Before Maradona's show of that lilywhite shirt, Liverpool raised the white flag. It is hard to recall such a shambolic, insipid, chaotic defensive display as they delivered in a first half that reaped three goals for Spurs, before they gifted them another.
Spurs were rampant; Liverpool were rank, at least defensively so. They threatened going forward, through the tireless Mohamed Salah, and there were a couple of outstanding saves from goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, but that means nothing if they are so appalling at the back.
Parking the bus? That is not Jurgen Klopp's way but the Liverpool manager threw his defender, Dejan Lovren, under the bus by taking the hapless centre half off just after the half-hour. By then, Lovren had been beaten as Kane bullied the Liverpool defence. It was a man against boys.
Kane has scored 17 goals in 13 matches for club and country, 13 of those for Spurs. He was substituted to a standing ovation -- and also a concerned check from Pochettino as the forward had felt the back of his leg before he went off, although he was later said to be simply tired.
While Liverpool will be having nightmares after this, Spurs will believe they have banished their own demons with a thumping home win at Wembley in the Premier League against one of the other "Big Six".
It capped a wonderful week after the impressive Champions League draw away to Real Madrid and drew them level with Manchester United in second place and, right now, they look the likeliest contender to push leaders, Manchester City.
Incredibly, after just nine matches, Liverpool are 12 points off the top.
It wasn't a bad day for the other heavy hitters from north London either, Arsenal flogging Everton 5-2.
If this was the end for Everton manager Ronald Koeman, it came not with a bang but with the most pitiful of whimpers. This is how you know your time may be up: when Mesut Ozil outjumps your entire defence to score a header.
"You're getting sacked in the morning," was the gleeful cry from the visiting fans as the Everton manager stood forlornly and powerless. Frankly, after this showing, Koeman will have been lucky to last that long.
Seeing your team outplayed, out-thought and even -- heaven forbid -- out-muscled by Arsenal is not the most vivid demonstration that you are the man to lead this fine old club out of its dramatic slump.
And to think, after the abject home performance against Lyon in the Europa League, a match which had done little more than showcase the multitasking capabilities of local fathers as they combined child care with hooliganism, things had started rather well for the Everton boss.
When his side actually took the lead after just 12 minutes, it looked as if his luck had finally changed.
Arsenal had begun with a zip, passing at pace between the Everton lines, prising open the home defence. But, as is their wont, they had failed to capitalise, squandering three cunningly worked one-on-ones.
There was a brilliant goal from Wayne Rooney, curling a fine shot past Petr Czech. Almost 15 years to the day since he announced himself to the world with a spectacular goal against Arsenal, he reminded us he was still around with another.
The bad news for Koeman was it never seemed likely to keep a plodding, unimaginative, incoherent Everton in the game. Arsenal may have been profligate, but they had enough control to keep conjuring chances. It was Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's 68th birthday and it could barely have been sweeter.
Koeman hardly enhanced his standing with the home fans when he substituted local favourite Dominic Calvert-Lewin, to a chorus of boos.
Not so when Jack Wilshire replaced Alexandre Lacazette.
And when Aaron Ramsey added the fourth at the end of normal time, the trickle of those in the home stands heading for the exits turned into a flood. This was a wholesale demonstration of voting with their feet, with thousands missing first the substitute Oumar Niasse's stumbled late consolation and, perhaps fortuitously, Sanchez's brilliant solo effort to give Arsenal a fifth goal.
"Taxi for Koeman," someone shouted as that strike finally crushed local spirits. By the time the final whistle blew, there was barely anyone left in Goodison to order him one.
