MULLOCK

SIMON

smallest of mistakes will be punished like never before.

So a perfectionist like Klopp will be worried that a Cardiff side, surely destined to end the campaign back in the Championship, briefly threatened to turn a routine home win into the kind of slip-up that has come to haunt the Reds down the years.

Liverpool led through goals by Mo Salah and Sadio Mane when Callum Paterson toepoked a 77th-minute shot through the legs of Alisson Becker to give Cardiff a glimmer hope. Paterson was a fraction offside meeting Junior Hoilett’s cross. But the officials were fooled by the slight deflection the ball had taken off the shins of Virgil van Dijk before falling into his path six yards out.

And suddenly Liverpool could feel a chill wind blowing in from the Mersey, despite the autumn sunshine.

They were seeking a clubrecord 10th consecutive Premier League clean sheet at Anfield.

This was the first goal they had conceded in front of their own fans since Michail Antonio grabbed a consolation for West Ham in a heavy defeat 918 minutes ago. Maybe it was the shock of seeing their new, £67million keeper being beaten for the first time on home soil that had Liverpool fans looking anxiously towards the clock in the top corner of the Kop.

But top teams don’t blink. And Liverpool were suddenly once again awake and wide-eyed as they cut loose.

First, substitute Xherdan Shaqiri collected Salah’s pass and slalomed his way into the Cardiff area before sending a curling shot into the corner.

Minutes later Salah caressed another perfect pass through the heart of the visitors’ defence and Mane switched on the afterburners before clipping a glorious finish over goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.

Neil Warnock returned to south Wales claiming the result was tough on his men.

But until Paterson’s riposte, the best performance from the visitors had come when their 3,000 fans broke into a rendition of Land of my Fathers.

Any team managed by Warnock usually has to be dragged kicking and screaming to defeat – but Cardiff did neither as Liverpool dominated the first half without even getting out of first gear.

Salah scored his 33rd goal in his 35th appearance at Anfield in a Liverpool shirt after just nine minutes, making it third time lucky after efforts by Mane and Gini Wijnaldum had been blocked.

But although Van Dijk also hit the inside of the post with a header, they had to wait until the 66th minute before scoring again thanks to a Mane strike that was so sweet it seemed the ball must have been dipped

in sugar.