Liverpool had reached the Champions League quarter-finals in their debut campaign and could secure automatic qualification for another crack the season after with victory against Ipswich Town in their final Premier League fixture.

The Reds had moved ahead of Manchester United and into second place with a last-gasp 4-3 win over Blackburn Rovers in the previous match and were looking to seal the runners-up spot and condemn their old foes to third place.

Liverpool had beaten Ipswich 6-0 at Portman Road earlier in the campaign and this return fixture at Anfield went a similar way.

John Arne Riise put the Reds two goals in front after 35 minutes before Michael Owen, Vladimir Smicer and Nicolas Anelka all chipped in to confirm Ipswich's relegation with a 5-0 defeat.