Having laboured for so long to score, Emile Heskey now seemingly cannot stop. In fact, his recent addiction to goalscoring must be catching.

As he struck twice as Liverpool routed an in-form Ipswich side, Michael Owen matched him to underline their surely undeniable claims to start as England's strike duo in Holland next week.

And while the Anfield club glided past Manchester United and Newcastle to return to the top of the table as they underlined the genuine renaissance in their title pretensions, the scoring did not stop there.

Even Abel Xavier struck his first goal in English football, while Sami Hyypia chipped in with a header and a fourth consecutive league victory told only half of the story.

This was an immensely impressive Liverpool performance, underpinned by a commanding display from Steven Gerrard in midfield and given attacking verve by Heskey and Owen.

If the duo do not start together in Amsterdam, then either Sven-Goran Eriksson will be experimenting or - despite Robbie Fowler's class - he will patently be ignoring the form book.

Indeed, it was only substitute Nicolas Anelka who missed out at Portman Road as Liverpool's mid-season slump in fortunes, which had threatened to fatally undermine their title bid, was made to look a distant memory.

As does the wholly unfair criticism of stand-in boss Phil Thompson, as well as their style of play. Who's boring now, asked the visiting fans?

This overwhelming victory, after all, was achieved against an Ipswich side who had won seven of their past eight league games to move clear of the relegation zone.

But they never came to terms with the imposing authority of Gerrard and Dietmar Hamann, allied to the immense work-rate of Danny Murphy and John Arne Riise, while Heskey and Owen were constant menaces up front.

Then again, although Heskey and Murphy threatened early on, the opening goal came from the most unlikely of sources - Xavier.

Just 16 minutes into his Liverpool debut following an £800,000 move from Everton, the full-back, who came in for the suspended Jamie Carragher, saw his shot deflected in off Chris Makin.

Ipswich rallied briefly, with Jerzy Dudek saving from both Marcus Bent and Sixto Peralta, but the respite was painfully brief for the home side.

Gerrard delivered the through-ball with perception and superb technique, but it still required Heskey to bring the ball almost lazily under control before slipping a left-foot shot past Marshall shortly before the break.

The Ipswich keeper denied Owen and Riise after the restart but he was hopelessly exposed by his defence and Hyypia had soon powered home a header from a corner.

Pegguy Arphexad replaced Dudek as Liverpool's goalkeeping spectator and he had much to admire as the visitors were by now rampant.

Owen was not about to miss out as he clipped home a shot after a superb counter-attack that was started by Gerrard in his own half and had reached the striker via Riise and then the tireless Gerrard again.

"Boring, boring Scousers," taunted the visiting fans. And while Liverpool do often rely on the counter-attack away from home - and they are hardly alone in that - they are a richly potent attacking force on this form.

With 20 minutes left, Owen struck again as Heskey put his strike partner through with alarming ease and while Anelka's only real effort was saved, Heskey was not to be denied a second as he applied the coup de grace.

He scored only once in 35 games following his strike in England's 5-1 win in Munich last year. Now he has five in his past three matches.

England beckons for him, Owen and Gerrard. As does a genuine title challenge for Liverpool.

Teams:

Ipswich: Marshall, Makin, McGreal, Hreidarsson, Venus, Holland, Clapham, Wright (Stewart 38), Peralta, Armstrong (Magilton 71), Marcus Bent.

Subs Not Used: Salmon, Counago, Reuser.

Liverpool: Dudek (Arphexad 55), Wright, Henchoz, Hyypia, Xavier, Murphy, Hamann, Gerrard (McAllister 81), Riise (Anelka 73), Heskey, Owen.

Subs Not Used: Smicer, Litmanen.

Goals: Xavier 16, Heskey 43, Hyypia 52, Owen 62, 71, Heskey 90.

Att: 25,608

Ref: S Bennett (Kent).