Liverpool 5-0 Spartak Moscow - result

Liverpool revived their hopes of qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League as Gerard Houllier's side steamrollered Spartak Moscow.

Valencia's humiliation of Basle means the Spanish champions are almost through to the next stage, leaving Liverpool and the Swiss side to scrap for the other qualifying place.

Liverpool were two goals in front within the opening quarter of an hour and three up before the half-hour was out.

Emile Heskey eased any nerves the four-time European Cup holders might have had early on and Bruno Cheyrou's debut goal put Liverppool in total control.

Sami Hyypia added a third after he rose unmarked to power home Danny Murphy's free-kick, while after the interval substitute Salif Diao scored with another header and a second Heskey goal completed the rout.

So poor were Spartak - missing key personnel and without a win in their previous 13 Champions League games - that at times Liverpool's domination was embarrassing.

No more so than in the 21st minute when Michael Owen single-handedly left the Moscow defence in tatters, only to see his shot rebound off the post.

Moises Pineiro and Yuri Kovtun were honourable exceptions to some shambolic Spartak defending, with both players making a number of crucial interceptions.

In an attempt to stem the tide, Spartak coach Oleg Romantsev brought Artyom Bezrodny in place of Dmitry Khlestov midway through the first half, a tactical switch that brought some semblance of order to the Russians' defence.

Khlestov had dallied on the ball in his own half, giving possession away to Heskey, a mistake which directly led to Liverpool's second goal.

Even before Heskey scored for Liverpool Moises had had to bravely block Steven Gerrard's powerful shot.

But the inevitable Liverpool goal was simply being delayed and it came by the simplest of routes, a floating John Arne Riise pass that carved open the Spartak defence.

Owen and Heskey both chased the Norwegian's pass and for a moment there was confusion between the two strikers, before the former Leicester forward swept the ball home.

It was then Murphy's turn to prize open the Spartak defence, cleverly slipping the ball to Cheyrou, who cut inside before curling his shot past Stanislav Cherchessov.

Murphy was also the provider for the third goal curling in a free-kick into the box, where the unmarked Hyppia headed home.

Substitute Diao then got in on the act heading Heskey's cross past Cherchessov, before the Liverpool striker smashed the ball home to claim his second goal of the match.

Liverpool's final game in group B is away to Basle, a fixture which is likely to decide whether Houllier's side will progress to the next stage.

Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise, Murphy, Hamann, Gerrard, Cheyrou, Owen, Heskey.

Subs: Kirkland, Baros, Diouf, Berger, Diao, Biscan, Traore.

Spartak Moscow: Cherchessov, Khlestov, Moises, Mitreski, Kovtun, Kalinichenko, Kudriashov, Pavlenko, Kebe, Beschastnykh, Danilenko.

Subs: Levitsky, Tchuisse, Baranov, Da Silva, Bezrodny, Sonin, Abramidze.

Referee: Alain Hamer (Luxembourg).

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