Divock Origi came off the bench to score twice as Liverpool beat Stoke City 4-1 at Anfield on Sunday for their biggest home win this season. Victory saw the Reds leapfrog the Potters into eighth place in the Premier League table.
Origi had been on the pitch less than five minutes after replacing Sheyi Ojo at half-time when he scored his second goal in as many games, nodding home James Milner's cross in front of the Kop.
The Belgian got a fortuitous second goal, his cross going directly into the net as Jurgen Klopp's side recorded only their second league win on home turf in 2016, good preparation for the second leg of their Europa League tie against Borussia Dortmund on Thursday.
Defeat left Stoke still searching for their first league win at Anfield since 1959. Origi's double gave the scoreline a sheen that was not there in the first half, with both teams guilty of some sloppy play with misplaced passes allied to a lack of composure.
But Liverpool were by far the better team after the break.
Nothing of note had happened before Liverpool took the lead in the eighth minute when Alberto Moreno capitalised on Stoke disorganisation to fire home.
Stoke levelled in the 22nd minute when Bojan Krkic headed in Xherdan Shaqiri's left-wing cross for the Potters' first league goal at Anfield in 33 years.
The Reds regained the lead 10 minutes later when Daniel Sturridge nodded home a cross from Ojo, who was making his first Premier League start, before Origi's double intervention.
While Liverpool's cup form has been impressive, both domestically and in Europe, their league campaign has been patchy, especially at home with just five wins all season before Sunday's match.