The challenge was always an enormous one with Burnley the smallest club ever to be promoted to the Premier League and ultimately the size of the task has proved too much for both the Clarets' original manager at the start of the season, Owen Coyle, and more latterly his replacement, Brian Laws.
Liverpool owed much of their victory to the quality provided by skipper Steven Gerrard, whose two strikes early in the second half proved decisive in swinging the match in favour of Rafa Benitez's team.
Burnley may have hoped that the Merseysiders would have been a little leg weary following their excursion to Madrid in midweek for the Europa league, but it was the visitors who started brightly, forcing three early corners.
It was Gerrard who forced the first save of the game from Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen, while another goalbound shot from the England international was blocked inadvertently by referee Phil Dowd.
At the other end, from a Martin Paterson cross, striker Steven Fletcher headed over from six yards.
Burnley also had the best opportunity of the opening half with another cross from the right, this time delivered by Tyrone Mears, who found the head of on-loan midfielder Jack Cork only for Jose Reina to palm the ball away.
However, the result was never really in any doubt once Gerrard had put Liverpool in front, picking up possession in the inside left channel he turned the ball on to his right foot and struck a low shot to the right-hand side of Jensen, which found the goalkeeper completely flat-footed.
Gerrard's second was an outstanding strike curled with the inside of his right boot high into the net, leaving Jensen with no chance whatsoever.
Burnley bravely tried to respond knowing that at this stage their struggle for survival was over with strikers David Nugent and Fletcher both bringing saves from Reina.
Fletcher was unlucky when he chested the ball down on to his left foot and struck a shot which beat Reina but struck the goalkeeper's left-hand upright.
Liverpool increased their lead when Alberto Aquilani played a lovely ball inside Burnley substitute Robbie Blake for Maxi Rodriguez to convert in some style.
To rub salt in to the wounds the home team conceded again in the final minute of stoppage time as Ryan Babel's shot just had enough on it to beat Jensen.