Liverpool 3 Aston Villa 1: Liverpool hauled themselves level on points with second-placed Manchester United with their 10th consecutive victory on their final home game of the campaign.
United's 3-0 defeat at Chelsea and this ultimately convincing victory also means the once yawning goal difference that keeps the Old Trafford club in the runners-up spot, has shrunk to just four.
Fernando Morientes put Liverpool ahead in the first half, and after Gareth Barry's equaliser had shaken the FA Cup finalists out of their lethargy, Steven Gerrard struck from six yards and then 30 to clinch the points.
Liverpool made five changes from the side that won at West Ham in midweek.
Steven Gerrard, Jose Reina, Peter Crouch, Sami Hyypia and John Arne Riise were back in the starting line-up. Robbie Fowler and Mohamed Sissoko were rested to the bench.
Villa, still needing a point to avoid relegation, had Steven Davis back after a hamstring injury. William Bouma and Gabriel Agbonlahor also returned from the side that lost at home to Manchester City in midweek.
Liverpool started with three strikers and Riise supporting very quickly on the left, as attacking a formation as Rafael Benitez could muster.
And they were ahead after four minutes. Xabi Alonso's long ball found Fernando Morientes in space as Gary Cahill failed to mark him closely, and the Spaniard twisted in the box to fire past Thomas Sorensen for his ninth goal of the season.
Villa fans displayed an "O'Leary for England" banner before the game and booed their manager on a couple of occasions when he ventured into the technical area.
The fact that the Villa boss is preparing to sell anything that is not nailed down at Villa Park - particularly Baros - to fund a summer spending spree, has further upset the supporters.
Liverpool were embarrassed on 58 minutes when they conceded a sloppy goal. Milner's 58th-minute cross was allowed to sail right across the face of the goal past three defenders for Barry to tap home unmarked.
Parity lasted until the 61st minute when Alonso's near post corner was met by an unmarked Gerrard, who flicked the ball in off Sorensen's despairing left leg.
On 66 minutes Gerrard took possession after a neat passing move to lash a stunning 30 yarder home for the third. PA
