A hat-trick from striker Beata Olsson helped fire Liverpool into the quarter-finals of the Subway Women's League Cup with a 4-1 win against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
Mia Enderby added a fourth against her former club to see the Reds complete the group stage with a perfect record of three victories from three.
In-form Olsson made it six goals in her last four appearances, completing her treble in the second period after two first-half efforts had put the visitors firmly in control of the contest.
With head coach Gareth Taylor missing through illness, assistant coaches Chad Gribble and Amber Whiteley took charge and saw their team go ahead within two minutes.
Ceri Holland played Cornelia Kapocs in down the right and her instant cross was turned high into the net by Olsson.
Kapocs shot too close to the goalkeeper and Fuka Nagano flashed an effort wide as Liverpool dominated the opening 15 minutes of the contest.
A free-kick from Charlie Devlin was the first real threat from the hosts with almost half an hour gone, her effort sailing well over.
The Reds responded quickly, a fine team move ending with a fierce left-foot drive from Kapocs narrowly missing the target.
Enderby dazzled with some lovely footwork 10 minutes before half-time and her run ended with a curling right-foot shot just wide of the far post.
Liverpool looked worthy of a second and it duly arrived a couple of minutes prior to the break.
Holland crossed from the right and Olsson continued her fine run of form with an instinctive header that looped over stopper Charlotte Parker-Smith. That should have given the Reds a comfortable half-time cushion but, after conceding a late corner, a poor touch in the box allowed Lauren Thomas to fire home a loose ball and reduce the deficit.
Ten minutes after the interval, though, the two-goal lead was restored as Olsson completed her hat-trick.
Good movement saw the forward meet a corner from Holland at the near post, with the flicked header too good for those on the line.
The Swede was withdrawn shortly after her third but the goals continued for Liverpool.
Enderby nipped past a defender on the edge of the box and fired a low shot into the corner with her left foot to make things safe on 63 minutes.
That completed the scoring but there were still real positives for the Reds in the remainder of the game.
Loan signing Emilia Szymczak gained her first minutes for the club, while Alejandra Bernabe and Lucy Parry both left the bench to return from long-term injuries.
The draw for the last eight will take place on Tuesday.
Team
Liverpool: Kirby, Fisk (Bernabe, 83), Clark, Evans (Szymczak, 69), Woodham (Parry, 83), Nagano, Maclean (Lundgaard, 69), Kapocs, Holland, Olsson (Kiernan, 62), Enderby.
Unused subs: Laws, Borggrafe, Bonner, Silcock.
SOURCE: www,liverpoolfc.com
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