Reds top Premier League after hitting Derby for six.

Liverpool stormed to the top of the Premier League after mercilessly thrashing Derby County 6-0 at Anfield.

The Reds were in total control from start to finish and two goals each from Spaniards Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres, along with strikes from Ryan Babel and Andrei Voronin, ensured they ran out emphatic winners.

Liverpool were always in cruise control and as soon as Alonso's curling free-kick from wide out on the left crept in at the far post on 26 minutes it always seemed as though it was a case of how many the home side would be able to pile on.

Babel grabbed his first Liverpool goal showing good composure in the box, while Torres did the same when he raced into the box and slid home the first of his double early in the second half.

Alonso stroked in a cool fourth before substitute Voronin tapped in from close range, and Torres added a sixth after a dreadful defensive error to round off a superb day for the new league leaders, while Billy Davies' only consolation being that in truth the scoreline could have been even worse.

Early on, Daniel Agger saw a 25-yard shot clip Bob Malcolm and force Stephen Bywater into a flying save. The goalkeeper was in action again when he fielded Torres' header powered in from Jermaine Pennant's cross.

Tyrone Mears ventured forward to blast a 20-yard shot over the bar, and Stephen Pearson wasted possession after robbing Javier Mascherano and chasing 40 yards before a poor pass let Liverpool off the hook.

But that was about it from Derby in the first period as they became increasingly occupied by the Red tide coming their way.

Kuyt cracked a 25-yard shot just over the angle and Mascherano saw a long-range effort skim the far post.

After Mears fouled Pennant, Alonso took the free-kick 35 yards out on the left. As his set-piece swerved into the box Kuyt ran across Bywater's line of vision and the ball nestled in the back of the net.

Kuyt should have made it two when Pennant raced away on the left to lift in a cross for the unmarked Dutchman to head over from eight yards.

Two minutes later Pennant's pace and skill severely embarrassed Malcolm and, from yet another cross, Kuyt was there again to lift his effort over the bar.

Liverpool were pouring forward now, and after one sustained run from Steve Finnan, the cross was controlled superbly by Torres before the striker cracked his effort over the top.

The second goal came in first-half injury-time when Alvaro Arbeloa set up Babel, who side-stepped two diving defenders before belting in his first goal for the club.

The second period started just as ominously for Derby. Pennant, Torres and Kuyt combined to set up Alonso from 10 yards, but the Spaniard lifted his effort into the Kop.

The third was not long coming. Mascherano dispossessed a dithering Malcolm 30 yards out and pushed the ball to Torres. The Spaniard then beat three defenders in a run across the box before burying his shot into the bottom corner on 56 minutes.

Liverpool were playing at such a pace and with outstanding control, Derby just could not handle it and continually gave the ball away or made forced errors.

The fourth goal came on 69 minutes when Babel crossed from the right, Yossi Benayoun's effort was blocked and Alonso placed an 18-yard shot into the bottom corner.

Next on was Voronin in place of Babel and virtually his first touch produced the fifth. Kuyt surged into the box on the left and fired in an angled shot that Bywater could only push out for the Ukrainian to force home from a couple of yards.

It got worse for Derby a minute later when a poor back-pass by Andy Todd was snapped up by Torres, who rounded Bywater to run the ball into an empty net.