Rampart Liverpool flatten Leicester City (Watch video highlight and read match report here)

Premier League leaders were in their symptomatic devastating form on Boxing Day away from home, beating Leicester City 4-0 at King Power Stadium.

Roberto Firmino scored twice and Trent-Alexander Arnold also starred as Liverpool moved 13 points clear of second-placed Leicester City.

Firmino was perfectly placed to open the scoring on 31 minutes when he met Alexander-Arnold’s pinpoint cross from the left to send a header past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

A consummate away performance from the Reds saw them control the first-versus-second contest from the first whistle until last, with Jürgen Klopp’s only regret at half-time surely that his side had only scored once for all their dominance, through Roberto Firmino’s 31st-minute header.

A three-goal burst in the space of seven second-half minutes gave the scoreline a more accurate appearance, with James Milner’s penalty being added to by goals from Firmino and Trent Alexander-Arnold that rounded off brilliant moves in style.

After Joe Gomez had deflected Youri Tielemans’ shot wide soon after the restart, a sustained spell of Liverpool pressure led to Firmino side-footing wide after opening up his body to meet Robertson’s fine delivery.

Leicester threatened to grow into the game in the wake of that let-off, although another rapid Reds counter could have led to a second goal when Salah’s attempt was blocked.

That was the Egyptian’s final involvement as Klopp made a double change: Milner and Divock Origi on for Keita and Salah.

And Milner’s very first touch of the ball involved the vice-captain rolling in a penalty in ice-cool fashion after Caglar Soyuncu had handled Alexander-Arnold’s corner.

With that, Liverpool pressed their foot down on the accelerator as two team moves of jaw-dropping quality made it 4-0 by the 78th minute.

First, Firmino was on hand to place a finish into the top corner once he’d been found by yet another precise Alexander-Arnold ball in, before the right-back got in on the act himself by rifling Mane’s unselfish lay-off into Schmeichel’s far bottom corner.

Liverpool top the table with 52 points, while Leicester are on 39 points.

Photo Credit: Twitter @Liverpool FC & premierleague.com

How Chelsea frittered chance to consolidate on Boxing Day after Sunday heroic win over former manager Jose Mourinho (Match Report)

Chelsea were handed their third third home defeat in four matches after Southampton defeated their more illustrious opponents on Boxing Day.

Goals in either half from Michael Obafemi and Nathan Redmond gave Southampton a 2-0 win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Suffocating the Blues at Stamford Bridge, a textbook away performance was kick-started with Michael Obafemi’s first league strike of the season before the break.

Anticipating a fightback after the restart, it never came as a free-flowing move with a little over a quarter-of-an-hour remaining ended with Nathan Redmond adding a second and confirming a memorable Boxing Day win in the capital to make it consecutive wins in the Premier League.

Demonstrating a disciplined shape, Saints were able to hold the hosts at arm’s length in the opening 20 minutes, whilst teasing at posing a danger on the break.

With Ryan Bertrand and Nathan Redmond offering the most likely outlet, the game’s first attempts on goal from Chelsea failed to threaten.

Callum Hudson-Odoi had a shot from 20 yards deflected wide, with Fikayo Tomori heading tamely into the arms of Alex McCarthy from the resulting corner as the half-hour mark approached.

As the festive cheer began to drain from the home crowd, they were stunned into silence in the 31st minute by a devastating Saints counter-attack.

Winning possession on the halfway line, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg quickly fizzed a ball into Obafemi – who still had plenty to do – with the Irishman’s neat turn and drag onto his left foot matched by a stunning curling effort into the top corner from just inside the box.

Now trailing, an anxious Stamford Bridge roared on their side as Chelsea looked for a quick response, but they were continually met by two resolute banks of four in grey and yellow.

Struggling to penetrate, their best chance of the half came in fortuitous fashion as Willian’s corner was inadvertently directed goalwards by Stuart Armstrong, forcing McCarthy to get an important touch at his far post.

Danger averted and Hasenhüttl’s side made it to the break having executed the perfect away performance in the opening 45 minutes.

Outwitted in the first half, a change in shape and personnel – as Mason Mount entered the fray – almost paid off immediately for The Blues.

Chelsea came close when half-time substitute Mason Mount found Tammy Abraham inside the area, only for the Chelsea forward to shoot wide.

But Southampton scored again on 73 minutes when substitute Danny Ings picked out Redmond and he kept his composure to lift the ball over Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Chelsea (3-4-3): Kepa; Rudiger, Tomori, Zouma (Mount h/t); Azpilicueta (c), Kante, Jorginho, Emerson; Willian (Pedro 84), Abraham, Hudson-Odoi (Pulisic 66)
Unused subs: Caballero, Christensen, Barkley, Batshuayi
Booked: Jorginho 58; Tomori 62

Southampton (4-4-2): McCarthy; Soares, Stephens, Bednarek, Bertrand; Armstrong (Romeu 86), Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg (c), Redmond; Obafemi (Ings 69), Adams (Boufal 80)
Unused subs: Gunn, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Danso
Scorers: Obafemi 31; Redmond 73
Booked: Bertrand 30; Boufal 90+4

Photo Credit: premierleague.com

Isco tells Real Madrid President about his decision over Chelsea move

Real Madrid star Isco has reportedly told club President Florentino Perez not to sell him to Chelsea.

There are reports that the Los Blancos have offered the 27-year-old to the London club for £44 million as the Spanish giants are planning to raise money for January transfer deals.

Spanish publication El Desmarque claim Isco has confirmed his decision to Perez.

Isco has distanced himself from joining the Stamford Bridge club in favour of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, where he’s viewed as a long-term successor to David Silva.

Chelsea are expected to be active in the transfer market with the hope of strenghtening their team after CAS halved their two-window transfer ban.