By the time the fifth goal had gone in, some saw no point in celebrating. Too much of a good thing can be unappetising and, on this occasion, the joy around Anfield was tempered.
Winning by five unanswered goals is always noteworthy but Liverpool, in some ways, would have kicked themselves a little for not winning by ten. Here was one of the most one-sided matches played in the modern Premier League era, a contest in name only.
Liverpool would have beaten far better teams than Swansea in this rampant mood but the assistance they were given to register this emphatic victory showed why this spineless team from South Wales are heading for the Championship.
Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino shone by netting twice as Jurgen Klopp’s men put Swansea to the sword at Anfield
Philippe Coutinho jumped up in celebration after scoring a stunning goal from 25 yards out to break the deadlock
Firmino snuck round to the back post to volley Coutinho’s whipped free-kick into the back of the net to double their lead
Trent Alexander-Arnold celebrated wildly after showing desire to break into the box and unleashing an unstoppable effort
Firmino was tasked with the simplest of finishes after some unselfish play from team-mate Mohamed Salah
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain added gloss to the scoreline by placing a looping volley over the hapless Swansea goalkeeper
MATCH FACTS, LIVE LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE
Liverpool (4-3-3): Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Klavan, Robertson (Milner 75), Oxlade-Chamberlain, Can, Wijnaldum, Salah (Lallana 69), Firmino (Solanke 68), Coutinho;
Subs not used: Karius, Lovren, Gomez, Mane
Goalscorers: Coutinho (6), Firmino (52, 66), Alexander-Arnold (65), Oxlade-Chamberlain (83)
Booked: NONE
Manager: Jurgen Klopp
Swansea (4-1-4-1): Fabianski, Naughton, Fernandez, Mawson, Olsson, Mesa (Clucas 66), Routledge, Carroll, Fer (Renato Sanches 78), J Ayew, McBurnie (Abraham 62);
Subs not used: van der Hoorn,Dyer, Nordfeldt, Rangel
Goalscorers: NONE
Booked: Olsson
Manager: Leon Britton
Referee: Kevin Friend
Attendance: 52,850
MoM: Roberto Firmino
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Roberto Firmino won possession back and passed to Mohamed Salah, who teed up Philippe Coutinho to curl home from outside the box to open the scoring. CLICK HERE to see more from Sportsmail’s brilliant MATCH ZONE feature.
With Sadio Mane given the night off, Liverpool were without their Fab Four but Jurgen Klopp still had a Terrific Three in the shape of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah and they ran Swansea ragged, with the Brazilians scoring three of the five.
Firmino, in particular, was outstanding and tormented Federico Fernandez and Alfie Mawson to gain a standing ovation when he was substituted in the 68th minute but there were other notable contributions, not least from the other two scorers, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
There should be no such thing as ‘gimmes’ in this division and, to emphasise the point, Liverpool needed only to remember about what happened when these opponents last arrived at Anfield in such a low ebb: back in January, they lost at home to Swansea for the first time in their history.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp shakes hands with Swansea caretaker boss Leon Britton prior to kick-off at Anfield Stadium
Liverpool midfielder Coutinho embraces his Brazilian compatriot Firmino before kick-off at Anfield
Wayne Routledge tries to make a run down the right flank as Liverpool midfielder Emre Can stays tight and applies pressure
Swansea’s debutant forward Oliver McBurnie tries to shoot at goal but Joel Matip gets in an important block
Firmino cleverly cuts inside Federico Fernandez and Kyle Naughton and wins a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area
Swansea started 2017 with the bit between their teeth, desperate to preserve their place in the top flight, but they are ending the year with a whimper and you had to feel some compassion for those hardy souls in the away section who had made the 520-mile round trip to watch this.
Rarely did the team in black do anything but leave you with the impression they are plummeting into the Championship and, from the early stages, the question was how quickly Liverpool could grab hold of the initiative. The answer was six minutes.
When a ball was slipped to Jordan Ayew 40 yards from goal, Swansea were not in obvious danger but Ayew dithered, Firmino mugged him and fed Salah, who ushered in Coutinho and he did the rest, whipping a glorious right-foot drive beyond Lukasz Fabianski.
Coutinho’s first Liverpool goal had come against Swansea in February 2013 and it was appropriate, on what was his 200th appearance for the club in all competitions, he should mark the occasion with a moment of majesty.
Mohamed Salah almost latched on to a ball over the top from Coutinho but keeper Lukasz Fabianski comes out to claim
Georginio Wijnaldum tracks back to do his defensive duties and shields possession of the ball from winger Routledge
Liverpool forward Firmino breaks into the box and jinks back on to his right foot but drags his shot wide of the goal
Fabianski comes rushing out off his goal line to block Salah’s close range shot after a superb long ball from Andrew Robertson
It should have been a goal to open the floodgates. With Oliver McBurnie, the young Scottish forward, given no support from the five-man midfield behind him, Swansea offered nothing going forward and the opportunity was there for Liverpool to run amok.
They, though, did not seem in a hurry to capitalise. There were a few half chances – Salah failing to get his head to a Coutinho cross, Emre Can shooting to close to Fabianski – but the atmosphere was ambivalent in the stadium and a lot of Liverpool’s play was lethargic.
Were they finding it too easy? It seemed that way. Firmino should have wrapped the three points up on the stroke of half-time but, after streaking clear, he was too precise in trying to thread a shot past Fabianski and succeeded only in pulling his drive wide.
No matter. Within five minutes of the restart, Firmino atoned, timing his run to perfection to reach Coutinho’s inviting free-kick and plant a side-footed volley beyond Fabianksi. It killed the game and killed what remained of Swansea’s spirit.
Soon the goals were arriving at regular intervals, with Alexander-Arnold thrashing in a wonderful third, Firmino tapping in the fourth after fine work by Salah – who seized on a woeful mistake by Leroy Fer – and Oxlade-Chamberlain ending the rout in the 83rd minute.
Rather than immerse himself in what should have been a moment to remember – his first strike at Anfield – Oxalde-Chamberlain almost wanted to apologise. It had become too easy. And for that Swansea’s players should be ashamed.
Liverpool forward Firmino beats Martin Olsson for pace and draws a foul, which results in a booking for the Swansea defender
Oxlade-Chamberlain shows a burst of pace to escape the attention of Jordan Ayew as he travels forward with the ball
Liverpool substitute Dominic Solanke tries a carbon copy effort to Oxlade-Chamberlain but hits his first-time volley wide