Liverpool reveal ruthless streak

PSV Eindhoven 0 Liverpool 3:  Liverpool had preached caution before their visit to the Netherlands, Rafael Benitez apparently wary of a testing evening ahead, though already that rhetoric smacks of a bluff. PSV Eindhoven, who had jettisoned Arsenal from this competition in the previous round, were crushed last night as the myth that English sides merely unravel when confronted by Ronald Koeman was exposed as a sham. Already, this tie has the appearance of a bye into the semi-finals.

There was a ruthlessness to Liverpool here that has been lacking at times in domestic competition this season, but was timely in an arena that has proved a graveyard for fancied teams in the recent past.

Yet, even in their wildest dreams, the Merseysiders could not have anticipated slicing their hosts apart this easily.

At times in the second half, the locals could only shudder as their team's deficiencies were so cruelly exposed, sloppiness giving way to utter ineptitude.

The visitors, gliding unchallenged through the mish-mash resistance, ran riot; Chelsea and Valencia have been warned.

Koeman had consigned other English sides to ignominy and elimination, stretching back to his free-kick for Holland that virtually condemned Graham Taylor's national side to a summer watching the 1994 World Cup finals from afar.

Since his graduation from pitch to dug-out, Manchester United had been floored by his Benfica at the group stage of this competition last season and the Portuguese side then ended Liverpool's defence of the trophy in the knock-out phase.

Benitez spent the weeks since progress was assured against Barcelona stressing that even an injury-ravaged PSV posed a threat, and the sight of Jan Kromkamp, briefly a Liverpool player, crossing for Mika Vayrynen at the far post just after the quarter hour, Jamie Carragher doing well to deflect the Finn's volley over the bar, served notice of their ability.

The visitors, however, could retire at the interval content.

PSV whipped up early pressure but offered next to nothing in the final third and it was Liverpool who monopolised possession.

There was an inevitability that their dominance - they pinged passes merrily among themselves while the Dutch gnashed in frustration - would eventually yield a lead.

The goal that eventually deflated the hosts was glorious in construction and execution, Javier Mascherano sliding a pass in behind the panicked PSV left-back Carlos Salcido for Steve Finnan to gather.

The full-back had time to glance up and cross to the edge of the area, where Steven Gerrard, unattended, dived to thump a splendid header back across the stranded Gomes and into the far corner.

The goal was Gerrard's 15th in the European Cup, beating Ian Rush's club record.

More significantly, Liverpool could settle contentedly back into their game plan, to stifle and bite on the counterattack, with key damage on their opponents potentially already inflicted.

In truth, they might have been mildly irritated not to have already taken a greater lead, Gomes having sprung across his goal-line early on to paw Carragher's header around a post as the home side dawdled at a Gerrard corner.

Yet the home side's porous defence was never likely to contain the visitors for long.

Xabi Alonso could have scored twice in the opening 40 seconds of the second half only to scuff his volleys with home players aghast, though they did not learn from their mistakes.

Timmy Simons first miscontrolled a high ball and then passed the ball obligingly to John Arne Riise, some 30 yards out, who duly rasped a blistering second into the corner.

For all that the finish was emphatic, a trademark belt from distance, the attempt at defending that had preceded it was laughable.

Without Alex, the Brazilian centre-half owned by Chelsea but "parked" in Eindhoven as he awaits European citizenship, confusion reigned at the back, with Simons and Manuel da Costa hapless.

Much of the passing in front of them was equally lamentable.

Koeman, head in hands on the bench, flung Patrick Kluivert on but there was simply no papering over the deficiencies at the back.

Finnan, granted marginally too much space by Salcido again, flung over another cross just after the hour and Peter Crouch, in between centre-halves, dispatched his header into the net.

Liverpool, rampant and ruthless, were as good as through to the semi-finals already.

Afterwards Gerrard refused to look beyond the return leg, dismissing suggestions they were already in the last four, and would not consider the identity of their potential opponents. Gerrard said: "I don't think we'll worry about that at the moment. We need to finish it off, there are still 90 minutes to play and (we will) worry about that (the semi-final) once we are there. We need to be professional."

Guardian Service

PSV EINDHOVEN: Gomes, Kromkamp (Feher 68), Da Costa, Simons, Salcido, Mendez (Kluivert 51), Vayrynen, Cocu, Culina, Farfan (Sun 46), Tardelli. Subs not used: Moens, Addo, Marcellis. Booked: Kluivert, Feher.

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Riise (Zenden 65), Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Aurelio (Gonzalez 75), Crouch (Pennant 85), Kuyt. Subs not used: Dudek, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Bellamy. Booked: Mascherano, Kuyt.

Referee: Bertrand Layec (France).