Liverpool's Forward Line Put Down Marker With 7-0 Win at Crystal Palace

It was after captain Jordan Henderson sumptuously bent the ball home to give his side a 4-0 lead over Crystal Palace seven minutes into the second half of their Premier League clash that Liverpool really rubbed salt into the wounds.

It was at that moment that Mohamed Salah was then pictured warming up on the touchline.

The Reds had netted four goals inside 52 minutes, and yet their top scorer was still in his bib and trackies.

Salah was unleashed just before the hour mark, and subsequently set up Liverpool's fifth, before scoring their sixth and seventh as Jurgen Klopp's side turned in a supreme display of utter ruthlessness to record their biggest away win in Premier League history.

Crystal Palace weren't even that bad in the first half.

Liverpool had led inside three minutes through Takumi Minamino's maiden Premier League goal, but Palace could have levelled had Jordan Ayew's cut back to an unmarked Wilfried Zaha not been behind the Eagles' forward.

But the Palace defence could not cope with the movement, energy and sheer class of Liverpool's forward line. Minamino turned in his most accomplished performance since moving to Merseyside, looking every bit the part in Liverpool's esteemed front three, while Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were completely unplayable.

Liverpool were ruthlessly efficient in front of goal. In the first half, they had the same number of shots on target as Palace. Over the course of the 90 minutes, the Reds had eight shots on target. They scored with seven of them.

Klopp's side didn't miss a chance until the 55th minute, when Sadio Mane's effort deflected wide.

Few questions can be asked of Vicente Guaita between the Palace sticks for any of the goals. Each one was just a wonderful finish. Picking a favourite is an absolute nightmare.

Mane produced a fabulous one-touch turn and pinpoint strike for Liverpool's second, while each of Firmino's two goals were a result of a slick, precise, flowing counter attacking move coupled with a delightful finish. Salah and Henderson both pitched in with fabulous, curling efforts from outside the box.

It was Liverpool at their sharp, dynamic, blistering best and football at its most effortlessly irresistible.

There have been question marks over Liverpool's ability to defend their Premier League title given the mountain of injury problems Klopp's side are contending with this term - and simply because repeating the remarkable efforts of last season would be some feat.

There have been slip-ups - draws with Brighton and Fulham - where the Liverpool of 2019/20 may have dug in and ground at all three points, because winning was all they knew how to do.

But against Palace, Liverpool demonstrated they still possess the style and the poise and the world class quality to make an absolute mockery of teams.

Likewise, Trent Alexander-Arnold - yet to hit the heights of last season's title winning campaign - sure did today. He was influential in three of Liverpool's seven goals, showing off his vision and pinpoint passing ability to pick out Mane in the build up to the Reds' first and Salah prior to his side's fifth with inch perfect lofted passes. His weight of pass was then superb for Henderson's goal, teeing the skipper up with a ball begging to be hit first time.

It was a complete performance from Liverpool to remind the Premier League just how very good they are; a performance masterminded by their outrageously talented front three.