Craig Bellamy inspired Liverpool to a comfortable victory at relegation-threatened Watford as the Reds responded to their midweek humbling by Arsenal in the best fashion.

Bellamy scored the first goal, made decisive contributions as Peter Crouch struck the other two, and destroyed Adrian Boothroyd's bottom-of-the-table side with his pace, movement and creativity.

Watford began the day 10 points adrift of safety and now look relegation certainties. The Hornets showed little of the combative spirit they displayed in their early games.

Their best moment coming when Jordan Stewart hit the crossbar with the scoreline already reading 3-0 - but it did not prevent his team being booed off at the end by supporters who now believe their stay in the top flight will be a very brief one.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez made seven changes to the team beaten 6-3 at home by Arsenal in the midweek Carling Cup tie, with goalkeeper Jose Reina, defender Jamie Carragher, midfielder Xabi Alonso and forward Dirk Kuyt and Crouch all returning to the team.

Sami Hyypia, Fabio Aurelio, skipper Steven Gerrard and Bellamy were the only survivors from the team dismantled by Arsene Wenger's young side at Anfield.

With their senior players back, Liverpool looked far more convincing, although a much sterner test against Barclays Premiership champions Chelsea awaits next weekend.

Liverpool looked the stronger side in the early stages of the game, with Gerrard and Crouch both going close, while the recalled Daniel Agger had a close-range effort ruled out for offside in the 12th minute.

But Watford showed they had the potential to threaten a minute later when Tommy Smith found the fit-again Hameur Bouazza, whose low drive from 20 yards took a slight deflection off Carragher and passed just wide of the right post.

From Stewart's resulting corner, Malky Mackay - who scored twice in last weekend's FA Cup win over Stockport - escaped the attention of Agger but could not direct his header on target.

The trend set in the early stages of the match was soon resumed, however, and Liverpool took the lead 11 minutes before half-time.

Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster was first to the ball after Crouch had eluded Mackay inside the penalty area, but Steve Finnan was perfectly placed to cut it back for Bellamy, who tapped the ball into the unguarded net from six yards for his eighth goal of the season.

In the 39th minute, Watford wasted a great chance to equalise when Al Bangura released Tommy Smith on the right, but the winger's effort was neither a shot nor a cross, and Liverpool were spared.

Watford were punished immediately when, following a long kick by Jose Reina, Kuyt headed the ball through to Bellamy, whose shot was saved by Foster but the rebound fell to Crouch, who headed it into the empty goal for Liverpool's second.

With his team seemingly heading for an 11th league defeat of the campaign, Boothroyd made two substitutions at the start of the second half, giving a debut to forward Will Hoskins, a recent signing from Rotherham, and also sending on Darius Henderson.

There were encouraging signs in the first moments, Henderson playing a neat return pass to Young in the 48th minute from which the in-demand forward struck a 25-yard effort that drew a smart save from Reina.

But all hope of a Watford comeback was extinguished seconds later when Crouch scored his second and Liverpool's third following a devastating counter-attack.

Watford could not handle the pace of Bellamy, and after bursting on to Gerrard's pass and speeding past DeMerit on the left, the Welshman squared the ball for the unmarked Crouch, who steered it into Foster's bottom-right corner from 10 yards.

The only spiteful moment of the game came midway through the second half when Mackay seemed to elbow Xabi Alonso, but the incident was not spotted by referee Mark Clattenburg.

Watford showed some spirit as they continued to seek a way back into the match, with Bouazza's low effort from 28 yards well held by Reina.

But it was the visitors who demonstrated the greater class, with Gerrard and Bellamy denied only by last ditch challenges from Mackay and DeMerit in the 74th minute.

Benitez sent on Robbie Fowler for Bellamy six minutes from time, with the latter earning deserved applause for an excellent performance.

Teams:

Watford Foster, Mariappa, DeMerit, Mackay, Stewart, Smith,Mahon, Bangura (Henderson 46), McNamee (Hoskins 46), Young,Bouazza.

Subs Not Used: Lee, Francis, Doyley.

Liverpool Reina, Agger, Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan, Alonso,Gerrard, Aurelio, Crouch (Pennant 69), Bellamy (Fowler 84),Kuyt (Riise 77).

Subs Not Used: Dudek, Guthrie.

Goals: Bellamy 34, Crouch 40, 48.

Att: 19,746

Ref: M Clattenburg (Co Durham).