The result still doesn't guarantee Champions League progress, but will go a long way to silencing the doubters of Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez and his team.

Yossi Benayoun grabbed a hat-trick as Besiktas were over-run in this critical Group A clash.

And Liverpool achieved their biggest winning margin in Europe since a 10-1 win over Finnish side Oulun Palloseura in 1980, and this on Benitez's 50th European match in charge at Liverpool.

On the day that Liverpool's new American owners got the go-ahead from the local council to build a new 60,000 stadium in Stanley Park, their team responded with a really big performance.

Peter Crouch slotted in after his first shot was saved to open the scoring.

Benayoun took down a cross and lashed home before twice side-footing in after John Arne Riise and Steven Gerrard had strikes parried into his path.

Gerrard powered in a shot, Ryan Babel backheeled in a deft goal and then deflected in a Besiktas clearance before Crouch nodded in for an eighth.