Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota both scored twice as Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a 6-1 hammering of Leeds United on Monday.
Jurgen Klopp's side had not tasted victory in any competition since the March 5 thrashing of Manchester United but ended a five-game winless streak at their relegation-threatened hosts.
Liverpool took control through a quickfire first-half double from Cody Gakpo and Salah, although Luis Sinisterra pulled one back two minutes into the second half at Elland Road.
There was to be no dramatic turnaround as a Jota brace, either side of Salah's second, made sure of three points that moved the Reds to within six of Europa League qualification, before Darwin Nunez completed the scoring off the bench.
Leeds should have taken the lead against the run of play when Rodrigo headed a glorious seventh-minute chance straight at Alisson from Jack Harrison's free-kick.
But Liverpool were in front when Trent Alexander-Arnold dispossessed Junior Firpo before playing a one-two with Salah and teeing up a simple Gakpo finish for the 35th-minute opener.
Salah doubled Liverpool's lead just four minutes later with a rasping drive past Illan Meslier after Jota's delicate offload.
An Ibrahima Konate mistake allowed Sinisterra to race through and chip Alisson, but Leeds' momentum was soon halted when Curtis Jones found Jota to curl past the onrushing Meslier.
Brenden Aaronson struck the upright with a whipped long-range attempt, before a selfless Gakpo pass rolled in Salah for a cool left-footed finish into the bottom-left corner.
Jota found the same corner from Jordan Henderson's pass, with Nunez then capping the rout by latching onto Alexander Arnold's dinked ball and dispatching past Meslier.
What does it mean? Reds atone for away struggles with much-needed win
Klopp's side had recorded just 13 points in their 15 Premier League away games this season prior to this trip, but Leeds remains a happy hunting ground for the Reds.
Liverpool have not lost any of their last six league visits to Elland Road, dating back to a 4-3 defeat in November 2000 when Mark Viduka scored all four Leeds goals.
While out of the running for any silverware this term, Klopp will want his team to produce similar away performances across the remainder of the season as they bid for European qualification.
Super Salah
This has been a slightly quiet season for Salah compared to his usual lofty standards, having scored 13 times in 29 league outings before this clash, but the Liverpool man again came to the fore against Leeds.
The forward has scored nine times against Leeds in the Premier League, with no Reds player managing more – only Gordon Hodgson can match that tally in Liverpool's entire league history.
Leeds defensive woes continue
Leeds were thrashed 5-1 at home by Crystal Palace last time out and have now shipped 16 goals in their four league games in April, more than any other team this month.
The Whites' defensive struggles continued here, although they may have felt aggrieved with Gakpo's opener after it appeared Alexander-Arnold handled when dispossessing Firpo in the build-up.
What's next?
Liverpool host strugglers Nottingham Forest on Saturday, when Leeds visit Fulham.
Nashville SC v San Jose Earthquakes: ‘A win would change everything’ - Godoy
Anibal Godoy insists that Nashville are already looking at their game against San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday as a must-win.
Nashville have won just once in the MLS this season and sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference after a run of four without a win.
The Earthquakes, meanwhile, are bottom of the Western Conference having lost eight of their matches and recording just one win.
Godoy is aware of how their poor start to the season could affect their playoff hopes later down the line but is confident that Nashville can turn things around.
He said: “For us, it's an important week. It's a day we have to win, or we'll start to feel the pressure from other teams as they start to separate in the table.
“This league is long but if we want to get to the playoff you have to win games early on, especially at home.”
Liverpool agree compensation deal for Slot
Liverpool and Feyenoord have reached an agreement in principle over a compensation deal for Arne Slot to become the Reds’ manager next season, according to widespread Dutch media reports.
The Dutchman is reportedly poised to take over from Jurgen Klopp, who announced in January that he would be leaving the club at the end of the campaign.
Slot led Feyenoord to their second Eredivisie title last season after taking over the club in 2021.
It is believed that he topped the list of Liverpool’s favoured candidates due to his attacking playing style and ability to develop players.
Former Liverpool midfielder, Xabi Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, and Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim were also reported contenders to take over from Klopp.
Slot had already confirmed his interest in managing in the Premier League, both earlier this week and previously when he was linked to Tottenham in 2023.
QPR 4-0 Leeds United: Shock loss for Farke's men seals Leicester's promotion
QPR thrashed Leeds United 4-0 in the Championship on Friday, ensuring Leicester City booked their promotion straight back to the Premier League.
Ilias Chair was the star for the Hoops as he scored the opener and assisted two more goals to ensure QPR will stay in the Championship for another season.
Lucas Andersen, Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field also got their names on the scoresheet in an emphatic win for Marti Cifuentes' side.
Leeds' heaviest defeat of the season was a huge blow in the race for an automatic promotion spot, with Ipswich Town just one point behind them in third place with two games in hand going into their away clash against Hull City on Saturday.
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