If Liverpool retain their position at the Premiership summit for the remaining five matches of their season they will owe a huge debt of gratitude to Vladimir Smicer.

The Czech international had scored the injury-time winner against Chelsea last week which took them clear at the top and today another goal and an assist sunk Charlton at Anfield and enabled his side to regain top spot from Manchester United.

Smicer needed less than a minute to make his presence felt. He replaced the injured Emile Heskey in the 23rd minute and with his first touch he rose highest to connect to Danny Murphy's free-kick to rifle a powerful header into the bottom left corner of Dean Kiely's net.

Thirteen minutes later Anelka crossed from the right and Smicer appeared to try a shot from close to the penalty spot. The ball squirmed away from him to Michael Owen, who made the most of the simplest of chances to score his 24th goal of the season.

Liverpool's lead never looked in danger against a Charlton side who had reached the lofty heights of seventh in the Premiership largely due to an impressive away record including only three defeats.

Today they were short on firepower with the lively Jason Euell looking their only truly potent threat, and resorted to long-range efforts which scarcely tested Jerzy Dudek.

Firepower was not something Liverpool went short of even after the loss of Heskey, who hobbled up the tunnel with his lower left leg heavily bandaged.

They had also named Owen and Anelka in their starting line-up and that embarrassment of riches made the difference from the start in the Anfield sun.

Jamie Carragher should have opened the scoring in the second minute after charging in from the right flank and playing a neat one-two with Anelka before ballooning his shot over the bar.

Stuart hit Charlton's first chance over the crossbar from 35 yards but their anxiety got the better of them when Chris Bart-Williams was booked for the foul on Owen which led to Smicer's opener.

Owen had his first chance for Liverpool but skewed his chance from six yards horribly wide just as the linesman saved his blushes by waving the offside flag.

The Liverpool star's 15th Premiership goal of the season effectively shut down the game although Paul Konchesky, back from a virus which ruled him out of the England Under-21s in midweek, narrowly missed with a 30-yard effort which could have turned up the pressure.

Charlton keeper Kiely prevented his side falling further behind with a brilliant double save from Owen and Carragher in the 53rd minute, and two minutes later Euell fashioned Charlton's best chance, his powerful 18-yard shot fisted over the bar by Dudek.

Kiely was in the action again in the dying seconds to parry a long range blaster from John Arne Riise on the left, but by then Liverpool were home and dry with the minimum of fuss, and five wins away from the coveted crown.

Teams

Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise, Murphy, Hamann, Berger (McAllister 84), Heskey (Smicer 19), Owen (Litmanen 78), Anelka.

Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Wright.

Booked: Smicer.

Goals: Smicer 23, Owen 36.

Charlton: Kiely, Young, Costa, Rufus, Powell, Stuart, Bart-Williams, Parker (Kinsella 57), Konchesky (Robinson 69), Svensson (Johansson 75), Euell.

Subs Not Used: Ilic, Fortune.

Booked: Bart-Williams, Parker.

Att: 44,094

Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).