Liverpool 2-0 Leicester: Diogo Jota scores twice

Diogo Jota scored twice as Liverpool cut the deficit on Premier League leaders Manchester City to nine points with a dominant performance against Leicester at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp's side had a host of chances and reliable Portuguese forward Jota netted in each half, pouncing on Kasper Schmeichel's parry from Virgil van Dijk's header for the first, before stroking a second late on.

The Reds still have a game in hand on champions City and another commanding display suggests the title race may not yet be a foregone conclusion.

Foxes goalkeeper Schmeichel was in inspired form and made crucial saves to twice deny Roberto Firmino and Luis Diaz on his full debut.

Mohamed Salah came off the bench in the second half after returning from Africa Cup of Nations duty and he too was unable to find a way past Schmeichel. When he did, a sublime curling strike rattled the crossbar.

Leicester will rue the missed opportunity from James Maddison at 0-0 as the Englishman found space down the left edge of the area but his rising shot was pushed over the bar by Alisson.

Leicester's poor season sees them stay in 12th place in the table, 10 points adrift of a Europa Conference League spot.

Liverpool's season was going to be derailed once Salah and Sadio Mane went off to the Africa Cup of Nations — well that was the theory anyway. But it has not materialised that way.

Klopp's side are growing in confidence and swatted aside Leicester with ease to stretch their run to just one defeat in their last 19 games in all competitions — ironically a loss at the Foxes on 28 December.

Reaching the Carabao Cup Final, still in both the Champions League and FA Cup, as well as sitting second in the top flight, Liverpool remain in contention for an unprecedented