Liverpool claimed a third straight Premier League win courtesy of an emphatic victory over 10-man Hull.
The Reds controlled the game and led through Adam Lallana’s low shot.
Ahmed Elmohamady saw red for handball in the box, with James Milner scoring from the spot before Sadio Mane added a third for the home side.
David Meyler lashed in for Hull but Philippe Coutinho’s long-range strike and a second Milner penalty underlined the home side’s dominance.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are now third in the table and the division’s second-top scorers behind Manchester City, with 16 goals in six matches – 11 of those coming in their last three.
In the time since Klopp took over on 8 October 2015, Liverpool have scored 71 goals, which is more than any other team over this period.
The result is a second heavy defeat in a week for Hull – following the 4-1 home loss to Arsenal – and another chastening experience for caretaker boss Mike Phelan, whose long-term future is yet to be resolved.
Whatever term you use to describe the tactical approach of Klopp, the benefits have been clear to see now that his squad have had time to digest the message.
The Reds’ front five will rightly take most of the plaudits for their movement, skill and finishing, but that should not detract from the contribution of the other outfield players, whose work-rate provided the platform for victory.
Liverpool were more energetic and more aggressive throughout, harrying the Hull players and denying them any time to think, let alone pick a pass.
It was only a matter of time before they established an advantage, which came through Lallana’s low shot from inside the box following a driving run and pass from Coutinho.
Elmohamady’s handball on the line then led to his dismissal and the first of Milner’s successful spot-kicks.
More goals were inevitable and came through Sane’s low finish, Coutinho’s brilliant long-range effort and Milner’s second penalty – awarded for Andrew Robertson’s foul on substitute Daniel Sturridge.
The home side should really have scored more – Georginio Wijnaldum was particularly wasteful with two close-range volleys – but it was nevertheless an afternoon of overwhelming positives for Liverpool.
Phelan will hope that this result, coming on the day of his 54th birthday, will not be a factor in the decision over whether to make him Hull’s next permanent manager.
Few sides in the division would have coped with a Liverpool side in this form on home turf, let alone a newly promoted one reduced to 10 men with an hour of the contest remaining.
Having made the first changes to their starting XI this league season, with goalkeeper David Marshall making his debut and Ryan Mason coming into midfield, their approach was clearly one of containment and counter-attack.
However, this was made redundant by Elmohamady’s dismissal and quickly transformed into a strategy of damage-limitation.
That they kept it to five is a positive in itself, with the added bonus of Meyler’s consolation goal, which saw the midfielder smash the ball in following a corner to very briefly reduce the deficit to 3-1.
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