Liverpool dish out a festive thumping to their closest rivals to open up a huge lead. Surely they’ve got it all wrapped up

CHAMPIONS of Europe. Champions of the World. Surely the coveted Champions of England crown is now just around the corner.

Liverpool put on a masterclass yesterday to crush their nearest rivals and an agonising 30-year wait for the domestic title seems to be over.

There is no sign they will be caught. It would take a collapse of epic proportions and that does not look like happening.

Jurgen Klopp’s men swamped Leicester in a brutal second-half display after Roberto Firmino opened the scoring on 31 minutes.

The Foxes rallied briefly but James Milner made it 2-0 from the spot, Firmino grabbed his second of the afternoon and Trent Alexander-Arnold sealed a stunning victory with a thumping shot.

It puts the Merseysiders 13 points clear with a game in hand. Leicester and champions Manchester City, in third place, need snookers.

Firmino’s goal came as no surprise and it was no more than the visitors deserved. Liverpool had gone at their hosts from the off and could easily have been a couple of goals to the good within the opening 10 minutes.

But they persevered with the assuredness of a team that knew it was only a matter of time, which was proved correct just after the half hour mark.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was causing all sorts of problems with his raids down the right, was the man who made it happen with a dipping cross to the far post where Firmino and Mo Salah were lurking.

It was the Brazilian who nipped in first, making no mistake with his close-range header to plant the ball firmly into the corner of the net .

AlexanderArnold could have scored with less than a minute on the clock when his swerving drive was blocked by Kasper Schmeichel with his chest, the Leicester keeper then dropping onto the loose ball.

Straight after, Sadio Mane should have done better from close range when he got too much on the ball and ended up firing it way over.

Salah was next to chance his arm, cashing in on a mix-up between Jonny Evans and Wilfred Ndidi but skying his effort.

On 11 minutes Salah raced away, rounded Schmeichel on

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