Remember These?: Liverpool 5 - Birmingham 0

I remember them. The home strolls that are past doubt by halftime. The side in red tearing into an opponent that wasn't all there. The ruthlessness with which it was conducted. it made for a good start to the weekend, don't you think?

That said, Birmingham's defense was pretty hilariously bad. Luis Suarez had more space to make him think he had a disease of some kind. The marking was terrible. But that's what you do to a bottom-half side that can't quite pull of their plan to simply hold you out. You get the first one early, change their entire plan, and pour it on while their heads are still spinning.

And whoever of you had a wager on a Maxi hat trick ever occurring, I look forward to riding on your soon to be purchased 60-foot yacht. I still think he sucks, he could score six in a game and I'll still be convinced of that. But fair play to him, he showed up in the right spots when he needed to. Maybe he was making out with Dirk Kuyt this week and caught that from him, I don't know.

Once again, Kenny Dalglish changed tactics, going back to a straight up 4-4-2 but with a diamond formation. This restoring of Meireles to the middle provided Liverpool with greater thrust. And against a non-existent opponent, it was easy for Spearing and Maxi to bomb forward to support the front two of Kuyt and Suarez.

There isn't a lot more to say. Liverpool had their swagger for full viewing out on Saturday. They played with confidence and a sneer that always suggested they knew they were taking the three point easily. That's what's so exciting about the Dalglish and FSG era, that confidence is back. The acknowledgment of what Liverpool FC should be and the determination to get it back there. The passing, movement all providing the platform for a new found lethal streak.

Shame there are only four games left. The chase for fifth isn't over, If Liverpool manage to grab all twelve points left, including that home date with Spurs, then Tottenham will have to drop three points in their other four games.They are at Chelsea and at City, and a face a desperate Blackpool side as well. Stranger things have happened. And it's not that 5th means all that much, none of us are going to care about a Europa League campaign next season. But it can't hurt, really.