Liverpool put on a scintillating performance at Anfield, as they scored 8 and conceded 0 against Besiktas. 

From a fantastic team performance, midfielder Yossi Benayoun stood out with a marvelous hat-trick (32, 53, 68).

Before the Israeli grabbed his trio of goals, Peter Crouch, restored to the starting line-up, opened the rout with a goal, at the second time of asking (19).

Then came Benayoun’s goals, followed by a Steven Gerrard deflected goal that put the finish on a lovely piece of build-up play (68).

Dutch youngster Ryan Babel took to the field mid-way through the second-half and quickly added two more, one a cute flick, (78, 81), leaving Crouch to finish a remarkable score-line with a late header (89). 8-0.

First Half

Apart from an early scare from young Memhet, Liverpool dominated the early proceedings, in-effect setting the tone for the rest of the match.

A quick attack in the 2^nd minute from Besiktas reminded Liverpool of the threat posed by their front-line, as Delgado raced away down the right flank before cutting an opportunist ball back into the box where the energetic 20-yr-old midfielder, Memhet, timed his late run perfectly, but just couldn’t connect as well with a sliding shot that traveled a yard wide of the near-post.

From there Liverpool dominated everything.

A minute after the visitors chance, Liverpool hit back, as Andriy Voronin mimicked Memhet’ sliding shot from a Peter Crouch knock-down to the send the ball an agonizing yard wide of the post.

Only five minutes later Peter Crouch, who was fervently supported by the home fans for his impressive first half display, made his intentions clear by winning and taking a quick free-kick, before racing into the box to meet John-Arse Riise’s cross with a firm header then he should have had hit the target with.

Another of the Reds outstanding performer was Alvaro Arbeola, who played more like a right-winger than a fullback. The Spaniard raised the Kop to their feet as early as the 9^th minute as he played a one-two down the flank, then drove into the box, but to only kick himself for overrunning the ball when in a promising position.

Arbeloa was at the heart of Liverpool’s swift attacking play again only three minutes later as he rampaged down the right flank before squaring the ball to Yossi Benayoun, whose instant flicked shot beat Hakan Ankan in the Turk goal, but skimmed of the outside of the post for a goal-kick, much to the dismay of the rampant home crowd behind the goal.

But the fans were not made too wait long for the opening goal, as another piece of flowing build-up released Peter Crouch, whose run into the box was aided as Diatta’s attempted tackle unintentionally knocked the ball into the lanky striker’s path.

From there Crouch did the rest. His instant left-foot shot was well parried by the keeper, but no defender could react quicker than the much-maligned forward who raised the roof off Anfield by slotting away the rebound (19).

Besiktas tried to maintain their 4-3-3 formation with Delgado and Ozkan supporting Bobo.

But the unrestrained running of fullbacks Fabio Aurelio and Arbeloa coupled with the masterful ball-winning of Javier Mascherano meant the away side were forced into a formation that resembled more of a 4-5-1, leaving a hapless lone-forward in Bobo.

The Reds kept the pressure up as two minutes after their goal Riise saw his thumped header from an Aurelio corner cleared off the line by opposition captain İbrahim Üzülmez.

Soon after it became clear that Crouch was warming to the praise lavished on him from the stands as he sent a speculative effort from the edge of the penalty area wide of the goal.

Shortly later Liverpool had grabbed their second as a sleeping Besiktas defense failed to react to Riise’s long throw down the line that sent Voronin racing down the left-flank.

With the Turk’s backline unbalanced the Ukrainian picked out Benayoun unmarked at the back-post, who in turn controlled the ball instantly before lashing a half-volley into the far-corner of the net (32).

Throughout the first half Liverpool had took a hold of the ball and on the rare occasions they relinquish possession their hunger to snatch it back was so successful that it took until the 38^th minute before Besiktas enjoyed a prolonged period of possession.

The half-time whistle blew to send the Anfield noise to ear-splitting levels.

Second Half

Liverpool picked up exactly where they left off, as the set themselves among the Besiktas players with a terrier like resolve and imposing passing style of play.

Benayoun reminded the away side of their intent four minutes after the restart, as he drifted in off the right flank to head a Gerrard cross into the ground and into the keeper’s grateful hands.

But Besiktas didn’t heed the warning as the Israeli stole in unnoticed to tap in the rebound from a thunderous Riise shot that could only be parried by the keeper (53).

At this stage the crowd were rocking Anfield as they recognized their side had effectively put the game to bed.

Instead of easing of the accelerator the players pursued more goals with a real craving to make a statement, and Benayoun soon recorded his first hat-trick for his new club as once again tapped in a goal from 5 yards after a stinging Gerrard free-kick from 25 yards out proved too strong to hold for the Besiktas keeper.

Gerrard was a constant thorn in the Turkish side, as his bounding runs from the middle created Liverpool’s best openings. The England international was unlucky not to score from such a run in the 63^rd minute, as he saw his left-foot shot well saved by Hakan Akrian.

But the Liverpool skipper wasn’t too be denied as once again instigated and then finished off a fluid passing move by bursting into the box, and then firing a shot that deflected off Diatta and into the net (68).

Ryan Babel, on for Andriy Voronin, made an instant impact as he turned Benayoun’s square ball across the goal in by a deft flick with the ball in-between his legs (78). Out of all the goals the Dutchman’s was possibly the best as it bought back memories of a famous goal scored similarly from a legendary Red former winger: John Barnes.

Babel then made it two for him and seven for Liverpool with a goal that was as equally as fortuitous as his first had been elegant. A long put up the field was allowed to bounce by Ibrahim Toraman, who then turned to smash the ball clear but could only hit the ball onto Babel which then drifted over the hapless keeper and into the net (81).

With the famed ‘You’ll never walk alone’ ringing out around the stadium, Peter Crouch arrived on time to head in Benayoun’s return cross (89), to register a remarkable 8-0 score-line for a rejuvenated Liverpool over a bewildered Besiktas outfit.