Liverpool 6-0 Leeds United: misery on Merseyside as the Whites' relegation-zone cushion shrinks again

Joël Matip's 30th-minute strike and a pair of Mohammed Salah penalty conversions gave Liverpool a three-goal lead at half-time.

The hosts kept a firm grip on game though Marcelo Bielsa's men looked to have stemmed the flow of goals before a Sadio Mané brace and a bullet Virgil Van Dijk header in the final ten minutes heaped further misery on the Whites.

The defeat sees Leeds remain in 15th place, with the gap to the relegation zone closing to just three points as elsewhere on Wednesday 18th-placed Burnley, who have two games in hand over United, ran out 1-0 winners against Tottenham Hotspur.

Dan James gave the Liverpool defence an early scare when, in the sixth minute, the winger's favoured routine of rushing the goalkeeper with the ball at his feet almost bore fruit. James' pace took Reds' keeper Alisson by surprise and the ball sprang loose as the pair fell to the floor, but Matip had cleared the ball by the time James had got to his feet to attack an empty net.

Early signs of promise for Leeds were thwarted in the fourteenth minute, when referee Michael Oliver showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot after Stuart Dallas' arms blocked Andy Robertson's cross into the box. Mohammed Salah stepped up to take the penalty and beat Illan Meslier to make it 1-0 to the hosts.

Luis Díaz had a good chance to double Liverpool's lead in the 22nd minute when he beat Luke Ayling in a footrace on the left wing but, when one-on-one with Meslier, the Whites' shot-stopper prevented him.

Raphinha had the ball in the net in the 26th minute, but the goal was chalked off as the Brazilian was in an offside position when Jack Harrison played the pass.

Two minutes after the linesman's raised flag denied Leeds an equaliser, the hosts doubled their lead. Matip strode out from the back line with ease, played a one-two with Salah on the right wing, and sliced the ball past Meslier.

Liverpool were handed another penalty in the 33rd minute when Ayling brought down Sadio Mané while chasing the attacker, who was through on goal. Salah stepped up again and blasted the ball into Meslier's top corner to make it 3-0.

Fabinho missed a gilt-edged chance to send Leeds in to the break trailing four goals. With a clear sight of goal and the ball bouncing in front of him just outside the six-yard box, the midfielder struck it on the half-volley but his shot flew wide of the post.

Salah nearly completed his hat-trick on the stroke of half time but, with just Meslier to beat after running the length of Leeds' half, the Egyptian chose to chip the Whites keeper, giving Ayling time to race back and make a goalline clearance.

Marcelo Bielsa reshuffled his side at the break, with Rodrigo and Mateusz Klich making way for Tyler Roberts and Jamie Shackleton, with the Argentine using his third substitute on the hour mark to replace James with Joe Gelhardt.

The Reds cruised through the second half but found less joy taking apart the Leeds defence than before the interval. Salah missed two more chances to net his third, with his first effort caught by Meslier before the forward blasted his second over the bar.

Leeds had their best chance of the game in the 69th minute, when Roberts sent Firpo running down the left wing. The full-back found Dallas on the penalty spot, but the Ulsterman's first-time effort was wide of the post.

Mané scored Liverpool's fourth goal in the 80th minute. Substitute Jordan Henderson intercepted Meslier's goal kick, played a one-two with Salah, and then put the ball across the Leeds box for Mané to find the net with a powerful first-time strike.

Soon after, the Senegalese winger pounced on a fluke ricochet to put the ball into an empty net for Liverpool's fifth.

With the last action of the game, Van Dijk sent a thundering header past Meslier from a corner to make it 6-0 to the Reds.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Thiago (68 - Henderson), Fabinho, Jones (76 - Milner), Salah, Mane, Diaz (83 - Origi).

Unused subs: Konate, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Tsimikas, Kelleher.

Leeds XI: Meslier, Ayling, Harrison, Struijk, Firpo, Forshaw, Dallas, James (60 - Gelhardt), Klich (45 - Shackleton), Raphinha, Rodrigo (45 - Roberts).

Unused subs: Klaesson, Bate, Cresswell, Summerville, McCarron, Kenneh.

Support the YEP and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news and the latest on Leeds United. With a digital subscription, you see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.