Liverpool defeated Austrian team LASK 4-0 in the Europa League with to goals from Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, and Luis Diaz.

Early goals from Diaz and Gakpo were complemented by a second-half Salah penalty – his 199th goal for the club – and an added-time strike by Gakpo as Toulouse survived the dreaded round-of-32 play-off.

That alone would have pleased manager Jurgen Klopp, whose pre-match news conference was loaded with allusions to the hectic December time ahead, but a club-record 12 points in the group stage demonstrates how dominating the tournament favorites have been.

The Reds’ unbeaten home record was extended to ten games, and a third consecutive Anfield clean sheet for the first time since October 2022 means they have only surrendered four goals while scoring 30.

The Austrians are the weakest team in the group, and that vulnerability was exploited twice within three minutes early on by a home side that made nine changes, with only Salah and left-back Kostas Tsimikas remaining from the weekend draw at Manchester City.

A play that began on the left eventually finished on the right, where Joe Gomez crossed for Diaz to stoop and force home a twisting header.

Salah, teed up by Diaz, found up Gakpo at the far post for the easiest of close-range volleyed finishes for the second goal.

Tsimikas crashed a strong drive against the crossbar, and Gomez, who has never scored in his eight years at the club, sent a 25-yard attempt just wide, highlighted the hosts’ overwhelming confidence.

Much of the first half seemed to center around getting Salah to his double century, as the team sought to spot him at every chance, whether he was menacingly perched on the last defender’s shoulder or inside the penalty box.

His slanted shot changed into more of a cross, but it still avoided Gakpo before he fired tamely at the goalie.

Salah eventually struck the back of the goal six minutes into the second half, but it was all thanks to Gakpo.

The Netherlands international’s quick through-ball to Diaz was intercepted by goalkeeper Tobias Lawal, but the Dutchman was smart enough to pursue his own pass and somehow get there before Lawal.

Lawal had a similar lack of emotion as he watched Salah slot the penalty into the far corner of the goal without even trying a dive.

That was enough to seal the victory, but there was always hope for further goals when Gakpo struck the base of a post from beyond the area, but the Dutchman ultimately grabbed a deserved second in extra time.

Darwin Nunez, and to a lesser degree Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones, arrived to spice things up, with the former turning in one of his now-standard all-action hit-and-miss efforts.

After Harvey Elliott’s deflected drive was denied by the goalkeeper’s knees as he dived the other way, the Uruguay international had one attempt diverted wide and then struck straight at Lawal from eight yards.

Marin Ljubcic blasted over the visitors’ finest opportunity with only Caoimhin Kelleher to beat, and the Liverpool goalkeeper, who was set for his longest run in the side owing to Alisson Becker’s hamstring injury, had little to do until the final 20 minutes.

He was unfazed when called upon, coming out to smother Ibrahim Mustapha, block Moses Usor’s attempt, and produce a reaction save from LASK’s top scorer Robert Zulj, but even Sunday’s shooting-shy visitors Fulham – scorers of just 13 goals in as many games – will pose a sterner test.