Despite the pain of defeat to Liverpool Lee Payne still enjoyed a dramatic match and sees reasons for Norwich City fans to feel positive about the rest of the season.

City's loss to Liverpool was the best game of football I have ever been present at, and I'm not sure if I've ever seen a more thrilling one on television either.

There was a buzz around Carrow Road just before kick-off, as we got our first chance to see City's new signings in action. Steven Naismith in particular received a huge roar when his name was read out over the PA system.

Nobody could have predicted what we were about to see on the pitch. Leaving the stadium the atmosphere was peculiar – thousands of people walking incredibly quietly. Everyone was stunned. Yes, it hurt.

We'd got ourselves a two-goal cushion and found a way to throw it away, so the pure elation when Sébastien Bassong leathered in what will surely be the sweetest strike of his whole career to equalise was one of the biggest highs you could have following football. Only for an agonising, painful defeat to come from more chaotic, panic-ridden defending.

But when I started to come to terms with what had happened, I realised that I had been witness – along with 27,000 others – to something very special indeed.

Say what you like about the defending on show; that was one of the all time great games in English top-flight football. Occasionally Sky Sports or BT Sport will show a 'classic Premier League match' to fill some time – and Norwich 4 Liverpool 5 would fit their criteria for those programmes perfectly.

Being a part of such a thriller is one thing, but the fact is, we lost. We took no points. And we're not going to look back at Saturday too fondly if we end up in the bottom three in May. Norwich showed a lot of promise.

New right-back Ivo Pinto, inset, may have been involved in a defence which conceded five goals, but it would be harsh to blame him personally for any of them.

Naismith had a stirring debut, linking up incredibly well with Dieumerci Mbokani, and the superb finish for his goal begins to tell you what we paid £8.5million for.

If Naismith's arrival is not only going to give us his ability, but simultaneously make Mbokani a better player, we're in for a treat.

There's a lot to be hopeful about as we move on from here. But we've got to start picking up points.

I hope you've got your breath back by now.