Ranking Liverpool's Best Single-Match Performances of 2012-13

Liverpool's season has been made up of either progression and learning, or inconsistency and frustration.

In the main, the Reds have been on a slight, but noticeable, upward trend over the course of the season. We could yet see them sneak into the top six or so of the Premier League by the end of the campaign.

Several stand-out performances and results have been the crowning glory and the evidence that the Brendan Rodgers regime is bearing fruits—though real success will not be tangible until trophies and Champions League football are forthcoming.

Even so, team performances on a one-off basis are encouraging and necessary to build confidence and belief within the squad.

Here are the top-five team performances from Liverpool so far this season.

Liverpool's first big performance under Brendan Rodgers came in his home Premier League debut as Reds manager, but it didn't result in a win.

The Reds took on the reigning Champions just two matches into the season and fairly battered them.

Liverpool were better on the ball, worked harder off it and created more chances. The old problem of not converting them was partly the problem, as was some kamikaze defending in conceding the two goals in a 2-2 draw.

Martin Skrtel thumped in a header off a corner before Yaya Toure equalised from close range. Luis Suarez served notice of his intentions for the season by bending in a wonder-free kick, but a late error by Skrtel on a backpass cost the Reds a big win.

Liverpool had good performances between August and January, but some of those have just been edged out by a much more fluid and confident Reds team since the turn of the year.

The Reds started 2013 in style with a rampant 3-0 win, courtesy of goals from Raheem Sterling and Luis Suarez, but it could have been 10-0 and still been a deserved win.

Sunderland were no match for Liverpool's quick passing and movement in the final third. 

They offered very little of their own attacking abilities and basically looked to limit the damage from the moment Sterling lobbed the ball over Simon Mignolet and into the net.

It was the Luis Suarez show thereafter as he displayed strength, skill and composure for his first and then finished brilliantly from Steven Gerrard's epic through-ball for his second.

This was about as one-sided as Premier League games get.

Liverpool had already beaten Norwich 5-2 at their own ground, and they went even better by winning 5-0 at Anfield in mid-January.

No hat-trick for Luis Suarez this time, but he was predictably heavily involved again as the partnership between himself and Daniel Sturridge really took off.

Suarez's tenacious work-rate led to the first goal—a thunderous Jordan Henderson volley—and he scored the second himself after a delicious dummy by Sturridge saw the Uruguayan clean through on goal.

Sturridge then tapped in the third, Gerrard whacked in a fourth and Raheem Sterling's skill and pace led to an own goal from Ryan Bennett.

Liverpool enjoyed 68 percent of the possession in this game and Norwich only managed to fire off two shots in the entire match.

Liverpool gave the clearest indication yet of what the future looks like under Brendan Rodgers as they dismantled his old side.

Swansea were missing a few senior players admittedly, but the Reds still made them look like third-rate has-beens at times.

Gerrard, Philippe Coutinho, Jose Enrique, Suarez and Sturridge scored the goals but it was the all-round team play, interchanging of positions and fantastic range of technical ability on the ball by all of the players which caught the eye.

The third goal, a string of quick-fire passes and sure-footed skill, was a thing of beauty.

Liverpool registered 35 shots during the match to Swansea's three.

So close and so incredible.

Liverpool mounted an impressive, impassioned and brave comeback in trying to overturn what was for a time a 3-0 deficit against Zenit St. Petersburg in the Europa League.

But the away goal conceded early on in the second leg eventually proved too much to overcome.

Luis Suarez showed everything that is superb about his game and scored two more free kicks.

The Reds gave it all on another big European night at Anfield, with Joe Allen scoring at the second attempt in between, but it was not to be.

Liverpool ran out of steam and ideas near the end and their continental adventure came to a halt.

However, for an hour or so against a top-quality side they rolled back the years to show what could yet again soon be a common sight at Anfield: Liverpool dominating, winning and being confident in challenging for major honours.

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Match stats from WhoScored.com