Yesterday's goals may have been the combined work of Fernando Morientes, Robbie Fowler, Peter Crouch and Djibril Cissé but it was the attack's slow start, when Rafael Benítez's array of international forwards could barely register a goal between them, that ultimately counted against them.
"The problem was that we started playing well but we couldn't score the goals we needed," said Benítez. "At this moment we are close to Chelsea. We feel we can do something next season. To get 82 points is fantastic but maybe we need to win more against the bigger teams next season. We must be happy with the progress of the team but we need to improve a little bit if we want to win the title."
Earlier inadequacies also handed second place to Manchester United, leaving Liverpool to navigate the qualifying stages of the Champions League in August, which puts added pressure on Benítez to secure the necessary funds he requires to compete with Chelsea. However, with last season's Champions League triumph and Saturday's FA Cup final to come, Liverpool's fans, like those of Portsmouth, recognise their manager's fine work.
There was a standing ovation for Harry Redknapp before the kick-off as he received the Premiership manager of the month award. Benítez possesses a valid case to appeal against that decision given Liverpool's perfect record in the same period, including a ninth consecutive league victory here, but Portsmouth's story was even more remarkable given the shadow of relegation that had loomed so menacingly over them.
Redknapp will discuss a new contract today with Milan Mandaric and Alexandre Gaydamak. "They want to become a very good team here and I think the future at Portsmouth is very good," said Redknapp. "They want to be successful. They're not here to scrap around the bottom of the league every year."
While manager of Southampton, Redknapp insisted that he would be "crucified" if he performed an unimaginable u-turn along the south coast. Five months on from one of football's bravest decisions, the 59-year-old's palms remain intact thanks to the greatest of escapes.
Backed by the roar of the Pompey party booming in Fratton Park, his team hustled Liverpool from the start but they were almost undone by their eagerness to please in the 11th minute. With men committed upfield for a corner, John Arne Riise punted his clearance 60 yards towards the opposing area. Brian Priske made a disastrous attempt to stem the danger, his misjudged header inviting Steven Gerrard in on goal, and the Liverpool captain was only denied by Dean Kiely's smart reaction save.
As news of Manchester United's third goal filtered through, Liverpool's performance adopted an air of resignation. It got worse with the sight of the midfielder Xabi Alonso being carried off on a stretcher with a twisted right ankle sustained after landing awkwardly unchallenged. Benítez later allayed fears he will miss the FA Cup final on Saturday.
"He thinks he will be fit but we will do a scan [today] and then we can say something. He's not in a lot of pain - he's confident." In spite of Alonso's loss shortly before half-time Liverpool were soon rejuvenated and went ahead seven minutes into the second half. Morientes dinked the ball to Fowler, who sweetly swept it between Kiely and the goalkeeper's right-hand post. It was fitting after the 31-year-old had gleefully grasped the one-year contract carrot that had been dangling in front of his eyes.
"We don't care," sang the home crowd as Portsmouth huffed and puffed for an equaliser but the attacking menace that featured heavily during their fight for safety was notably absent. Andrés D'Alessandro's weary legs saw him substituted to a standing ovation, and the fans will hope it was not their final sight of the on-loan Argentinian midfield player with Redknapp considering offering the german club Wolfsburg £5m for him. "I would love to have him. He's been excellent," he said.
Liverpool doubled the lead in the 84th minute when Harry Kewell fed Cissé on the right flank and, with his first touch since replacing Fowler, the Frenchman's drilled cross was only parried by Kiely. Crouch will not score an easier goal than the tap-in from the rebound.
Ognjen Koroman side-footed home Wayne Routledge's cross a minute later but it was all over when Cissé sped away from the offside trap to drive past a despairing Kiely. If only Liverpool had started the season as they ended it.
Man of the match - Steven Gerrard
The Liverpool captain offered another tireless display on the penultimate match of a long, hard season. England need him to maintain such high-performance levels.
Best moment Racing 80 yards up the pitch following a wasted Portsmouth corner to reach John Arne Riise's ball, only to see his goal-bound shot parried by Dean Kiely.