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Liverpool beat Atalanta 5-0 at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, with Diogo Jota scoring a superb hat-trick to lead the way for Jurgen Klopp's side.
The Reds looked sharp and firing from the kickoff, and had a chance early in the game, but Jota failed to sufficiently test Marco Sportiello with his first effort of the game.
However just a few minutes later, he chipped Sportiello, after being put through on goal by Trent Alexander-Arnold to put the Reds in the lead. The Portuguese doubled up just a few minutes later, with a sensational turn and strike, after latching on to a lofted pass from Joe Gomez.
Liverpool then scored three times in the space of nine minutes at the start of the second half, to put the tie well beyond Atalanta.
Mohamed Salah was set free by Curtis Jones after an Atalanta corner, and he finished easily. Salah then set up Sadio Mane to put Liverpool in command of the tie, before Jota completed his hat-trick, after rounding Sportiello and slotting into an empty net.
Here are five major talking points from the game.
#1 Diogo Jota continues to propel Liverpool
Diogo Jota now has six goals in four games in the last ten days for Liverpool. The Portuguese has seamlessly settled into life in the Liverpool attack, and has comfortably been one of their stars over recent weeks.
In this game, Jota was given another vote of confidence by Jurgen Klopp, as he started the game ahead of Roberto Firmino. The Brazilian's form has been iffy for a while, and with Jota's form being red-hot, it allowed Klopp to make that change.
The German manager's faith was repaid by his new summer signing, with a sensational hat-trick. Jota's goals are just one part of his game, with his speed, dribbling and movement offering so much to the others around him.
Atalanta could not deal with Jota's movement all night, as he kept making different kinds of runs from his starting role in the centre of the Liverpool front three.
The likes of Rafael Toloi and Berat Djimsiti didn't know whether to sit deep or move with Jota. In the end, they got caught in no man's land, and did neither, offering Jota the space and time when he had possession of the ball.
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#2 Atalanta's lack of defensive organisation is ruthlessly exposed
Before analysing the goals that Atalanta conceded from open play in this game, we need to look at their defensive organisation when they had a set-piece.
Hans Hateboer isn't the quickest defender around by any means, so it was a basic error to have him be the last man to guard against a potential one-vs-one battle against Salah.
They conceded a goal because of that too, and in the context of the game, it was a huge goal. Just a couple of minutes after play had restarted for the second half, Papu Gomez's poor corner was played into Salah's path by Jones, before the Egyptian took on Hateboer and finished the job.
A lack of defensive organisation meant that Gian Piero Gasperini's half-time team-talk was in tatters just a couple of minutes into the half.
Salah could have added another goal from a similar situation later in the game, but was denied by a superb save by Sportiello.
Even otherwise in open play, Atalanta's organisation was questionable. They were generally set up man-for-man against the Liverpool front three. Now, neither Toloi, Jose Luis Palomino, nor Djimsiti are the quickest defenders going around. So pitting those three in a battle against Salah, Mane and Jota, was always going to be a dangerous proposition.
Liverpool kept playing passes along the sides of the wide centre-backs, and had plenty of joy doing so.
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#3 Liverpool have the perfect preparation ahead of Manchester City clash
Liverpool face a massive Premier League clash against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp's team selection may not have shown it, but the Reds surely would have had one eye on that game, given its potential ramifications on their whole season.
With the Reds five goals to the good before the hour mark, it gave Klopp the opportunity to make changes with that game in mind.
Both full-backs, captain Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum and Jota were taken off before the 90-minute-mark.
It was not just about the resting of players though, in which the Reds looked ahead to the game against Manchester City at the weekend.
Jota's performance now gives Klopp a headache in terms of Roberto Firmino's position in the squad. With Liverpool definitely not wanting to sacrifice their pressing against Manchester City this weekend, it is likely that Klopp will bring Firmino back into the starting XI for that game.
#4 The Liverpool kids stake their claim
It says a lot about how much Klopp rates Curtis Jones that the young midfielder has now started in two away games in the Champions League - against Ajax and Atalanta.
After middling performances so far this season, Jones was outstanding in this game. He took the game by the scruff of the neck in midfield. He carried the ball forward with a swagger, his passing was crisp and confident, and he linked up superbly with Salah, in particular.
Jones also got himself an assist, with the pass for Salah's goal. That is bound to do the youngster's confidence and development a world of good.
For Rhys Williams, making his first Champions League start, this was another giant stride in his development. He was playing against a difficult opponent in Duvan Zapata, but he was hardly fazed, and confidently won the duels that he had to.
With Joel Matip reportedly fit, and Fabinho not far away from returning to the Liverpool fold, Williams's opportunities may be few and far between, but he has shown that he has the potential to be an able deputy if necessary.
#5 Liverpool shut down Papu Gomez in midfield
Frequent watchers of Atalanta would now know that the best way to beat them is by ensuring that their captain - Papu Gomez - is kept as far away from creating chances as possible.
Liverpool's midfield was terrific against Gomez tonight. The night started off a little naughtily for both Henderson and Wijnaldum, as they made blatant tactical fouls on Gomez.
But as the game went on, Liverpool did not resort to any such tactics on Gomez. Henderson's positioning was superb, as he cut passing lanes to Gomez, and ensured that the Argentine had to go deep to receive possession.
When Gomez dropped deep, Liverpool cut his passing lines, and more often that not, regained possession from there.
It was a proper tactical job from the Reds' midfield that kept out Atalanta's best player from creating too much.
