Since Redknapp took over an ailing team, tweaking tactics and lifting spirits, Tottenham have struck 18 goals in five wins and a draw. Not since Victoria was a living royal rather than a railway station has a Spurs manager started this well, and the supporters could not be more amused.

The manager was certainly smiling. "I should get out now!'' Redknapp laughed afterwards. "I've taken them as far as I can! It's been a terrific start but you know it isn't going to keep going. We still need points to get up that table. There are 14 teams scrapping to stay up.''

Having led Portsmouth to the FA Cup last season, Redknapp is determined to guide Spurs to the Carling Cup. He rested some regulars, like Jermaine Jenas, Jonathan Woodgate, Luka Modric, David Bentley and Darren Bent, but the holders still fielded a strong side, far superior in attitude and quality to Liverpool.

Rafa Benitez's second string were an embarrassment until Xabi Alonso charged on to remind some of the younger players of the hunger required to wear the famous red shirt. Benitez sounded phlegmatic afterwards, dwelling only briefly on his "disappointment'', but privately he must be alarmed at the poor contributions of his reserves, particularly as the first half closed.

Suddenly, Tottenham took control, exploiting poor marking to seize a three-goal lead in six astonishing minutes. Spurs' movement and verve was terrific but Liverpool's defending was truly embarrassing, an affront to fans raised on the likes of Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson.

Jamie Carragher was left in reserve, doubtless squirming on the bench as Liverpool's defence was torn apart in the air and on the ground. Sami Hyypia and Daniel Agger are decent centre-halves but they were badly exposed by the movement of Fraizer Campbell and Roman Pavlyuchenko.

Weakness was also found out wide. If Liverpool's first-choice full-backs are average, the understudies to Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Aurelio were even less impressive. After being twisted this way and that by Aaron Lennon, Andrea Dossena looked anything but a £7m Italian left-back. Over on the other flank, Gareth Bale and Jamie O'Hara went past the Swiss international, Philipp Degen, almost at will.

And so the goals began to flow. Bale forced the breakthrough, cutting in from the left and inviting Campbell to run at Hyypia. The Finnish centre-half seemed to ease up, allowing Campbell to cut the ball back to Pavlyuchenko, who had ghosted away from Agger and scored with a low left-footer past Diego Cavalieri.

Having created the first, Campbell scored the next two. Fabio Capello had come to assess Bent but found himself watching Campbell. Tom Huddlestone, particularly invigorated by Redknapp, began the move to the second, passing to the busy O'Hara, who lifted a cross into the box. A disastrous mix-up between Cavalieri and the hapless Dossena allowed Campbell to run on and stroke the ball into an unguarded net.

Spurs fans loved it, relishing the sight of their team playing with such conviction. And their players had not finished for the half. Didier Zokora and O'Hara combined to send Lennon away and there was Campbell, granted the freedom of the penalty area, heading easily home.

Trailing 3-0 at the break is not a new experience for Liverpool but any thoughts of revisiting the drama of Istanbul 2005 were always ambitious. Damien Plessis did head home a Ryan Babel corner but Pavlyuchenko soon restored Spurs' three-goal advantage, turning in a Zokora cross. Hyypia's subsequent header was a meaningless riposte.

Campbell, Pavlyuchenko and Bent will begin working with their strikers' coach, Les Ferdinand on Thursday. "If it goes wrong from now on in, I'm going to blame Les!'' joked Redknapp.

"He's under pressure! He's got something to offer. He knows more about making space in the box, pulling away from defenders. The movement was good from the strikers tonight. You can see why Sir Alex (Ferguson) turned down £7m from Hull for Fraizer.''

The night was not without its problems. Degen accidentally caught Gomes, leaving the Spurs keeper stricken on the grass. Vedran Corluka, realising the keeper had swallowed his tongue, quickly shoved his fingers down the Brazilian's mouth to clear the air passageway.

Carried away on a stretcher, Gomes fortunately did not require hospital attention. "He's done his teeth but he should be OK for Saturday (against Fulham),'' said Redknapp. "He's OK. He'll be going out for a Chinese later.''

Redknapp added that he had become a grandfather again, although there seemed some confusion over the name. Jamie called his new son "Beau'' but Harry thought it was "Bow''. "I was born in Bow,'' explained Harry. "I know David Beckham called his baby (Brooklyn) after where he conceived.'' Redknapp laughed his relief that the child had not been conceived in Barking.

No smiles could be detected on Benitez's face. "We're disappointed because I want to win every game but you have to think about priorities,'' he said. "The Champions League and the Premier League are the priorities. After that, the FA Cup.'' Any plus points? "At least (Fernando) Torres played 55 minutes. He'll be better for that.''