Influential... Luis Suarez starred for Liverpool in its 3-0 win over Gomel. (Getty)
Luis Suarez was the key player as Liverpool moved smoothly into the final qualifying round of the Europa League on Thursday with a 3-0 win over Gomel of Belarus.
The Uruguayan created first-half goals for Fabio Borini and skipper Steven Gerrard as the east European visitor proved no match for the Merseyside giant. Glen Johnson added another after half-time.
It was a positive way for Brendan Rodgers to mark his first home game in charge, particularly with his first signing Borini capping a useful performance by grabbing a precious goal on his home debut, thrashing home a first-time shot from 10 yards.
More significant tests are to come and the presence of the side's former assistant-manager Steve Clarke was a reminder that the first Premier League game against West Brom is only nine days away.
However, this win should at least settle some of the nerves which have started to grow amid speculation that Daniel Agger and Andy Carroll might end up joining the exodus from a club that expects much better than last season's eighth-place finish.
The other British side in action, Scotland's Dundee United, was thrashed 5-0 at Dynamo Moscow losing by a hefty 7-2 on aggregate.
Italian giant Inter Milan was given a fright when it lost 2-0 at home to Hajduk Split of Croatia. But having won the first leg away 3-0 it scraped through 3-2 on aggregate.
Other top sides to make it through was Marseille of France which defeated Turkey's Eskisehirspor 3-0 and FC Twente of the Netherlands which swept past Mlada Boleslav of the Czech Republic 4-0 on aggregate on the back of two 2-0 wins.
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