After the weekend's success in Qatar that saw the Reds crowned FIFA Club World Cup champions, Jurgen Klopp's side made easy work of second-placed Leicester City with a comfortable 4-0 away victory.

Liverpool opened the scoring in the first half courtesy of a Roberto Firmino header, the forward then found the back of the net once again in the 74th minute.

But it was James Milner that scored the Reds' second of the night just moments earlier with a composed finish from the penalty spot.

Trent Alexander-Arnold rounded off a man of the match performance with a goal on 78 minutes to ensure the three points were heading back to Merseyside.

Klopp was in agreement that tonight was one of their best performances of the season, saying to the press post match: "Yes, I would say so.

"We played an exceptional game against Manchester City, we played a super game against Arsenal and we’ve had a few good games this season.

"I am not sure if it was better, it just different. For tonight it was exactly the performance we needed."

The manner of the victory

Leicester away was highlighted as one of the Reds' toughest fixtures in the winter period, but tonight's performance has made a statement to the rest of the league - Liverpool are not going anywhere.

Klopp said: "It was just a game against a really good football team.

"It is not about deciding whatever you were thinking about before it’s actually decided.

"Everybody knows how dangerous they can be and my boys just played a very good football game.

"The first goal was obviously brilliant, [at 2-0] Millie [James Milner] came on a second before and could finish the situation,  third goal - worldie, just completely cool and composed: a super ball from Trent [Alexander Arnold] and Bobby [Roberto Firmino] with the super finish. And then Trent with the fourth with a super finish.

"Of course it was a really good football game, but we had to be good otherwise we would have lost here."

On the thirteen point lead...

After extending their lead at the top of the league table, 'it's Liverpool's year' are the words being uttered up and down the country.

Leicester were set to pose one of the biggest threats to the Reds title hopes, but Liverpool brushed them aside with ease on Thursday night.

The Reds boss refused to talk about the title challenge though, when asked about the sheer size of the lead.

"We actually don’t feel it, we don’t think about it, not at all," Klopp insisted. "We didn’t mention it once before the game because it’s just not interesting.

"We are just focused on the next games. How I said, we play Wolves, Sheffield United, Everton, Tottenham, Manchester United in the next five games. 

"That doesn’t sound like anything is decided in my ears, to be honest."

The Club World Cup impact

After travelling to Qatar to be crowned World Champions at the weekend, it was expected there would be some sort of hangover or drop off heading into such an intense fixture.

That wasn't the case though as Liverpool emerged victorious once again.

Klopp said: "We decided long ago we would go there and the moment we arrived we realised it is really intense.

"The time difference of three hours doesn’t sound massive but we are there to do sports, so it is. The light is different, everything is different.

"We really suffered so I was happy we could do it like we did it. Again, we tried everything to leave some energy in the boys for the games and that worked out.

"We had a lot of problems, with Virg [Virgil Van Dijk] and all that stuff, Gini [Wijnaldum] not available, so the boys did really well."