Liverpool moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a 3-1 win over Leicester at Anfield.
Second-placed Chelsea’s defeat to Fulham earlier on Boxing Day gave Arne Slot’s side the chance to extend their lead at the summit and they took it with both hands – albeit after an early scare.
Leicester took a shock lead in the sixth minute when Jordan Ayew swivelled and found the bottom corner with a deflected effort from Stephy Mavididi’s low cross, but the hosts came roaring back.
Cody Gakpo levelled when he cut inside from the left-hand side and curled home a superb effort from the edge of the box in first-half stoppage time, with Liverpool then going in front when Curtis Jones swept home Alexis Mac Allister’s cut-back early in the second period.
Cody Gakpo celebrates scoring Liverpool’s equaliser against Leicester on Boxing Day
Mohamed Salah, who struck the crossbar in the first half, added some gloss to the result late on when he drove into the box from the right and guided an excellent finish beyond Leicester goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk for his 16th Premier League goal of the season.
Liverpool’s lead at the top will be reduced to six points if third-placed Arsenal beat Ipswich at the Emirates Stadium on Friday night but Arne Slot’s side still have a game in hand, putting them in an even more commanding position in the title race.
Curtis Jones celebrates after putting Liverpool 2-1 up against Leicester
Leicester, meanwhile, slip below Wolves into 18th place, a third consecutive Premier League loss leaving them a point from safety.
Is there any stopping Liverpool?
By the time the final whistle sounded, Ayew’s opening goal felt like a distant memory. Remarkably, Leicester did not have a single shot after the 10th minute of the game.
Such is Liverpool’s capacity to smother their opponents. They stayed cool after falling behind, even as they struggled to find their rhythm. But Salah is not their only game-changer.
Gakpo is another. His equalising goal was a thing of beauty and the result never looked in doubt after that. Liverpool were ahead soon after half-time and, of course, Salah had to get his goal too. In the end, it felt like as easy a victory as Liverpool could have asked for.
It is coming up to four months since they last lost a game. That September reverse against Nottingham Forest looks more and more like an aberration. The recent draws against Newcastle and Fulham felt uncharacteristic too but Liverpool are back in their flow now.
Their unbeaten run now stands at 22 games in all competitions. They will be top at the turn of the year, regardless of the result against West Ham on Sunday. They will most likely be top in May too. It is becoming difficult to see any other outcome.
