A rampant Liverpool hammered Watford 6-1 as the Hornets’ four game unbeaten Premier League run came to an emphatic end at Anfield.

First half goals from Sadio Mane, the superlative inducing Phillipe Coutnho and Emre Can put Liverpool in control at the break.

Roberto Firmino got in on the act after the restart before Mane added his second and Darryl Janmaat pegged one back for the Hornets with his first goal for the club.

Georginio Wijnaldum put the finishing touches on the result at the death as he prodded home to condemn Watford to their joint biggest Premier League defeat.

Liverpool dominated from start to finish and could well have won by a greater margin in a victory which takes them to the summit of the table.

Watford were defensivley fraail and drop to eighth after Manchester United’s 3-1 vicotry over Swansea.

With the international break taking place next week, Watford will look to lift themselves in time for the visit of champions Leicester on Saturday November 19.

The task facing the Hornets upon arrival at Anfield was a daunting one as they came up against a Liverpool side which hadn’t lost at home since January 26.

Walter Mazzarri’s hopes were diminished further by Liverpool’s imperious form, which has seen them lose just one league game this season and emerge as genuine title contenders.

The Italian made one change from the side which secured a 1-0 win over Hull City last week as summer signing Janmaat came in for Sebastian Prodl.

Liverpool started like a side aware of the significance taking all three points would have as a fluid front three of Coutinho, Firmino and Mane proved difficult to marshal.

While Liverpool were undoubtedly in the ascendency a volley straight into the arms of Heurelho Gomes from Firmino was all they mustered in the opening 10 minutes.

The Brazilian was called into far more strenuous work in the 17th minute after Etienne Capoue allowed Lucas to escape at a corner kick.

Having controlled the deep delivery at the back post the stand in centre-back fired at goal from six yards only to be denied by Gomes as he slung himself to his right.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were beginning to move up through the gears, however, as their attacking triumvirate started to impose themselves.

Coutinho was tormentor in chief and a delightful first touch took him inside the over-committed Janmaat on the left wing before he fired just wide of the near upright.

The Hornets were already hanging on and their resilience gave way with 27 minutes on the clock.

Again Liverpool’s number 10 was at the heart of things after exchanging a short corner with James Milner and crossing invitingly from the left.

The flight of the cross ensured Mane needed only a glancing header to send the ball beyond Gomes and give the hosts a lead their play deserved.

On current form Coutinho has to be a candidate for the Player of the Year accolade and the diminutive Brazilian added to Watford’s woes on the half hour.

Again he escaped the attentions of Janmaat with too much ease, stepping inside the Dutchman some 20 yards from goal, before setting himself to strike.

The sheer power of his effort took the ball beyond Gomes, who injured himself in trying to make the save and had to be replaced by Costel Pantilimon, and fizzed into the bottom left corner.

Watford offered next to nothing in the opening half and the game was all but ended as a contest two minutes before the interval.

The ease with which the goal was created will be a cause for concern for Mazzarri after Miguel Britos challenged anaemically for a high ball and Coutinho shifted a pass wide to Adam Lallana.

The former Southampton man’s deep cross from the right hung invitingly for Can who arrived unchecked from midfield to head beyond Pantilimon at the back post.

A 3-0 scoreline at the break did little to flatter Liverpool after an utterly dominant half in which they could easily have scored more.

Unsurprisingly the intensity which has informed every aspect of Liverpool’s play this season continued after the restart and they soon found their rhythm.

Watford’s worries increased further in the 57th minute and again their defending was found lacking.

Having only half cleared their lines from free kick, the ball was worked into Lallana in the inside right channel and he was given complete freedom to drill a low cross across the six yard box.

With the Watford centre-backs turned an unmarked Firmino tapped in to make it four before turning provider for the fifth moments later.

The fleet footed attacking midfielder is hardly renowned for his strength, but brushed past Jose Holebas to chase down an apparent loss cause.

After retaining possession, he slipped a delicate ball between the defender’s legs to pick out Mane who swept home his second.

The Liverpool fifth seemed to stir Watford and their best spell of the game followed with Capoue stinging the hands of Karius with a placed strike from the edge of the box.

Liverpool’s number one could do little to prevent the Hornets grabbing a consolation strike with 15 minutes to play after Amrabat and Janmaat combined well down the left.

The Watford winger slipped a pass into his compatriot and the right-back placed a low shot across Karius and into the far corner.

That was as good as it got for the traveling Hornets fans and Wijnaldum finished off the rout in the 90th minute.

The Dutchman reacted quickest after Pantilimon had saved from Daniel Sturridge and tapped into an empty net to add further insult on a torrid day for the Hornets.

Liverpool: Karius; Clyne, Lucas, Matip, Milner, Henderson (C), Lallana (Sturridge 70), Can, Coutinho (Ejaria 87), Firmino, Mane (Wijnaldum 63)

Subs not used: Mignolet; Klaven, Moreno, Origi

Watford: Gomes (Pantilimon 33); Janmaat (Zuniga 87), Kaboul, Britos, Holebas, Amrabat, Behrami (Watson 61), Capoue, Pereyra, Deeney (C), Ighalo

Subs not used: Mariappa, Guedioura, Sinclair, Kabasele

Referee: Michael Oliver

Bookings: Holebas (foul on Mane 57), Britos (foul on Coutinho 80)