Leeds 0, Liverpool 4: Liverpool's pursuit of the title picked up in awesome fashion here yesterday and left Leeds United looking like also-rans. A 4-0 victory, Liverpool's biggest-ever win here, restored them to third place where they are once more within striking distance of Manchester United.
Leeds, by contrast, began the match struggling to keep up and by the end were giving the impression of a side whose cause was already lost. Certainly this was the feeling in the stands, where the movement towards the exits steadily became more purposeful than the faltering activity of David O'Leary's players.
Form and confidence are draining away from Leeds's football. They have now taken only one point from successive encounters against four of their principal rivals, and that in a scrappy, 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal.
Yesterday the superior discipline, organisation and ultimately finishing of Liverpool threw these shortcomings into sharper relief. In fact Liverpool have emerged from their own recent slough of despond to achieve three significant results away, drawing at Arsenal before beating Manchester United and Leeds.
On each occasion the pattern has been the same: containment before contention, but then, once in command, a growing emphasis on attack with a strong finish virtually guaranteed.
Once more the ability of Steven Gerrard to bring the ball out of defence at speed and use it intelligently lay at the heart of Liverpool's success. Again the midfielder enjoyed tireless support from Dietmar Hamann, and neither Olivier Dacourt nor David Batty seriously challenged this fundamental strength.
Add in an impressive example of full-back play by Stephen Wright, whose mastery of Harry Kewell deprived Leeds of a crucial attacking outlet, and Emile Heskey's return to scoring form and Liverpool were entitled to their ample satisfaction.
Yesterday Leeds put considerable faith in Robbie Fowler maintaining tradition by scoring against his erstwhile team-mates, but Liverpool's close-knit defence allowed Fowler only one chance, in the 69th minute, when his shot was kept out by a combination of Jerzy Dudek and John Arne Riise.
A minute earlier Dudek had made his first save, diving full length to keep out Mark Viduka's header. The two moments proved to be the sum of Leeds's meaningful scoring attempts.
Heskey's persistence led indirectly to Liverpool going ahead after 16 minutes. Dominic Matteo fouled him near the left-hand touchline and, although Gerrard could not reach Danny Murphy's free-kick, Rio Ferdinand obliged by sticking out a foot to divert the ball into his net.
A minute past the hour Gerrard gathered a ball from Owen and, with another of his astute through-passes, found Heskey haring clear of a square, spreadeagled defence to increase Liverpool's lead.
Two minutes later a corner from Riise was headed on by Wright and Owen played the ball back to Heskey, who drove it past Nigel Martyn.
The place was emptying fast when Heskey nodded on Wright's long throw for Owen to head in at the second attempt, his first having struck the bar.
"How much more can fate throw at us?" asked the headline on O'Leary's match programme notes. Plenty, was the answer.
LEEDS UNITED: Martyn, Kelly, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte, Bowyer, Dacourt (Wilcox 57), Batty, Kewell (Keane 75), Fowler, Viduka. Subs Not Used: Robinson, McPhail, Duberry. Booked: Matteo, Kewell.
LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Carragher, Hyypia, Henchoz, Riise, Wright, Hamann, Gerrard (McAllister 90), Murphy, Owen, Heskey. Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Xavier, Smicer, Anelka. Booked: Carragher. Goals: Ferdinand 16 og, Heskey 61, 63, Owen 90.
Referee: G Poll (Tring).
