Liverpool have extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to six points after thumping Newcastle United by four goals to nil at Anfield on Boxing Day.
The home supporters gave visiting boss Rafael Benitez a rapturous welcome, though that is where the niceties, with Reds clinical in securing an eighth straight league victory.
Dejan Lovren opened the scoring with a stunning strike on eleven minutes with top scorer Mo Salah doubling the hosts’ lead from the spot two minutes in to the second half.
Late goals from Xherdan Shaqiri and Fabinho put extra gloss on the win, which sees Jurgen Klopp’s side tighten their grip in first place while Newcastle are fifteenth, five points clear of the bottom three.
Goals galore
Tottenham Hotspur are up to second after they went one better than the leaders – firing five goals past Bournemouth at Wembley.
Goals from Christian Eriksen, Son Heung-Min and Lucas Moura had Mauricio Pochettino’s side in cruise control with just thirty-five minutes on the clock, with Harry Kane adding a fourth just past the hour mark before Son completed the scoring with his second.
There was no doubt where the shock of the day came, with Leicester City coming from behind to beat Champions Manchester City at the King Power Stadium.
Bernardo Silva had put the Citizens in front, only for Marc Albrighton to level shortly after, while Ricardo Pereira fired in the winner nine minutes from time.
Happy Christmas
The Foxes, who went into the game having beaten Chelsea on Saturday are now up to seventh while Pep Guardiola’s side, who finished the match with ten man after Fabien Delph was shown a straight red card late on, have slipped to third after losing three of their last four.
Having been odds favourites to retain the title, Manchester City are now second favourites to finish first behind Liverpool while they are priced at 50/1 not to finish in the top four.
Chelsea are four points off third place having beaten Watford – Eden Hazard the hero with both goals in a 2-1 victory while Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw at Brighton and Hove Albion.
Back-to-back
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made it two from two with his Manchester United side beating Huddersfield Town 3-1 at Old Trafford.
Paul Pogba scored twice for the Red Devils, who stay sixth while the Terriers slipped to the foot-of-the-table after Fulham drew 1-1 with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the day’s early kick-off.
Everton bounced back from their heavy home defeat to Spurs by beating Burnley 5-1 at Goodison Park while elsewhere Crystal Palace and Cardiff City played out a goalless draw at Selhurst Park and West Ham United came from a goal down to beat Southampton 2-1 at St Mary’s on Thursday evening.
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