Liverpool find clinical edge to crush Swansea

Liverpool displayed the ruthlessness they have often lacked in recent weeks to dispatch Premier League bottom club Swansea City 5-0 and retain their grip on fourth place in emphatic fashion in the late kickoff.

Philippe Coutinho, the Reds captain for the day, scored a gem to give his side a narrow halftime lead. But Liverpool's superiority showed after the break. Roberto Firmino scored twice and Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also found the net. "The last half an hour was fantastic, a joy to watch. A very deserved win," Reds boss Jurgen Klopp said.

Liverpool moved to 38 points, four behind Chelsea in third and five behind secondplaced Manchester United. They hold a one-point lead over Tottenham Hotspur with Arsenal, who play at Crystal Palace on Thursday, on 34.

Coutinho produced a majestic strike to put Liverpool ahead from the edge of the area in the sixth minute.

Andrew Robertson and Firmino both went close as the first period drew to a close, with Swansea rarely threatening a riposte.

Firmino netted from Coutinho's free-kick seven minutes after half-time and young defender Alexander-Arnold notched his first league goal in the 65th minute after he surged into the box to finish emphatically. Firmino had his second a minute later, this time finishing from close range after unselfish play from Mohamed Salah, and Oxlade-Chamberlain rounded off the thrashing in the 83rd minute as Liverpool's unbeaten league run reached 11 matches.

Having fired Paul Clement a week ago, managerless Swansea are on the bottom with just 11 goals, and 13 points from 20 games.