FT Liverpool 4 - 1 Cardiff City. Callum Paterson with a consolation goal that gave Liverpool a scare and stopped a club record.
Mo Salah's 9th minute goal put Liverpool ahead and despite almost no possession Cardiff managed to hold onto that scoreline until half time.
The Bluebirds couldn't manage an effort at all in the opening 45 mins and didn't touch the ball in the Liverpool box. But with Liverpool only having one shot on target (the goal) from eleven efforts Cardiff kept in the game.
The defenders were busy and Neil Etheridge was relieved to see Virgil Van Dijk's header hit the post. Salah looked to earn himself a penalty with a theatrical fall under minimal pressure from Sean Morrison (pictured) but the referee correctly waived it away.
City did manage to have a couple of decent counter attacks but the final ball was cut out when better delivery to Josh Murphy could have given Cardiff a couple of very good chances to score.
The risk though is that Liverpool are so quick and skillful they get forward in the blink of an eye, as City discovered for the fourth goal.
The second half started with Liverpool not quite up to the intesity of the first half and were given a scare when Sean Morrison was caught offside as he headed a ball into the six yard box, but the flag was up before City scrambled the ball into the net.
Backed by a superb away support Cardiff remained in the game but it looked like it was all over when Sadio Mane resisted a couple of challenges and got a decent deflection to set up a rocket shot past Etheridge.
But that spurred Cardiff forward and Junior Hoilett's cross was touched by Virgil Van Dijk, Callum Paterson reacted to get the final touch to score. The goal increased the noise from the away fans, gave Liverpool something to think about and was the first league goal conceded at Anfield by Liverpool since February, 918 minutes ago and ending a run that would have seen a club record if they kept a clean sheet today
Cardiff put Kenneth Zohore on for the final 7 mins but before he had chance to have any influence Liverpool were back in front. Shaquiri's quick feet and thinking made space to slot past Etheridge and then Mane put on the after-burners to run onto Salah's inch perfect defense splitting pass, the Senegalese striker clipping the ball into the net.
918 - Callum Paterson's goal for Cardiff is the first goal Liverpool have conceded at Anfield in the Premier League since February, ending a run of 918 minutes without conceding. Penetrated.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 27, 2018
4 - 1 made it a realistic scoreline based on the dominance but for those two quick goals in the last five minutes it could have been a nervous finish for the home side.
Cardiff move on, bigger games to come as we face nine games in the run up to Decebmer 26th (half way point of the season) against teams in the middle of the table.Starting next Saturday at home to Leicester.