Premier League leaders Liverpool continue their campaign with a home match against Leicester City at Anfield on Boxing Day. The Reds have the chance to stretch their lead at the top to seven points with a win over the Foxes after Chelsea were upset by Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool were hopeful of avoiding any pitch inspection ahead of the game, with none taken place as of around 4.30pm despite the thick fog engulfing Merseyside. Tranmere Rovers had earlier seen their match against Accrington Stanley called off.
Arne Slot's side will be hoping to build on an impressive 6-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday against Ruud van Nistlerooy's struggling side. The two Dutchman faced off while manaing in the Netherlands, with Slot in charge of Feyenoord and Van Nistlerooy at PSV Eindhoven.
The former Manchester United striker started his reign at Leicester with a victory over West Ham but has since lost matches 3-0 at home to Wolves and 4-0 away at Newcastle. Liverpool, meanwhile, have lost just once in all competitions all season since Slot took charge of the team.
His side are top of both the Premier League and Champions League and have advanced to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup in what has been a quite remarkable campaign so far.
Slot will be without Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley for the match, but is hopeful Federico Chiesa will be fit after an illness kept him from the squad against Tottenham.
Key Events
Slot on seven-point lead
If you're in this game for a long time, you know 20 games before the end. So many challenges ahead of us. A few months ago we were one point behind City. Injuries, bad luck, suspensions, can happen to any team. I don't think there were any easy wins for us.
Slot on Gakpo
I think the main difference is the set-up of the front three is different to now. We expect them to keep it wide to get us into 1v1 situations. Lucho has done it well but in our opinion is also capable of playing as a nine. It's nice to have so many options.
Slot on Salah
A great goal. Similar to the one for Cody, both goals were similar. Just before we equalised, Mo had a similar shot that hit the bar.
Slot on Gakpo goal
It was crucial. I was happy with the first half performance, happy with the start. Only not happy with one minute and that's the minute we conceded the goal. I couldn't have asked for that much more.
Slot on comeback win
You always have to do a lot to win a game, especially today because we went 1-0 down.
Slot speaking to Match of the Day
Liverpool manager Arne Slot, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “Quite happy in general. During the whole game we played the way we wanted.
The only thing we didn’t want was to go down one nil after 10 minutes. First time they threatened it was immediately a goal. Sloppy defending. That’s why it was a hard game until we scored the third one.
On the importance of levelling before the break: "It definitely was. During the first 45 minutes we were many times around their box and created enough to score a goal but if you don’t do it, you don’t know what the end result will be. That immediately lifted us.
“The first and third goals were quite similar and these players have the quality to dominate these situations and have a great finish as well. I liked the second as well, more of a team goal and Curtis Jones arriving in the box doing something that in my opinion he has to do a lot more. As a midfielder at Liverpool you have to score goals and that is what he did today.”
On topping the league table: “Of course we look at the table but we also know how hard this league is. Two months ago we were one point behind Manchester City. What this league can do if you get injuries and suspensions...This can happen to any team. We have to stay on top of our game.
On festive fixtures: "It does not feel like it is Christmas at all. Normally you go on holiday but I think there will be many people in Holland watching it and liking it like I did before."
Van Nistelrooy on Liverpool being title-favourites
"You never know in the Premier League and many things have happened before, but looking at this team and how stable they are and the depth of their squad they have a great chance."
Van Nistelrooy on turning point
We were in the contest for a result for a long time. The 3-1 was a turning point. The game was done for us then. Daka had a chance to score an equaliser. We were in the game to get a surprise result. We did well, we did what we cou.d. When Salah scored, the game was done.
Slot on Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold contracts
"We don't talk about contracts in public.
"It is not up to me to talk about those situations in public. Mo Salah had a good game, Virgil had a good game, Trent, especially in the second half was very good."
Slot to Amazon Prime
Liverpool boss Arne Slot, speaking to Amazon Prime: "Sounds weird, but we had a really good start.
"But then one moment where we underestimated the situation that led to a chance and a goal. You have to work really hard to come back into the game, it really helped that we scored the equaliser before half-time.
"In the last few games every chance we concede they go in.
"I think there was a second chance in the second half and those were the only times they even come close. We created enough, but because we went 1-0 down it was a game.
"Then you saw how good we are and they didn't want to come back into the game.
"I liked the second goal, for me that was a team goal with the overlapping run.
"We want to bring our wingers into threatening situations.
"Deep runs are the most important thing in football. You would not always have to play the player who makes the deep run."
On being favourites for the title: "Bit of a boring answer and as a manager you go game by game - you know how many games you have to play.
"So many teams have so much quality. If this happened in the Eredivisie I would say OK that is true."
Curtis Jones speaking to Match of the Day
“We have still got a long, long way to go. There are plenty of games to come. We’ll take each game as it comes and try and win all the games.
“It was a hard game. They sat back and defended well. Especially for me it was hard to find space inside. It was more of a patient game and not trying to play into their plan. In the first half we were crossing the ball a load and that is what they want. In the second half we changed it round, kept it more and that’s where the goals came.
“We are a goal down it’s almost half-time but we don’t stop, we score. In the second half we start strong and score again. The thing is with us we just want to win each game."
On 100 Premier League appearances: "I came in then and normally text family and I saw a text off [Jurgen] Klopp saying 'congratulations on 100 games and here’s to 500. I was like what is he on about?' I just checked then and I am proud. It was him who set up the team we have now. The foundation was there and Arnie Slot has carried it on.
“It looks good but there are plenty of games to come. You can play a team at the bottom, middle or top and it is a hard game. It is about trying to win every single game and if we do that everybody knows what comes at the end.”
Roberto Martinez on Cody Gakpo
The fans enjoyed a player who feels important and knows he can change the game with a bit of magic.
Gakpo speaks to Amazon Prime
"We do practice a lot on the crosses and the shots. Practice makes perfect.
"We come from behind and we had to fight to get level, we had good chances and I got the ball from Macca [Alexis Mac Allister] and I saw some free space and did what I do in training."
On going behind: "We know the qualities we have, but it's not nice to go behind.
"We are working on that so we are not sloppy in the beginning. We started the game very good, but then had two moments where we were sloppy - we have to keep improving."
On feeling at home: "Obviously I feel at home. We have a very good team which makes me accelerate as well and it let's me show my qualities. I keep working hard to show more of that every game."
On Arne Slot's style: "Especially when we have the ball it is a bit more structured. A little less direct and we play more from possession.
"We only think about the next game.
"We cannot deny we are in a good place, but still one of the strengths of the team is we approach each game as a new one.
"That keeps us humble."
Salah speaks to Amazon Prime
"It is a good result they were very tough in the first half and in the second half the way they prepared themselves they were very good.
"We managed to score three goals and it was a great result.
On Cody Gakpo's equaliser: "Great. It gives us confidence in the second half to go win the game. 1-0 down and you need to focus on equalising.
"He scored a great goal.
"It is something he practices a lot in training. It was a great finish from him."
On scoring 100 home goals in the Premier League: "Something I am very proud of. We keep working hard and hopefully I can go a bit further."
On his form: "The most important thing is the team winning - hopefully we win the Premier League.
"It is great, but we focus on each game and hopefully we carry on like that.
"It feels different, but the most important thing is we need to stay humble.
"This one is very special, hopefully we win the Premier League and for this club it is something I dream of."
FT: Liverpool 3-1 Leicester City
Goals from Gakpo, Jones and Salah see the Reds got seven points clear at the top of the table.
3-1!
Salah gets one-v-one with Kristiansen, stands him up and rolls it into the bottom corner. That's his 100th goal at home as a Premier League player.
Szoboszlai booked
Dominik Szoboszlai is booked which means he now sits out the West Ham game on Sunday.
Subs...finally
Szoboszlai and Jota coming on, finally. Standing ovation for Curtis Jones and Darwin Nunez, who make way.
New lease of Leicester life?
Does that disallowed goal give Leicester a new lease of life? We shall see but they are still in the game as a result of a VAR check that took an absolute age.
No goal
Nunez is ruled as offside. No goal. Boos around Anfield for how long it took and then the eventual decision. Still 2-1.
Leicester content
Leicester more than content to let Liverpool's defenders have the ball. Not much pressing from the frontline around the halfway line. The Reds eventually get forward with Robertson, whose fizzed cross is palmed away by the goalkeeper and cleared.
Nunez denied
Nunez denied what would have been a sweeping team move, Stolarczyk saves at his near post. Brilliant stuff from Gakpo, Robertson and Salah.
Turn the screw
They took an age with that there, but this is football now. Anyway, the goal stands and Liverpool have their lead through Curtis Jones, who tucks away Mac Allister's cut-back. Time to turn the screw now and take this game away from the visitors.
2-1!
Liverpool work it nicely down Leicester's right side and Jones is on hand to turn it home from Mac Allister's cut back.
