Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota both scored twice as Liverpool claimed a first league win in five games by inflicting a second successive home hammering on Leeds, who remain mired deep in the relegation battle.
The Reds had not won since putting seven unanswered goals past Manchester United at the start of March, but after a slow start they ruthlessly dismantled hapless Leeds.
The home side claimed Trent Alexander-Arnold used an arm to control the ball but he then drove forward to set up Cody Gakpo for the opener before Salah fired in from an angle to put the visitors in control.
Leeds were given hope after the break when Luis Sinisterra dispossessed ponderous Ibrahima Konate and cleverly chipped the ball past Alisson.
However Liverpool quickly responded through Jota’s neat finish – the Portugal forward’s first goal since April 2022.
After seeing a goal ruled out for offside, Salah then slotted home at the end of a superb move to put the game to bed before Jota grabbed his own second from a Jordan Henderson cross.
Substitute Darwin Nunez completed the rout with a neat side-foot finish against a shambolic Whites side, who conceded five last weekend at home to Crystal Palace and now have the worst defensive record in the Premier League.
On an encouraging night for the visitors, there was also a return to action for Luis Diaz, making his first appearance since October as a late substitute.
Jurgen Klopp’s side remain eighth in the Premier League table, a point behind seventh-placed Brighton and two shy of Aston Villa in sixth.
More to follow.
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Leeds United
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Squad number1Player nameMeslier
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Squad number25Player nameKristensen
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Squad number5Player nameKoch
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Squad number21Player nameStruijk
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Squad number3Player nameFirpo
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Squad number28Player nameMcKennie
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Squad number8Player nameRoca
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Squad number11Player nameHarrison
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Squad number7Player nameAaronson
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Squad number23Player nameSinisterra
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Squad number19Player nameRodrigo
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Squad number4Player nameForshaw
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Squad number10Player nameSummerville
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Squad number24Player nameRutter
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Squad number29Player nameGnonto
Line-ups
Leeds
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Meslier
- 25Kristensen
- 5Koch
- 21Struijk
- 3Firpo
- 28McKennie
- 8Roca
- 11HarrisonSubstituted forGnontoat 77′minutes
- 7AaronsonSubstituted forRutterat 66′minutes
- 23SinisterraSubstituted forForshawat 77′minutes
- 19RodrigoSubstituted forSummervilleat 66′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Ayling
- 4Forshaw
- 6Cooper
- 10Summerville
- 22Robles
- 24Rutter
- 29Gnonto
- 39Wöber
- 42Greenwood
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-Arnold
- 5Konaté
- 4van Dijk
- 26Robertson
- 14HendersonSubstituted forMilnerat 81′minutes
- 3FabinhoBooked at 42minsSubstituted forThiago Alcántaraat 85′minutes
- 17Jones
- 11SalahSubstituted forNúñezat 81′minutes
- 18GakpoSubstituted forDÃazat 81′minutes
- 20JotaSubstituted forFirminoat 82′minutes
Substitutes
- 6Thiago Alcántara
- 7Milner
- 9Firmino
- 19Elliott
- 21Tsimikas
- 23DÃaz
- 27Núñez
- 32Matip
- 62Kelleher
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 36,657
Live Text
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Match ends, Leeds United 1, Liverpool 6.
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Second Half ends, Leeds United 1, Liverpool 6.
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Curtis Jones (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United).
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Attempt blocked. Curtis Jones (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Luis DÃaz.
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Attempt saved. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Curtis Jones with a cross.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Junior Firpo.
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Goal! Leeds United 1, Liverpool 6. Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a through ball.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Junior Firpo.
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James Milner (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Marc Roca (Leeds United).
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Substitution, Liverpool. Thiago replaces Fabinho.
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Attempt saved. Marc Roca (Leeds United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Crysencio Summerville.
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Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).
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Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Roberto Firmino replaces Diogo Jota.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Darwin Núñez replaces Mohamed Salah.
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Substitution, Liverpool. James Milner replaces Jordan Henderson.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Luis DÃaz replaces Cody Gakpo.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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