Liverpool moved back into the top four as they ran riot against bottom rock table Swansea with a 5-0 victory at Anfield on Boxing Day.
Match Summary
Jurgen Klopp's side were in front as early as the sixth minute with a quality strike from Philippe Coutinho, although they failed to capitalise further on their first-half dominance.
The second half was a different matter, though, as Firmino (brace), Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all got on the scoresheet to seal a comprehensive win.
Full Report
The hosts got off to a perfect start when Coutinho curled a shot into the right corner of the net from 20 yards out in the sixth minute after Firmino won the ball back off Jordan Ayew and fed his compatriot.
Andrew Robertson wasn't far away from doubling their lead five minutes later as he ran onto Mohamed Salah's cutback from the right byline and sliced an effort narrowly wide of the left post from 19 yards out.
Emre Can fired tamely at Lukasz Fabianski from just outside the box after being allowed to advance on goal midway through the first half, and Oxlade-Chamberlain blazed well over the crossbar from 22 yards out on 26 minutes.
The Reds should have put the game to bed before half-time, but Firmino pushed his shot wide of the left post from 22 yards out in the 31st minute, while he missed an even better chance in added time as he dragged an effort inches past the upright from 12 yards out, after Roque Mesa had given the ball straight to Salah, who played the Brazilian in on goal.
Ayew looked to get the Swans back into the contest after the restart, but his ambitious strike from long range was easily gathered by Simon Mignolet in the 49th minute.
Salah went close at the other end moments later as he cut inside from Firmino's pass on the right, although his shot was too close to Fabianski. However, the home fans were celebrating on 52 minutes when Firmino volleyed home at the back post from Coutinho's free-kick on the left.
Salah missed another glorious opportunity on 57 minutes after being picked out by Coutinho's low free-kick, with the Egyptian flashing his shot inches wide of the right post from 12 yards out.
Leroy Fer should have done better when he connected with Wayne Routledge's cross from the right on the hour mark, but he guided the ball well wide of the near post.
It was 3-0 on 65 minutes as Alexander-Arnold arrived to meet a clearance from a cross on the left, with his rising shot from 12 yards out flying into the roof of the net, and Firmino bagged his second goal a minute later from a simple tap-in from six yards out having being teed up by Salah.
Oxlade-Chamberlain completed the rout seven minutes from time with a dinked effort into the left corner of the goal from 14 yards out following good work from the England international to bring the ball under control.
Substitute Dominic Solanke went close on two occasions late on, with Fabianski denying him from close range on 86 minutes before he volleyed wide of the far post two minutes later after connecting with Coutinho's clipped cross.
Mignolet preserved his clean sheet with the final action of the match as he tipped over substitute Tammy Abraham's header in stoppage time.
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