Roberto Firmino struck twice as Liverpool ran out 4-0 winners at Leicester.
Firmino broke the deadlock just after the half-hour mark at the King Power Stadium when he met a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross into the far post.
Jurgen Klopp’s side had to wait another 40 minutes to double their lead as James Milner converted a penalty following Caglar Soyuncu’s handball.
The Reds’ onslaught continued with a further two goals in the space of four minutes as Alexander-Arnold again teed up Firmino to record his brace.
Alexander-Arnold himself completed the rout with a well-hit finish to confirm the Premier League leaders’ comfortable 13-point cushion in the title race.
Here were the key talking points from the King Power Stadium:
They think it’s all over…
Jurgen Klopp may not be in the mood for celebrating yet but Liverpool fans world over are already counting down the days to the Premier League title.
Even taking into account Anfield’s far-reaching history of capitulations in pursuit of English football’s top honour, they cannot lose it from here.
A 13-point gap opened up with the comprehensive dismantling of Brendan Rodgers’ side, who had appeared distant challengers before this encounter.
Complacency will not kick in for the Reds, whose ascent to the summit has been founded on more hard-fought wins than swashbuckling exhibitions.
Last season’s eroded seven-point lead at the turn of the year will not be repeated nor will Manchester City’s unprecedented overhauling of them.
Pundits are already declaring ‘give them the title now’ but it promises to be a case of sooner rather than later if the world champions keep this form up.
Kopites can now sit back and enjoy the ride – it has been a long time coming.
Trent now among the world’s best
Last weekend Trent Alexander-Arnold become one of the world’s best.
He already knew it, however, and so did Liverpool. Their FIFA Club World Cup victory merely confirmed what many on Merseyside had already believed.
The West Derby-born defender took his tally of Premier League assists since the start of last season to 20 with a teed-up brace for Roberto Firmino.
A fine finish to round off the victory further illustrated Alexander-Arnold’s quality as one of the most prolific attacking full-backs in the global game.
Unlike his predecessor at right-back, the 21-year-old has steadily risen to the top without needing a favourable moniker festooned on him in the process.
But if Jon Flanagan was the ‘Scouse Cafu’, Alexander-Arnold is Carlos Alberto.
Firmino back on song
Alexander-Arnold is not the only one benefiting from Brazilian influence.
Liverpool themselves will be indebted to Firmino for not only crowning them world champions but also in the pursuit of an almost certain 19th league title.
Fresh from his heroics in Qatar, the forward took an already impressive tally to four goals in three games with a comfortable brace at the King Power.
Remarkably, this was the first time in six Premier League outings that Firmino has managed to find the target and only the second in 12 games overall.
Mitigating factors have played their part in that, not least a legitimate strike against Aston Villa that was controversially ruled out by VAR last month.
When Firmino does hit the net, however, an already impressive repertoire of industry and skill becomes a perfect compliment to Liverpool’s attack.
More of the same in the weeks and months ahead will see him deservedly snatching Mohamed Salah’s crown as the Kop’s latest and only true king.
It’s… not Jamie Vardy
Jamie Vardy’s record against Liverpool once ranked among one of the most emphatic in the league with seven goals in five outings against them.
Yet he is no longer the fearsome Foxes striker than the champions-elect once dreaded facing after drawing a blank for a third consecutive game.
Much of that is down to the shackling of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, who marked the former England international out of the game for large parts.
Vardy’s old school approach has allowed him to get the better of many an opposition defence in the past few years and Liverpool were no exception.
But as the league table proves, the times are clearly changing.
Klopp’s ability to make his backline virtually water-tight this term ensures that the likes of Vardy no longer have the free reign they previously enjoyed.