the same league as the sadness thousands of people who have lost loved ones are feeling.
"I shall probably raise a glass or seven to the lads who have given us three-quarters of a season so far of untold pleasure and enjoyment."
"Everybody knows football takes a back seat when it comes to the health and wellbeing of people, but that still doesn’t change how important football is to so many," adds Mick, who sits in the Kop.
"You only have to look at the happiness it brings to people to know how massive it is, especially around these parts of the country.
"I’ve already accepted the fact that our experience of this first title in 30 years has been ruined, whether that means the season finishing behind closed doors or ending without another ball being kicked and finishing on a PPG (points per game) system.
"But one thing is for certain, this side deserve this title and that number 18 will be changing to 19 on the champions wall (at Melwood) soon enough.
"It is such a shame we’ve had that moment taken away from us. But this side isn’t going away any time soon so let’s hope we don’t have to wait to long to celebrate the next one."
"It would disingenuous to say I'm not bothered about being there for the final chapters having lived and breathed the early ones and as someone who is quite 'completist' about many aspects of life," adds Dan.
"But in many ways I've been watching Liverpool win the league most weekends this season - sometimes twice if Man City got beat! - and that does take the edge off. A bit."
Perhaps the biggest injustice of all, from a supporters' perspective, however, is the lack of an imminent trophy parade.
Long before the championship was nearing confirmation, fans had been asking where and when such an event was likely to be held.
The question was put to the club on numerous occasions, with Anfield officials understandably keen to straight bat requests out of fear of an unthinkable collapse.
But with social distancing the new normal for a country largely under lock and key, thoughts of lining the streets to welcome home their heroes have become a pipe-dream for Liverpool fans on Merseyside and beyond.
"That is a shame for the whole city," Dan says.
"They are such special occasions which I feel belong just as much to those people who might never go to a match, but follow on the radio or TV, make butties, wash scarves, wipe away tears for their kids and get a sense of immense civic pride when either team from the city does well.
"I did see an idea somewhere that Jordan Henderson and the trophy should be put in a hot air balloon so we can all go into our gardens to cheer and clap, and I would love for something like this to somehow happen!
"And I do genuinely feel that what has happened will only strengthen the desire of Jurgen Klopp, his players and our supporters to go again next season and win it again so we can all celebrate properly in the manner we deserve."
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