Liverpool finish in style

Liverpool 5 Ipswich 0

Liverpool cruised imperiously to the Premiership runners-up spot with a display of quality that consigned Ipswich to relegation.

If there was much doubt about the outcome it was surely ended 44 seconds into the second half.

Titus Bramble made a terrible hash of a dropping ball into the box, twice failing to clear before attempting to prod the ball back to Marshall.

Owen was on the ball in a flash and lifted it over the advancing keeper for his 19th league goal of the season, his best-ever Premiership return.

The game was now little more than an end of season jaunt. Owen went on a run past three men before losing out to Hermann Hreidarsson and Clapham’s cross at the other end was hooked lazily over the bar by Holland.

Then Reuser gave the ball away to Owen, whose quick pass found Heskey unmarked on the left, the big striker lifting his shot over the bar from the edge of the box.

However, Smicer compounded Ipswich’s misery in the 57th minute when he broke through a couple of tackles on the right-hand side of the box to stab the ball past Marshall.

McAllister by now was a permanent fixture on the touchline and engaged in entertaining banter with the Kop, who chanted ‘‘What a waste of money’’ at the Scot who cost nothing and will never be forgotten at Anfield for his part in last season’s cup treble.

Marcus Stewart took over from Darren Bent on 68 minutes, a futile gesture by now.

But Ipswich still managed another chance. Reuser’s corner was met by the head of Marcus Bent, but Smicer cleared off the line.

Stewart was clean through on 77 minutes, but Dudek touched his 12-yard shot round a post.

McAllister finally got on to say his farewells to a standing ovation on 80 minutes for Murphy.

Alun Armstrong replaced Marcus Bent at the same time, while Anelka got on for Xavier with seven minutes remaining.

On 86 minutes the Frenchman glided through to cooly clip home the fifth, making his point, no doubt to Houllier about the pending transfer.

The Anfield men have now scored 11 against the luckless East Anglians this term, the 6-0 thrashing they handed out at Portman Road back in February being one of the key points in Ipswich’s downward spiral.