Salah and Mané double up in Liverpool’s 6-0 trouncing of threadbare Leeds

Liverpool blew away Leeds to such an extent at Anfield that Pep Guardiola may have been able to feel their breath on the back of his neck in Manchester. City’s comfortable 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League is a distant memory and Jürgen Klopp’s “pain in the ass” are closing in.

Klopp celebrated an emphatic rout of Leeds with six punches in front of the Kop: one for each goal that his rampant team swept past the ridiculously exposed Illan Meslier. Mohamed Salah scored two penalties, Sadio Mané struck twice, Joël Matip converted a fine goal and Virgil van Dijk joined his defensive partner on the scoresheet in stoppage time. Liverpool sent out a statement of intent with their game in hand on the Premier League leaders.

Liverpool’s hunger was evident from the start as Fabinho and the recalled Curtis Jones snapped into tackles while Luis Díaz swept down the left. So too was Leeds’ defensive vulnerability, although that was also unsurprising given an injury list that forced Marcelo Bielsa to deploy Luke Ayling as a makeshift centre-half and switch Stuart Dallas to right-back. Salah, Díaz and Mané revelled in the spaces that opened up in the visitors’ uncertain backline.

Only four minutes had elapsed when Mané released the Colombia international in space and, with the ball seemingly glued to his right foot, he waltzed inside two white shirts before curling for the far corner. Díaz’s goalbound drive struck Mané on the back and deflected harmlessly wide, but Leeds would not be reprieved for long.

On the front foot, and brave as always in possession, Bielsa’s side initially caused Liverpool problems. They were simply unable to retain the ball long enough to threaten seriously. Daniel James dispossessed Alisson inside