Liverpool have moved back into the top half of the Premier League table following a 4-1 victory over Swansea City this evening.
The Reds came close early on when Martin Skrtel met Jordan Henderson's corner at the back post, but he directed his header straight at Lukasz Fabianski.
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Raheem Sterling was next to threaten when he connected with Alberto Moreno's cross and saw his low drive blocked by the keeper, before Adam Lallana drilled over the bar.
Liverpool continued to dominate and they made their pressure count in the 33rd minute when Moreno arrived to tap in Henderson's low ball across the box from close range.
Brendan Rodgers's side continued to push for another goal and Philippe Coutinho saw his drive from a tight angle pushed behind by Fabianski.
Five minutes before the break Jonjo Shelvey appeared to catch Emre Can with his elbow, but nothing was given by the referee.
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Coutinho threatened to add a second goal on the stroke of half time, but his fierce effort was beaten away by the keeper.
Swansea made a bright start to the second half and Wilfried Bony tested the keeper with a glancing header from Gylfi Sigurdsson's free kick.
However, the Reds soon found themselves two goals ahead when Fabianski's poor clearance cannoned off Lallana and looped into the back of the net.
Within a minute of conceding Swansea pulled a goal back, as Sigurdsson tapped in at the back post after Mamadou Sakho had headed a cross from Wayne Routledge across his own box.
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There was nearly a third goal in as many minutes when Sterling smashed an effort across goal and onto the post.
Liverpool did manage to regain their two-goal advantage just past the hour mark, as Lallana drove his way past the Swansea defence before slotting a low effort into the bottom corner.
The Reds scored their fourth goal of the evening eight minutes later when Shelvey headed Henderson's corner into his own net.
Bafetimbi Gomis almost reduced the deficit once more with a curling effort that came back off the bar.
In the final minute, Mario Balotelli came close to scoring his first Premier League goal for Liverpool, but his low shot was saved by the keeper, as the Reds held on to win their final match of the year.
Alex Meyers
