Garcia was exceptional, floating like a butterfly, stinging like a swarm of bees as he schemed all over the pitch, helping engineer Liverpool's first for another Spaniard, Fernando Morientes. Garcia headed in the second before Djibril Cisse, replacing the deficient Peter Crouch, slid in a third against demoralised visitors.
Anderlecht rarely threatened to end a losing streak in the Champions League that now numbers 11 games, and they earned few friends with a first-half dive from the Turkish international, Akin Serhat, that resembled a boy bobbing the Bosphorus.
Worse occurred in the second half when Nenad Jestrovic was given a straight red by Kim Milton Nielsen for a racist comment directed at Momo Sissoko, Liverpool's Mali international. Jestrovic had been on the field only five minutes.
Liverpool's love affair with a trophy they have claimed five times intensified last night, the Kop looking forward to Paris in springtime with a frequent chant of "In Gay Paree, we'll win it six times".
Morientes' 31st-minute opener for Liverpool was a gem. Here were Liverpool at their cobra-like best, the ball moving swiftly between receptive feet and perceptive minds, opponents blinded by the dazzling movement. Garcia, a delicate talent rarely associated with ball-winning burdens, seized the loose ball out of the air, and flicked it to Xabi Alonso.
Benitez's men went through the gears, players fanning out in all directions to stretch the Belgians' defence. Alonso found Steven Gerrard, who had roamed inside from his starting station out wide. Spotting Morientes gliding down the inside-right channel like an elegant clipper entering port, Gerrard lifted the ball through to the tall Spaniard.
Years of plundering goalmouths across the continent, in the myriad colours of Real Madrid, Monaco and now Liverpool, has made Morientes one of the most-feared finishers around. His 61st goal in all European competitions was classic Morientes, the ball controlled expertly with his chest and then despatched unerringly from right to left past Silvio Proto.
As Morientes disappeared underneath his jubilant colleagues, a massive cheer shook Anfield, the decibel level exceeded only when news came through that Chelsea trailed at Real Betis. Morientes himself continues to be linked with a transfer-window move to Betis in exchange for the highly regarded flier Joaquin, with Liverpool also expected to chip in £9 million as well.
Yet Benitez has rarely talked enthusiastically about Joaquin, although he needs a high-class wide man. It is also hard to envisage Anfield letting such a useful target-man as Morientes depart mid-season, particularly with Crouch struggling to find his feet. Crouch has started alongside Morientes, so relegating Cisse to the bench, meaning this was the 41st consecutive game that Benitez had changed his line-up.
Crouch had two headed attempts on goal in the first half, which both flew off target, and a near-post shot wide after good link-up play between Gerrard and Steve Finnan down the right. Gerrard was deployed out wide by Benitez, yet the Liverpool captain and chief tempo-setter refused to be emasculated and was soon moving inside.
Liverpool were given more width when Bolo Zenden scampered on after 51 minutes, although it was surprising that it was Morientes, not the labouring Crouch, who gave way. Morientes had been caught by Bart Goor shortly after scoring, but appeared to be showing few ill effects.
Garcia moved into the hole behind Crouch, a rejig that was to pay spectacular dividends just after the hour. When Finnan crossed from the right there was Garcia, rising and twisting his body like a latter-day Kevin Keegan, and flicking a powerful header past the diving, despairing Proto.
Poor Crouch was soon removed with the more direct and pacy Cisse introduced. With Jestrovic dismissed, Liverpool tightened their control. Such was the confidence now flowing through Benitez's men that Pepe Reina was soon playing passes across his box.
With two minutes remaining, Harry Kewell's run was half-stopped, the ball falling fell the path of Cisse, who drilled it emphatically past Proto. Such was Liverpool's show of class that they were applauded by the Anderlecht fans.
