It was their biggest winning margin at Anfield since 1999 and saw them take over at the top of the Barclays Premier League for the first time in five years.

They could well lose that lead tomorrow when Chelsea play at Aston Villa, but Benitez knows that his side's unbeaten start to the season is creating quite a stir.

The Reds have managed three victories in a week - all without skipper Steven Gerrard - and scored 12 goals into the bargain against Sunderland, Toulouse and Derby, without conceding.

Benitez said: "In the first half we played really well, we found space, passed well and had some excellent movement.

"I was pleased with all the goals, but Ryan Babel's was probably the best. But it was good to see Fernando Torres keep scoring, while Xabi Alonso could have had a hat-trick.

"When (Andriy) Voronin came on he fitted straight into the play and also scored. I just wanted to see Dirk Kuyt score because he had done so much running and created a lot of space for other players.

"It was good to score four and then six in front of our own fans this week."

Benitez's only cloud on the week has been the shock departure of his assistant Paco Ayestaran, who quit after what has been a gradual breakdown in the relationship between the two men, who have worked together for 11 years with Tenerife, Valencia and Liverpool.

Liverpool are currently working on the details of Ayestaran's departure, having signed a new contract only last season.

Benitez added: "Personally this has been disappointing. But we are determined to keep going, nobody is bigger than the club.

"It is a shame this has happened but the club are now talking to Paco over the terms of his departure."

Derby boss Billy Davies refused to be too downhearted after such a drubbing.

He said: "I am very confident that in time we will get it right in this division.

"I have said that our season will not really start until the transfer window ends, now it is over and we have got players in.

"We had six players missing through injury, I am a realist, I know the position we are in when we play a team like Liverpool.

"The result disappointed me. To show such a lack of discipline and care is very disappointing. We made silly mistakes and some of my players are not brave enough.

"That cost us dearly, one or two of them are freezing at this level, at this level they are showing themselves not to be brave enough.

"They are standing and admiring top-class players and letting them play."

He added: "All we can do is our best in games against teams like Liverpool. I will not criticise any one player, we are in this together.

"But it is good we are not playing for two weeks. We can get players fit and get new players who have arrived bedded in. Kenny Miller has arrived, he has a hamstring injury and now we can get him fit.

"He is a confident lad, a bit arrogant and he will be a threat up front for us."