Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah have grabbed two goals each, as Liverpool banished their away day blues with an emphatic 6-1 English Premier League victory over lowly Leeds United at Elland Road.
Jota was on the scoresheet for the first time in more than a year, while Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez were also on target, as Liverpool recorded a second away win in 2023.
They move to 47 points from 30 games, nine behind Newcastle United for the fourth Champions League qualification position.
Leeds had chances in the first half, but just as in the 5-1 home loss to Crystal Palace in their previous match, they were far too open defensively.
They remain two points above the relegation zone after 31 games. Luis Sinisterra scored their consolation goal.
Salah now has nine goals in six league matches against Leeds - a joint Liverpool record with Gordon Hodgson - and has moved to 26 for the season, after two clinical finishes.
Liverpool's first goal from Gakpo in the 35th minute came with controversy, as Leeds claimed a handball from Trent Alexander-Arnold in the build-up. As the fullback was not the scorer, the video official did not intervene.
The win was Liverpool's first in six games, with hopes of Champions League qualification looking a long-shot, but there was some swagger back in the performance that has been missing away from Anfield this season.
Liverpool's fourth away win of the season came after they led 2-0 at halftime. They battled to create chances in the opening half-hour, but once Gakpo put them in front, they began to cut Leeds open at will.
Salah fed Alexander-Arnold down the right and although the ball struck the wing-back's arm, he was allowed to continue and provided a tap-in for Gakpo at the back post.
Jota robbed Weston McKennie and led a counterattack that saw Salah score the second, before a mistake from Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate allowed Sinisterra to pull a goal back for the home side early in the second period.
Leeds might have hoped that would be a turning point, but they could not contain the visitors in the second half.
Jota restored Liverpool's two-goal advantage, when he ran on to a superb pass from Curtis Jones and swept the ball past goalkeeper Illan Meslier, later adding a second with a scuffed shot from the edge of the box.
Salah and Nunez also scored to compound the misery at a rapidly emptying Elland Road.
Reuters
