Sadio Mane extends Liverpool's lead to 25 points with late winner at Norwich Klopp's Reaction: Mane's return and Atletico Madrid | Norwich City v Liverpool
They are now 25 points clear of Manchester City – having played one game more than the second place team – which means that the gap between the leaders and Pep Guardiola’s team is currently the same as it is between last season’s champions and 16th place Bournemouth. This was a difficult, hard-fought, awkward way win in conditions that did not help either side and it was delivered in the last 12 minutes by the brilliance of Sadio Mane, on as a substitute.
They were Mane’s first game-time minutes since his first half substitution against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Jan 23 with a hamstring problem and yet when the moment arrived it looked like he had never been away. That Liverpool record now stands at an astonishing 43 consecutive games unbeaten in the league, and 17 straight wins - they are so far clear at the top that the only questions that remains now is how soon they can seal it and how many points then can finish with.
For Norwich City, who had done just about enough to thwart the attacking force of this Liverpool side, it was a deflating end to the game. They had not created many chances but they had an effective plan to control the league leaders that just ran out of steam at the end when faced with a player of the undoubted qualities of Mane. He came on as Klopp sought to put distance between his side and the opposition and that finishing ability was enough.
That said, it was another strong midfield performance from Jordan Henderson and on the few occasions he was required, so Alisson came to the rescue for Liverpool. Daniel Farke could be pleased with his players, an industrious performance from the likes of Alex Tettey and his centre-backs Grant Hanley and Christoph Zimmermann but there was just not that moment in front of goal for Norwich to give them a chance to put pressure on Liverpool.
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