Liverpool returned to fourth place with a comfortable 5-0 win over Swansea City.

Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring with a superb curling effort inside the first ten minutes at Anfield to celebrate his 200th appearance for the Reds in style.

The hosts extended their lead after the interval as Roberto Firmino doubled the advantage from close-range when he met Coutinho’s inch-perfect free kick.

Liverpool pulled further ahead as Trent Alexander-Arnold struck a half-volley in front of the Kop to record a first ever Premier League goal.

Less than a minute later, Firmino recorded his second of the night with another tap-in before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain rounded off the Boxing Day win.

Here were the key talking points from Anfield:

Queue will be forming for Coutinho

 

On his 200th Liverpool appearance, Philippe Coutinho will have been determined to leave his mark – and that’s exactly what he did.

The Brazilian the scoring with a stunning solo effort before providing the assist for compatriot Roberto Firmino’s second with a trademark precision pass.

His opening strike was no.54 in a red shirt, currently making him the club’s second-highest goal scorer since Jurgen Klopp’s arrival over two years ago.

Anfield has been treated to this spectacle before, and why Barcelona refuse to concede defeat in their pursuit of him.

But it may not just be the Catalans trying to tempt Coutinho away next month.

Liverpool’s star man would comfortably walk into even the best teams in world football.

On this evidence, some of them will be forming an orderly queue.

Mane needs to step up again

 

Not so long ago, dropping Sadio Mane would have been unthinkable for Klopp.

With Coutinho in fine form, Mohamed Salah pulling the strings and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain staking a claim, the Senegal winger is no longer a guaranteed starter.

He was barely missed as Coutinho, Salah and Firmino all shouldered Liverpool’s attacking burden without the aid of their pacy teammate’s safety net.

Even by his own admission, Mane’s form in recent weeks has been far from the high standards he had set in an impressive debut campaign at Anfield.

If he cannot meet those expectations again, and fast, justifying a starting place in the long term will be even more difficult than it currently appears.

Henderson also faces a fight

 

A team is nothing without its captain and Jordan Henderson’s loss in the midst of a busy Christmas period could not have been worse timed for Liverpool.

Not that they showed any signs of it affecting them, with numerous options in central midfield cushioning the blow of the England international’s absence.

Oxlade-Chamberlain comfortably stepped into the void alongside Georginio Wijnaldum and Emre Can and the effect was telling.

Without Henderson, Liverpool’s midfield often has a finer balance and appears better suited to performing in the style their manager wants them to play.

With Adam Lallana also back in contention, Klopp must seriously consider where his captain lies in the current pecking order.

Others should also be looking over their shoulder in other departments.

Lackadaisical Liverpool

 

This Liverpool side is capable of putting teams to the sword in ruthless fashion.

Swansea were only the latest in a growing list this season which already includes Arsenal, Brighton, Bournemouth and, in Europe, Spartak Moscow and Maribor.

Klopp’s current squad knows it is a talented one and while that confidence is a good thing, it sometimes also manages to create a dangerous complacency.

The first half against the manager-less Swans was the perfect example.

Liverpool dominated possession and were rarely challenged defensively causing them to adopt an attitude akin to a friendly at times.

To describe their performance as lackadaisical in the first half would be kind.

Fortunately, it didn’t cost them as they later ran riot but they cannot rely on that happening every week, especially against teams with any sort of defensive nous.

An easy-going attitude has cost them before and it will again unless Klopp does something about it. Another 5-0 scoreline should not absolve that fact.