Liverpool showed why they are on second on the goals list and why their attack in one to be feared by stunning leaders Arsenal with four goals in the opening 20 minutes on the way to a resounding 5-1 victory at Anfield.
Martin Skrtel and Raheem Sterling scored twice each, and Daniel Sturridge added one goal for Liverpool, who moved within five points of Arsenal with the victory.
Luis Suarez, who leads the Premier League with 23 goals this season, did not score but assisted on one goal and hit the woodwork with a first-half volley.
Mikel Arteta scored Arsenal's lone goal, a penalty, in the second half.
Arsenal entered the match two points clear atop the table, but fell to second and Chelsea won later Saturday.
The hosts needed less than a minute to make the breakthrough, Skrtel poking in Steven Gerrard's first-minute free kick from the left. Skrtel then made it 2-0 in the 10th minute, scoring from a corner with a fine header into the top corner. Arsenal looked shocked, and Liverpool continued to tear Arsenal apart with incisive attacking play. Suarez hit the post in the 13th minute with a powerful volley, and Kolo Toure steered the rebound wide with the goal gaping.
Sterling grabbed Liverpool's third in the 16th minute following a giveaway by Mesut Ozil, and Sturridge made it 4-0 four minutes later after another Ozil mistake. After halftime, Sterling tucked in Liverpool's fifth in the 52nd minute, finishing off his own rebound after Wojciech Szczesny had initially saved.
The only blot on Liverpool's big day came in the 69th minute, when Arteta converted a penalty after Gerrard had fouled Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the box. Sterling came close to completing his hat-trick in the 86th minute, but Szczesny saved one-on-one to keep the score at 5-1.
Shots: 22-11
On target: 12-6
Passing: 78%-87%
Possession: 42%-58%
Martin Skrtel and Raheem Sterling scored twice each, and Daniel Sturridge added one goal for Liverpool, who moved within five points of Arsenal with the victory.
The hosts needed less than a minute to make the breakthrough, Skrtel poking in Steven Gerrard's first-minute free kick from the left. Skrtel then made it 2-0 in the 10th minute, scoring from a corner with a fine header into the top corner. Arsenal looked shocked, and Liverpool continued to tear Arsenal apart with incisive attacking play. Suarez hit the post in the 13th minute with a powerful volley, and Kolo Toure steered the rebound wide with the goal gaping.
Sterling grabbed Liverpool's third in the 16th minute following a giveaway by Mesut Ozil, and Sturridge made it 4-0 four minutes later after another Ozil mistake. After halftime, Sterling tucked in Liverpool's fifth in the 52nd minute, finishing off his own rebound after Wojciech Szczesny had initially saved.
The only blot on Liverpool's big day came in the 69th minute, when Arteta converted a penalty after Gerrard had fouled Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the box. Sterling came close to completing his hat-trick in the 86th minute, but Szczesny saved one-on-one to keep the score at 5-1.
Shots: 22-11
On target: 12-6
Passing: 78%-87%
Possession: 42%-58%
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