Liverpool ended Arsenal’s 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions with a devastatingly routine victory at Anfield.
Sadio Mane grabbed the opener when he headed in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick in the first half.
Diogo Jota took advantage of a Nuno Tavares mistake to roll into an empty net before Mohamed Salah slotted home a Mane cross for the third.
Right-back Alexander-Arnold was the provider again when he teed up Japanese substitute Takumi Minamino to make it 4-0 with his first touch, just 48 seconds after coming on.
Victory for Liverpool sees them jump up to second in the Premier League, while Arsenal remain in fifth.
It was a tame affair between the two long-standing rivals for most of the game but Liverpool showed their quality with a ruthless second-half display.
Jurgen Klopp’s side controlled possession before the break and had the best chances – Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Thiago were all denied by Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Ramsdale was kept busy throughout and reacted well to stop Mane scrambling it in off the floor and made a decent save to prevent a second goal from Jota later on.
Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka were a threat on the counter-attack but Alisson was comfortable when he was called into action and centre-back pairing Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip were solid for Liverpool.
Despite the four goals, it was rarely a contest which burst into life, though a touchline scrap between managers Klopp and Mikel Arteta ignited a reaction from the crowd in the first half.
