Mohamed Salah has now scored 13 Premier League goals this season
Liverpool increased the scrutiny on former manager Rafael Benitez as they cruised to an easy Merseyside derby win over Everton at Goodison Park.
Jurgen Klopp's side had won only once on their previous nine visits to Everton but a blistering start put them in cruise control as Jordan Henderson scored with a composed finish after nine minutes before setting Mohamed Salah clear to beat Jordan Pickford 10 minutes later.
Everton, having been outclassed for the first half, gave themselves hope when Demarai Gray ran onto Richarlison's pass to beat Alisson seven minutes before the break.
Liverpool were still the team possessing all the quality and threat and they killed the game off when Salah cashed in on Seamus Coleman's error to race clear and expertly score after 64 minutes.
With the mood inside Goodison Park turning mutinous - there were loud protests at the final whistle - Diogo Jota piled on the pain for Benitez and Everton when he took Andrew Robertson's pass in his stride before escaping the attentions of Allan to fire high past Pickford with 11 minutes left.
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Benitez facing struggle as Everton fans turn on hierarchyBenitez became the first manager since 1894 to take charge of both Merseyside clubs in a derby
Everton are now eight games without a win and the manner in which they were picked apart here only increased the mutinous atmosphere around Goodison Park, where frustrated fans unfurled a banner on the Gwladys Street End in the first half criticising the club's hierarchy and followed up with further heavy criticism at the final whistle.
When the formalities of this defeat were concluded there were chants of "sack the board", with chairman Bill Kenwright and director of football Marcel Brands particular targets.
In the eye of the storm stands Benitez, an unpopular appointment with many Everton fans given his Liverpool links as the manager who won the Champions League and the FA Cup while at Anfield.
Benitez was the lightning rod as Liverpool fans goaded their Everton counterparts with ironic chants for their former manager, including "Rafa's at the wheel."
Everton fans held up a banner during the game calling on the club to live up to it's club motto of "nil satis nisi optimum," a Latin phrase which means "nothing but the best is good enough"
After a bright start which won favour with many sceptics, Everton have gone into rapid decline, not helped by injuries to key defender Yerry Mina and, in particular, England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
They were brutally exposed by a rampant Liverpool here as they floored a panic-stricken Everton early on before killing the game off when Benitez's side threatened a recovery.
There will be speculation about Benitez's future but Everton's mess is more than his making and this was a very painful night for their supporters.
Everton owner Farhad Moshiri can be volatile when it comes to decision-making but a series of managerial changes have had no effect. Irrespective, Benitez now faces a crucial home game against Arsenal next Monday.
Liverpool a red menace
Liverpool were in a different class to Everton, and despite a few uncomfortable moments after Gray's goal they never looked like leaving without all three points.
In taking Everton apart, they set a new record of scoring two or more goals in 18 successive games, and but for Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford they could have scored a lot more.
Liverpool simply had too much quality and firepower for Everton, who were on the back foot from the first minute and were fortunate to survive until the ninth minute, when Henderson put Klopp's side ahead.
And, at the heart of it all once more was Salah, with two outstanding finishes laced with pace, composure and technique as he scored superbly from Henderson's pass and then took advantage of Coleman's moment of panic, induced by his presence, to roll in his second.
Liverpool have now scored 43 league goals this season, more than any other side in Europe's big five leagues and ahead of Bayern Munich, who have scored 42.
This was Liverpool's biggest league win at Everton since they won 5-0 in November 1982 and they could so easily have scored more, missing early chances then taking their foot off the pedal when they went 3-1 up.
It was another imperious display, full of menace and Everton simply could not cope, showing once again that Liverpool will be serious Premier League title contenders this season.
And with Chelsea and Manchester City also winning on their travels at Watford and Aston Villa, this pursuit looks set to be a three-horse race.
Liverpool lie in third place, two points behind Chelsea, but there will be real confidence they can close that gap after another outstanding display.
Player of the match
Mohamed SalahMohamed Salah
with an average of 8.56
- EvertonEvertonEvertonLiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool
EvertonAvgSquad number11Player nameGrayAverage rating
4.82
Squad number1Player namePickfordAverage rating
4.11
Squad number22Player nameGodfreyAverage rating
4.03
Squad number23Player nameColemanAverage rating
3.98
Squad number7Player nameRicharlisonAverage rating
3.97
Squad number33Player nameRondónAverage rating
3.95
Squad number14Player nameTownsendAverage rating
3.90
Squad number16Player nameDoucouréAverage rating
3.89
Squad number24Player nameGordonAverage rating
3.85
Squad number5Player nameKeaneAverage rating
3.79
Squad number6Player nameAllanAverage rating
3.73
Squad number12Player nameDigneAverage rating
3.64
Squad number8Player nameDelphAverage rating
3.31
Squad number20Player nameTosunAverage rating
3.13
LiverpoolAvgSquad number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage rating
8.56
Squad number14Player nameHendersonAverage rating
8.21
Squad number20Player nameDiogo JotaAverage rating
7.94
Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating
7.65
Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating
7.63
Squad number3Player nameFabinhoAverage rating
7.58
Squad number10Player nameManéAverage rating
7.57
Squad number7Player nameMilnerAverage rating
7.53
Squad number6Player nameThiago AlcántaraAverage rating
7.52
Squad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating
7.38
Squad number32Player nameMatipAverage rating
7.30
Squad number15Player nameOxlade-ChamberlainAverage rating
7.22
Squad number18Player nameMinaminoAverage rating
6.96
Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage rating
6.46
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsEverton
Formation 4-4-2
1Pickford23Coleman22Godfrey5Keane12Digne14Townsend16Doucouré6Allan11Gray7Richarlison33Rondón
- 1Pickford23Coleman22Godfrey5Keane12DigneBooked at 40mins14TownsendBooked at 16minsSubstituted forDelphat 73'minutes16Doucouré6AllanBooked at 31mins11GrayBooked at 44minsSubstituted forTosunat 85'minutes7Richarlison33RondónSubstituted forGordonat 59'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Kenny8Delph15Begovic17Iwobi20Tosun24Gordon25Gbamin32Branthwaite61Dobbin
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
1Alisson66Alexander-Arnold32Matip4van Dijk26Robertson14Henderson3Fabinho6Thiago Alcántara11Salah20Jota10Mané
- 1Alisson66Alexander-Arnold32Matip4van DijkBooked at 80mins26RobertsonBooked at 63mins14HendersonSubstituted forOxlade-Chamberlainat 83'minutes3Fabinho6Thiago AlcántaraBooked at 39minsSubstituted forMilnerat 75'minutes11Salah20JotaSubstituted forMinaminoat 88'minutes10Mané
Substitutes
- 5Konaté7Milner15Oxlade-Chamberlain18Minamino21Tsimikas27Origi62Kelleher76N Williams80Morton
Referee:Paul TierneyMatch StatsHome TeamEvertonAway TeamLiverpoolPossessionHome31%Away69%ShotsHome8Away16Shots on TargetHome2Away7CornersHome3Away11FoulsHome8Away16Live TextPost update
Match ends, Everton 1, Liverpool 4.
90'+4'Full Time
Second Half ends, Everton 1, Liverpool 4.
90'+2'Post update
Foul by Andrew Robertson (Liverpool).
90'+2'Post update
Anthony Gordon (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+2'Post update
James Milner (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+2'Post update
Foul by Abdoulaye Doucouré (Everton).
89'Post update
Hand ball by Séamus Coleman (Everton).
89'Post update
Attempt blocked. Richarlison (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lucas Digne.
88'Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Takumi Minamino replaces Diogo Jota.
85'Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Cenk Tosun replaces Demarai Gray.
83'Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replaces Jordan Henderson.
81'Post update
Foul by Jordan Henderson (Liverpool).
81'Post update
Lucas Digne (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
80'Booking
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
80'Post update
Foul by Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool).
80'Post update
Anthony Gordon (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
79'goalGoal!
Goal! Everton 1, Liverpool 4. Diogo Jota (Liverpool) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left to the top left corner. Assisted by Andrew Robertson.
75'Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. James Milner replaces Thiago.
75'Post update
Sadio Mané (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
75'Post update
Foul by Anthony Gordon (Everton).
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Source: bbc.com