Reds enjoy Anfield romp

Crouch: Celebrates first Liverpool goal

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Teams

• Liverpool
• Toulouse

Players

• Peter Crouch
• Sami Hyypia

• More Players +

  • Dirk Kuyt

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• Liverpool reaction
• Toulouse reaction
• Football on Sky
• Betting

Liverpool cruised into the group stages of the Champions League after a commanding 4-0 victory against Toulouse at Anfield secured a 5-0 aggregate win.

Peter Crouch grabbed the early breakthrough and Rafa Benitez's men dominated from there on and skipper Sami Hyypia added a second before Dirk Kuyt hit a late brace to add further gloss to the scoreline.

Last year's beaten finalists held a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg and had to complete the job without mainstays Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, but in truth they would never be needed as a tame French side provided little resistance throughout.

After Crouch stuck out a leg to score in the 19th minute, Liverpool were in cruise control and the score could have been much more as they romped to a 50th European Cup win at Anfield in style.

On the 800th anniversary of the city, Liverpool's stroll earned themselves a £12million bonus and ensured they were in Thursday's draw.

Liverpool shuffled their pack again and still produced a side that played fluent, quick-passing football that Toulouse never matched.

Crouch, left out of the last two matches, returned to score while captain for the night Hyypia made light of a broken nose to head home the second just after the break, before Kuyt's hard work was rewarded with the third after 87 minutes, drilling a shot in off the far post, and a fourth in injury time.

Hyypia captained the side as Javier Mascherano and Mohamed Sissoko were paired in central midfield with Argentinian winger Sebastian Leto making his debut on the left.

Crouch and Yossi Benayoun also both returned to the starting line-up to good effect.

Tribute

Before the match moving tributes were paid to murdered 11-year-old Rhys Jones, with his parents standing on the touchline as both Everton and Liverpool's theme tunes - Z Cars and You'll Never Walk Alone - were played.

However, last season's beaten finalists had to put all the emotion aside as they went about their job of trying to finish the tie and they set about the French with quick passing and movement.

Benayoun's enthusiasm, pace and skill was at the centre of most of Liverpool's attacks and the opening goal came after Benayoun worked to get Kuyt into space on the right and his far-post cross was turned in by Crouch's outstretched right leg.

The French side started to make chances and Andre Gignac got through on the right when only a fine block from Alvaro Arbeloa halted the surge.

Crouch should have scored again two minutes later when Benayoun popped up on the left and lifted in a cross that the tall striker rose to meet from six yards but planted his header over the crossbar.

Benayoun again was the creator for Kuyt, setting up the Dutchman for a low drive that flashed inches wide of a post. Toulouse responded with a header from Pantxi Sirieix that dropped a yard wide.

Crouch continued his wasteful ways when Arbeloa swung over another cross, again heading over, while Kuyt was next to miss with a header from another Benayoun cross.

Hyypia header

Mascherano's powerful run to win a corner on the right set up Liverpool for their second after 49 minutes.

And it came from Hyypia's head as he stood unmarked eight yards out to power home a Benayoun corner.

Toulouse looked disheartened by now but they sent on striker Bryan Bergougnoux for Gignac after 54 minutes but up to that point the French side had barely offered a serious threat and were being thoroughly outplayed.

After 68 minutes Benitez sent on another of his South American imports, youngster Lucas Leiva for his debut, with the £5million Brazilian replacing Sissoko.

Kuyt saw one header bounce wide before almost adding a third after 74 minutes. He drove in from the right and saw his shot hit Mauro Cetto and deflect onto the crossbar and over. A minute Later Ryan Babel replaced Leto.

Toulouse then took off Achille Emana, sending on Fabio Felix, but Liverpool were all but home by now.

Crouch, with some clever juggling from a John Arne Riise cross, lifted another chance just over the top.

Steve Finnan took over from Daniel Agger for the final minutes, while Moussa Sissoko replaced the injured Jeremy Mathieu.

Kuyt gained his reward for a night of constant running by drilling home the third off the far post after 87 minutes, and then forcing in his second in injury time after more good work from Benayoun through the middle.