Record Reds rout

Yossi Benayoun led the way with a hat-trick after two-goal Peter Crouch had opened the scoring and substitute Ryan Babel struck twice.

Captain Steven Gerrard was also on target as Liverpool finally sparked into life after collecting just one point from their first three Group A games.

Liverpool had a stream of chances before Crouch put them ahead on 19 minutes. The breakthrough came when Andriy Voronin prodded a pass through the middle and Crouch forced his way between two defenders to see his first shot blocked by Arikan, before following up to stab home the lose ball.

The second arrived on 32 minutes after John Arne Riise got away with stealing several yards at a quick throw. He sent Voronin racing away on the left and, when the cross arrived in the box, Benayoun had time and space to lash the ball home.

Liverpol rammed home their advantage after the break with two goals in two minutes. On 52 minutes Voronin worked his way in from the left before offering Riise the chance to test Arikan from 12 yards. The 'keeper could only parry the effort, allowing Benayoun a six-yard finish for the third.

Two minutes later Benayoun grabbed his hat-trick. Lamine Diatta had fouled Voronin on the edge of the box, and Gerrard's fierce free-kick was too much for Arikan. The ball was again half-stopped and there was Benayoun with another close-range finish from the rebound.

The fifth was not long in coming. Voronin, having his best game for the club, played Gerrard in with a fine one-two and the skipper responded with a fierce dipping drive that left Arikan standing.

Liverpool could now indulge themselves. Benitez sent on Harry Kewell, Ryan Babel and Lucas for Voronin, Fabio Aurelio and the outstanding Gerrard. And the sixth came on 77 minutes when Benayoun crossed low from the right and Babel beat Arikan with a clever back-heel. And three minutes later Babel got the seventh, deflecting a clearance from Ibrahim Uzulmez over Arikan.

Besiktas had capitulated by now and Babel saw a header crash against the bar with Liverpool trying pot shots from everywhere. Crouch, having started the rout, was the last to strike, heading in his second from another Benayoun cross after 88 minutes.