LIVERPOOL YAIBUTUA WEST BROM GOLI 4 KWA 1

Luis Suarez lit up Anfield with an excellent hat-trick and strike partner Daniel Sturridge also found the back of the net as Liverpool cruised past West Brom and into second place in the Premier League.

The Uruguayan scored twice in five first-half minutes before completing his hat-trick with a header early in the second half.
After James Morrison fired home a penalty for West Brom, the Premier League's top scorer Sturridge rounded off the scoring in the 77th minute.

Double: Luis Suarez helped Liverpool leapfrog Chelsea into second place in the Barclays Premier League

Hat-trick: The Uruguayan scored twice in five first-half minutes and again in the second half at Anfield

MATCH FACTS

Liverpool: Mignolet 7, Toure 7, Skrtel 7, Sakho 6, Johnson 7 (Kelly 62, 6), Lucas 7, Gerrard 7 (Allen 86), Cissokho 7, Henderson 7, Sturridge 8, Suarez (Alberto 89) 9.
Subs not used: Brad Jones, Agger, Moses, Sterling.
Goals: Suarez 12, 17, 55, Sturridge 77.

West Bromwich: West Brom: Myhill 7, Billy Jones 6, McAuley 6, Olsson 6, Ridgewell 5, Yacob 6 (Brunt 69, 5), Mulumbu 6, Amalfitano 6 (Morrison 45, 5), Anelka (Long 69) 5, Sessegnon 5, Anichebe 5.
Subs not used: Lugano, Luke Daniels, Vydra, Berahino.
Goals: Morrison (pen) 66.
Booked: Yacob.
Attendance: 44,747.
Referee: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire).

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Shortly after Suarez scored a superb first as early as the 12th minute Reds owner John Henry, watching from his home in America, tweeted 'Luis. Magician.'
It was difficult to argue with that assessment after seeing Suarez ghost past two West Brom players to slot home.
By the end of the game there were plenty of more superlatives to use - and that was not even taking into account a superb overhead kick with 10 minutes to go which crashed against the bar.
All this against a side with the third-best defensive away record in the league having conceded just two.
Suarez's second and third goals both came from headers, one almost from the edge of the penalty area, to make it 36 goals in his last 46 matches and 57 in 101 Liverpool appearances overall.
That is exactly why Henry was so unequivocal in his hard-line stance over the summer when he refused to countenance a sale even after a £40,000,001 bid from Arsenal and complaints from the player about the club reneging on a deal to allow him to join a Champions League club.
Even when substitute Morrison converted from the spot to reduce the deficit Sturridge ensured the afternoon ended on a high note with a delightful 20-yard chip.
Initially it appeared the day may have been one of controversy for Suarez as his ninth-minute fall in the area after tussling with Billy Jones resulted in West Brom captain Jonas Olsson remonstrating with the Uruguayan.

Opener: Suarez put Liverpool ahead in the 12th minute when he fired into the bottom far corner

Skills: The Uruguayan nutmegged Joas Olsson on the edge of the box before netting the opening goal

The move that led to Suarez's second goal - now click here for your brilliant bumper stats package from Anfield

• 	Team	P	GD	Pts
  1	Arsenal	9	11	22
  2	Liverpool	9	9	20
  3	Everton	9	4	18
  4	Chelsea	8	9	17
  5	Manchester City	8	11	16
  6	Tottenham Hotspur	8	3	16
  7	Southampton	8	5	15
  8	Manchester United	9	2	14
  9	Hull City	8	-2	11
  10	Newcastle United	8	-3	11
  11	Swansea City	8	1	10
  12	Fulham	8	-1	10
  13	West Bromwich Albion	9	-2	10
  14	Aston Villa	9	-3	10
  15	Cardiff City	9	-5	9
  16	West Ham United	8	0	8
  17	Stoke City	9	-4	8
  18	Norwich City	9	-7	8
  19	Crystal Palace	9	-13	3
  20	Sunderland	8	-15	1

  More tables

It is unlikely that provided any additional motivation for Suarez but within minutes the Baggies' Swedish centre-back found himself a mere bystander as he was left trailing in the wake of the striker's brilliance.
Suarez picked up the ball in the inside-right channel and skipped past Claudio Yacob before nutmegging Olsson so perfectly the defender was still turning round as the forward Suarez beat Boaz Myhill with an angled shot.
If that goal was a product of the South American's nifty footwork his second was more instinctive.
Having laid off the ball to Aly Cissokho he continued his run to meet the on-loan Valencia defender's first-time cross with a bullet header from at least 16 yards out.
As he raced away to celebrate even Suarez, not renowned for his aerial prowess, looked slightly surprised that he had scored with his head from that distance.
Liverpool should have had the result wrapped up from a well-worked Suarez free-kick to Gerrard in the inside-right channel but when the captain cut the ball back from the byline Martin Skrtel completely fluffed his shot from close range.

Double: Suarez's second goal came with a header from the edge of the area

Out of reach: Boaz Myhill was helpless as Suarez's header sailed into the top corner

Yacob, not having the best of games in midfield, then fouled Sturridge - for once being completely overshadowed by his strike partner but Suarez's free-kick went just wide.
Jordan Henderson, whose movement and powerful running in behind strikers made a mockery of Sir Alex Ferguson's bizarre criticism of his gait, almost made it three when he curled a shot over after Lucas Leiva, Suarez and Gerrard had combined on the edge of a congested penalty area.
West Brom's first real chance came in added time before the interval when Youssouf Mulumbu's ball over the top picked out former Liverpool striker Nicolas Anelka who knocked past the advancing Simon Mignolet only for Skrtel to hack into the Kop before the ball crossed the line.

No 3: Suarez scored his third of the game with another header in the 55th minute

How many? Jordan Henderson congratulates the Uruguayan after his hat-trick goal

That would have given the visitors hope and what they needed to do was come out all guns blazing for the second half. They failed on that count and soon found themselves out of the game.
Sturridge bent a free-kick just off target and Suarez had a shot deflected behind before the Uruguayan completed his hat-trick.
Gerrard swung in a free-kick from the left and the striker jumped to flick a head and divert the ball into the far corner.

Day out: Caroline Wozniacki was in the stands at Anfield on Saturday

Snap: The tennis star takes a picture of her trip to Liverpool's home

Sturridge, who must have already resigned himself to playing second-fiddle, crashed a shot against the bar but the damage had already been done.
Even a spot-kick with 25 minutes to go, converted by Morrison after Cissokho had been adjudged by the assistant referee to have fouled Jones, could not alter the outcome as Sturridge's inch-perfect chip restored the three-goal cushion.