Liverpool returned to winning ways on home soil against Bournemouth.
Luis Diaz broke the deadlock midway through the first half after rounding Kepa Arrizabalaga from a ball over the top and slotting into an empty net.
The Colombian doubled his tally little over two minutes later by meeting a Trent Alexander-Arnold pass across the box with another clinical finish.
Arne Slot’s side extended their lead shortly before half-time when Darwin Nunez produced a sublime strike from 20 yards out after cutting inside.
The Reds’ victory saw them temporarily ascended to the Premier League’s summit ahead of Manchester City’s showdown with Arsenal on Sunday.
Here were the key talking points from Anfield:
Reds deliver top-draw response
Seven days since Nottingham Forest stunned the red half of Merseyside with their first away win for over 55 years, Liverpool needed to deliver a response.
Arne Slot’s side had responded to his first defeat at the helm with a comeback victory over AC Milan in the Champions League’s opening round of fixtures.
Yet Anfield held unfinished business due to their team being comfortably rendered second best as Forest claimed their once-in-a-generation triumph.
Although Bournemouth threatened to produce a repeat when a potential opener disallowed for offside, the Reds wasted little time making amends.
In the space of 11 first-half minutes, they were already coasting by three goals and arguably should have added more either side of the interval.
The composure and command which has become an early hallmark of Slot’s tenure returned with a vengeance, as did the home crowd’s febrile intensity.
Returning to the Premier League’s summit may prove short-lived depending on the outcome of Sunday’s clash between Manchester City and Arsenal.
There can, however, be no disputing that Liverpool are back in top gear.
Nunez repays Slot’s faith in full
Darwin Nunez has needed to be patient at the start of Liverpool’s new era.
Prior to Bournemouth’s visit, the forward’s only involvement this season had come off the substitutes’ bench after falling down the Anfield pecking order.
On Friday, Slot had warned Nunez that he would need to wait for an opportunity to claim a starring role; claim which lasted barely 24 hours.
Back in the starting XI for a first time since April’s Merseyside derby defeat, the Uruguayan wasted little time in trying to impose himself on proceedings.
An early opening saw him latch onto a superb lofted pass from Mohamed Salah but unduly waited to pull the trigger and dragged an effort wide of goal.
But Nunez’s best was yet to come with a sublime curling effort from 25 yards out to see Kepa Arrizabalaga beaten for the third time on Saturday afternoon.
It offered a timely reminder of the 25-year-old’s capabilities in front of goal when provided despite consistency eluding him when opportunity knocked.
This, similarly, may prove to be another flash in the pan yet this latest outing might offer Slot food for thought as he attempts to juggle his forward line.
Kelleher stakes a fresh claim
September’s international break threw up the rarity of a Liverpool player breaking rank and voicing their frustrations about a lack of game time.
Caoimhin Kelleher made no secret that his future may lie away from Merseyside after struggling to force his way into regular first-team plans.
The Republic of Ireland international conceded that the impending arrival of Giorgi Mamardashvili risks being a potential tipping point for his career path.
Deputising for an injured Alisson against the Cherries, Kelleher hoped to put himself in Slot’s thoughts for the remainder of the current campaign at least.
He was afforded an early reprieve as the visitors’ potential fifth-minute opener was swiftly chalked off by VAR for offside against scorer Antoine Semenyo.
From thereon, he remained largely untroubled but still produced a series of strong stops; the most notable in denying Luis Sinisterra on two occasions.
First, the winger saw a near-post effort thwarted before a later effort that had crashed back off the crossbar had to be clawed away with sharp reactions.
Kelleher is set to be afforded an extended run in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie with West Ham, which might temporarily sate his grand designs for now.