Curtis Jones scored twice as in-form Liverpool brushed aside hapless Leicester to maintain their recent winning streak and push the Foxes closer to Premier League relegation.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have won their last seven games to bolster their push for a top-four finish and now lie a point behind Newcastle and Manchester United, albeit having played a game more.
Another dismal loss for Leicester leaves the 2016 Premier League champions firmly rooted in danger in 19th position, two points adrift of safety with only two games remaining.
The Reds scored twice in the space of three first-half minutes through the same combination, Mohamed Salah twice feeding Jones who finished confidently to claim his first Premier League double.
It should have been 3-0 before half-time but home goalkeeper Daniel Iversen made a superb reaction save to deny Cody Gakpo from close range.
Salah claimed his third assist in the second period by laying off a free-kick for Trent Alexander-Arnold to curl a sublime finish into the top corner.
Liverpool maintain hunt for top four finish
Has Liverpool charge for a Champions League spot come too late?
The two Uniteds above them need two wins from their last three games to guarantee a top-four finish but Liverpool are right on their tails and poised to profit from any mishaps.
The Reds started slowly at Leicester, Luis Diaz smashing into the side-netting and Fabinho blazing over the pick of their early openings.
But they clicked into gear on the half-hour mark as midfielder Jones took his tally to three goals in his last four games.
His first was a controlled finish at the far post from Salah’s deep cross and the second he thumped home following the Egyptian’s through ball.
Salah provided a hat-trick of assists by rolling the ball off for Alexander-Arnold’s stunning second-half strike, but the Egyptian must wait for his 20th goal of the campaign after a remarkable miss late on, putting wide when through on goal.
Liverpool face European-chasing Aston Villa at home on Saturday and round off their season against relegated Southampton knowing maximum points in those games may complete a stunning turnaround in an otherwise disappointing season.
More to follow.
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Leicester City
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Squad number31Player nameIversen
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Squad number21Player nameRicardo Pereira
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Squad number3Player nameFaes
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Squad number6Player nameEvans
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Squad number27Player nameCastagne
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Squad number42Player nameSoumaré
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Squad number25Player nameNdidi
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Squad number10Player nameMaddison
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Squad number8Player nameTielemans
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Squad number7Player nameBarnes
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Squad number9Player nameVardy
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Squad number15Player nameSouttar
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Squad number20Player nameDaka
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Squad number33Player nameThomas
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Squad number37Player nameTetê
Liverpool
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Squad number7Player nameMilner -
Squad number19Player nameElliott -
Squad number20Player nameDiogo Jota
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Squad number28Player nameFábio Carvalho
Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 31Iversen
- 21Ricardo PereiraBooked at 53minsSubstituted forThomasat 67′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 3Faes
- 6EvansSubstituted forSouttarat 89′minutes
- 27Castagne
- 42Soumaré
- 25NdidiSubstituted forDakaat 61′minutes
- 10Maddison
- 8Tielemans
- 7BarnesSubstituted forTetêat 61′minutes
- 9Vardy
Substitutes
- 12Smithies
- 15Souttar
- 16Kristiansen
- 18Amartey
- 20Daka
- 24Mendy
- 26Praet
- 33Thomas
- 37Tetê
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-Arnold
- 5KonatéBooked at 86mins
- 4van Dijk
- 26Robertson
- 14HendersonSubstituted forMilnerat 74′minutes
- 3Fabinho
- 17JonesSubstituted forCarvalhoat 84′minutes
- 11SalahSubstituted forElliottat 88′minutes
- 18Gakpo
- 23DÃazSubstituted forJotaat 74′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Gomez
- 7Milner
- 19Elliott
- 20Jota
- 21Tsimikas
- 28Carvalho
- 29Arthur
- 32Matip
- 62Kelleher
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 32,225
Live Text
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Match ends, Leicester City 0, Liverpool 3.
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Second Half ends, Leicester City 0, Liverpool 3.
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Luke Thomas (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Luke Thomas (Leicester City).
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Offside, Leicester City. Wout Faes tries a through ball, but James Maddison is caught offside.
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Substitution, Leicester City. Harry Souttar replaces Jonny Evans.
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Foul by Fabinho (Liverpool).
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James Maddison (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt blocked. Harvey Elliott (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by James Milner.
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Attempt saved. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Harvey Elliott replaces Mohamed Salah.
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Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool).
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James Maddison (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Fábio Carvalho (Liverpool).
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Boubakary Soumaré (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Fábio Carvalho replaces Curtis Jones.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Wout Faes.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Luke Thomas.
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