Five-star Liverpool return to the top and throw down gauntlet to City

LIVERPOOL

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Keita 1, Mane 23, 66, Salah 45, 83 Liverpool’s title destiny may still be out of their hands but they refuse to submit, with the 5-0 demolition of Huddersfield a reminder they are ready to pounce should Manchester City slip up.

The gap between top – the place now occupied by Jurgen Klopp’s side – and bottom could not have been more glaring as the visitors were outclassed at Anfield.

City, two points behind with a game in hand, face a tricky trip to Burnley knowing they cannot afford a mistake.

Naby Keita scored after only 16 seconds, Liverpool’s quickest Premier League goal and their 100th in all competitions this season, while Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah each scored twice.

Liverpool now have the Premier League’s top scorers this season (Salah 21, Mane 20) and with the team on course toreach97points,itshowsjust how impressive City have had to be – and will still have to be – to deny the Reds their first title since 1990. Keita struck before some fans had taken their seats, sweeping home the second fastest goal in the club’s history, narrowly missing Paul Walsh’s 14-second record against West Ham in 1984.

Andy Robertson’s cross was met by Mane’s downward header for the second, before Salah got in the act by lobbing the advancing Jonas Lossl.

Mane, pictured, added another header, this time from a Henderson cross, and Liverpool were so comfortable they were able to give Alex Oxladechamberlain 20 minutes after 367 days out with a knee injury.

Mane was denied a hat-trick of headers by the post, but Salah could not miss from Robertson’s 11th assist of the campaign.