Published: 17:38, 28 February 2026 | Updated: 17:38, 28 February 2026

A first outing of the season for sunshine and bright blue skies made this Anfield afternoon feel rather like spring 2025 – but the weather was not the only reason.

For the first time since the famous day of April last when Liverpool won the Premier League title by thrashing Tottenham, the Reds scored three in a first half and put a game to bed.

The weather makes everything feel better and, like the lyrics to Here Comes The Sun by local band the Beatles, it has been a long, cold, lonely winter for Liverpool.

But the green shoots of spring are now showing after a taxing mid-season slump-cum-crisis for the champions, who have now won four games in a row.

Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister were the first-half goal-scorers as the Reds broke with tradition to put their chances away, unlike far too often this season where poor finishing has bugged Arne Slot.

It highlighted the importance of starting games strongly as it gave Liverpool the safety cushion...