Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick and Martin Skrtel struck twice as Liverpool underlined their Barclays Premier League title credentials in a thrilling encounter at Cardiff City Stadium.
Brendan Rodgers' team went behind on two occasions in the first-half as Jordan Mutch and then Fraizer Campbell struck for relegation-threatened Cardiff.
But Skrtel claimed Liverpool's second equaliser just before the break following Suarez's 16th-minute effort from close range before Cardiff were finished off during a devastating six-minute spell.
Skrtel's 54th-minute header from a corner put Liverpool ahead for the first time, and then an audacious back-heel by Daniel Sturridge gave Suarez all the room he needed to make it six league wins on the bounce.
Double act: Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge were at their clinical best once more as Liverpool hit six
Level-pegging: Suarez hits Liverpool's first, negating Jordan Mutch's opener
Make mine a double: Martin Skrtel stretches to convert his first of the afternoon to pull Liverpool level before the break
Rising to the top: Skrtel powers Phillipe Coutinho's corner beyond Cardiff keeper David Marshall as Liverpool take control of the game
Flying high: Suarez blasted Liverpool into a position of preponderance with his second goal of the game
Five star: Sturridge made it 5-2 as Liverpool continued to make their attacking intentions clear
Six shooters: Suarez completed the rout, completing the scoring - and his hat-trick - from close range
Another one for the collectionl: Suarez plucks the match ball from referee Neil Swarbrick after his three-goal salvo
Unstoppable: Suarez has now hit 28 goals this season
Pray for Cardiff: Vincent Tan sees his club three points short of safety with seven games to play
Match facts
Cardiff: Marshall 6, Theophile-Catherine 6, Caulker 6, Cala 5, John 6 (Daehli 65mins 5), Da Silva 4, Medel 6, Kim 5 (Zaha 65mins 5), Bellamy 6 (Jones 70mins 4), Mutch 7, Campbell 7 Subs not used: Turner, Whittingham, Gunnarsson, Lewis.
Booked: Cala, Fabio.
Goals: Mutch 9, Campbell 25.
Liverpool: Mignolet 6, Johnson 7, Skrtel 7, Agger 6, Flanagan 6 (Cissokho 70mins 6) Gerrard 7, Henderson 7, Allen 6, Coutinho 7 (Sterling 68mins), Sturridge 6.5 (Sakho 90mins), Suarez 9. Subs not used: Brad Jones, Aspas, Moses, Lucas.
Booked: Gerrard, Skrtel, Allen.
Goals: Suarez (16, 60, 90), Skrtel (41,53), Sturridge 75.
Attendance: 28,018.
Referee: Neil Swarbrick 7.
Man of the match: Luis Suarez
*Ratings by DOMINIC KING at the City of Cardiff Stadium
And Sturridge completed a second-half
masterclass when he scored 15 minutes from time to continue Liverpool's
irresistible form and keep Cardiff in deep trouble, despite Mutch
claiming a consolation goal two minutes from the whistle as Liverpool
triumphed 6-3 when Suarez pounced deep in injury time.
Liverpool remain four points behind
leaders Chelsea with a game in hand, and Rodgers will breathe a sigh of
relief after Cardiff arguably produced their best display during Ole
Gunnar Solskjaer's managerial reign.
But when the Reds turned up the heat,
Cardiff could not live with their precision passing and quality
finishing, meaning they remain in the relegation zone with just seven
games left.
Rodgers made just one change from the
side that beat Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford last weekend, with
Philippe Coutinho taking over from Raheem Sterling.
There was further pre-match evidence
of discontent among Cardiff fans when supporters staged a peaceful
protest against the club's controversial rebrand under owner Vincent Tan
from blue to red.
A number of supporters' groups combined to march to Cardiff City Stadium from a nearby pub, with many fans wearing blue inside and outside the ground.
False dawn: Jordon Mutch fired Cardiff ahead early, but his strike was in vain
Fighting spirit: Fraizer Campbell struck to put Cardiff 2-1 up, but Liverpool were too strong, taking three points back to Anfield
Nodding home: Mutch heads his second of the afternoon as Skrtel looks on
Red mist: Cardiff fans display their displeasure at owner Vincent Tan's choice of kit colour
Cardiff dominated the opening
exchanges, going close from a free-kick after Liverpool captain Steven
Gerrard was cautioned for fouling Campbell, then Kevin
Theophile-Catherine blasted over the bar.
But it took Cardiff just nine minutes
to open the scoring and Liverpool could have few complaints as
Campbell's impressive approach work created space that allowed Mutch to
drive the ball home past Simon Mignolet.
Mutch's strike, though, stirred
Liverpool into action, and they equalised seven minutes later when
Jordan Henderson found Glen Johnson, and his slide-rule delivery was
tucked away by Suarez.
Suarez's 26th goal of the season
could easily have deflated Cardiff, yet they continued to play with an
accuracy and tempo that belied their lowly league status.
And that enterprise was rewarded when
Campbell turned Daniel Agger inside out before finishing brilliantly
past Mignolet to put Cardiff 2-1 up after 25 minutes of an enthralling
contest.
Liverpool tried to assert themselves
on proceedings but they had to wait until four minutes before half-time
before Cardiff could be punished for a second time.
This time it was Coutinho who played
in a telling pass from the left, and Skrtel inched ahead of Cardiff's
central defenders to deliver a left-footed finish past goalkeeper David
Marshall.
Marshall then had to save at Suarez's feet in the final act of a gripping opening 45 minutes that saw Cardiff make light of trailing Liverpool by 37 points before kick-off.
In control: Suarez attemtps to keep possession despite pressure from a raft of Cardiff players
All eyes on the ball: Kenwyne Jones makes a nuisance of himself as Aly Cissokho, Simon Mignolet and Martin Skrtel attempt to clear
Down at heart: Cardiff's Fraizer, Craig Bellamy and Mutch look dejected during a chastening afernoon
Harsh reality: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer applauds his team but knows results must improve - and fast
But Liverpool went ahead nine minutes into the second-half when Skrtel pounced for his second, heading home a Coutinho corner.
Cardiff, though, could feel aggrieved
that referee Neil Swarbrick allowed the corner to be taken with Cardiff
pair Theophile-Catherine and Mutch both on the touchline waiting to
return after receiving treatment for knocks.
It was rough justice on the home
team, and Suarez rubbed their noses in the dirt six minutes later with
another cool finish following a Sturridge back-heel that set the
Uruguayan up.
Suarez returned the compliment by providing the assist for Sturridge to post Liverpool's fifth goal, and while Cardiff hardly deserved such a beating, there was no disguising the fact they had ultimately been crushed by a team oozing confidence, even though there was enough time for Mutch to cut the deficit and Suarez to claim his hat-trick.
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