LIVERPOOL - Liverpool regained their European pride and gave themselves a fighting chance of salvaging their Champions League dreams with a stunning eight-goal display at Anfield.
Yossi Benayoun grabbed a hat-trick as Liverpool regained their European pride and gave themselves a fighting chance of salvaging their Champions League dreams with a stunning eight-goal display at Anfield. were over-run in this critical Group A clash.
And Liverpool achieved their biggest winning margin in Europe since a 10-1 win over Finnish side Oulun Palloseura in 1980, and this on Benitez's 50th European match in charge at Liverpool.
Anything but a victory would have ended Liverpool's chances of qualifying for the last 16, but although they still have to beat Porto and Marseille in their final two matches, there is at last hope to cling onto for under-fire boss Rafael Benitez.
The depressingly inept displays in three previous group games that had achieved just one point, had created an ill-timed crisis at Anfield.
But on the day that Liverpool's new American owners got the go-ahead from the local council to build a new 60,000 stadium in Stanley Park, their team responded with a really big performance.
The night started with Peter Crouch finally restored to the front line. Even given Benitez's reputation for obscure team selection, that was no real surprise.
Besiktas were without their key centre-back Gokhan Zan, injured in the defeat at Fenerbahce at the weekend. The Turkish club's coach Ertugrul Saglam predicted Crouch's involvement and he was not confounded.
And the whirlwind start demanded from Liverpool duly materialised. Matias Delgado's early run had set-up Mehmet Sedef for a half-chance on the near post, but it was all Liverpool after that.
Liverpool had a stream of chances before Crouch put them ahead on 19 minutes.
Andriy Voronin from close range was just wide, Crouch missed with a powerful header and Yossi Benayoun also went close.
The breakthrough came when Voronin prodded a pass through the middle and Crouch forced his way between two defenders to see his first shot blocked by Arikan, before following up to stab home the lose ball.
Crouch's celebration was more of relief than joy, this being only his second goal of a difficult, inactive, season spent warming the bench.
The onslaught continued with John Arne Riise having a powerful header blocked on the line by Serdar Kurtulus and Serdar Ozkan-- scorer of Besiktas' opener in their 2-1 win over Liverpool last month - booked for refusing to retreat from a free-kick.
With Steven Gerrard everywhere and Liverpool dominating at a high tempo it was no surprise that a harassed Besiktas wanted to calm things down.
But the second arrived on 32 minutes after Riise got away with stealing several yards at a quick throw. He sent Voronin racing away on the left and, when the cross arrived in the box, Benayoun had time and space to lash the ball home.
The Israel midfielder's effort was Liverpool's 500th in European competition, and they were starting to live up to that pedigree after a group of previous mediocrity.
The trick now was for Liverpool to maintain this level after the break and finish things off.
And two goals in two minutes achieved that. On 52 minutes Voronin worked his way in from the left before offering Riise the chance to test Arikan from 12 yards. The 'keeper could only parry the effort, allowing Benayoun a six-yard finish for the third.
Two minutes later Benayoun grabbed his hat-trick. Lamine Diatta had fouled Voronin on the edge of the box, and Gerrard's fierce free-kick was too much for Arikan.
The ball was again half-stopped and there was Benayoun with another close-range finish from the rebound.
Arikan's confidence was shot to pieces by now. He had angered the Kop by collapsing as an after-thought following a Gerrard challenge, rolling around in mock agony.
The fifth was not long in coming.
Voronin, having his best game for the club, played Gerrard in with a fine one-two and the skipper responded with a fierce dipping drive that left Arikan standing.
Liverpool could now indulge themselves. Benitez sent on Kewell, Ryan Babel and Lucas for Voronin, Fabio Aurelio and the outstanding Gerrard.
There was handshakes all round from their manager, while Crouch made the point of running 30 yards to thank Voronin for his tireless support play.
The sixth came on 77 minutes when Benayoun crossed low from the right and Babel beat Arikan with a clever back-heel. And three minutes later Babel got the seventh, deflecting a clearance from Ibrahim Uzulmez over Arikan.
Besiktas had capitulated by now and Babel saw a header crash against the bar with Liverpool trying pot shots from everywhere.
Crouch, having started the rout, was the last to strike, heading in his second from another Benayoun cross after 88 minutes.
