Liverpool will become only the third Premier League side to go undefeated for more than a year after Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane inspired Thursday’s 2-0 victory over Sheffield United at Anfield.
The Reds last suffered loss on January 3 last year in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City and, on the day before the first anniversary of that reverse, it had little difficulty dispatching the Blades to ensure they pass that marker.
Jurgen Klopp was forced into a pre-match change when Naby Keita suffered a groin injury, though it seemingly had little impact as Liverpool was ahead by the fourth minute thanks to Salah.
The solid performance of Manchester United-owned goalkeeper Dean Henderson – who was also aided by the post in the second half – helped keep the score down, but Mane wrapped up the victory in the 64th minute at the end of a blistering move to restore Liverpool’s 13-point lead at the Premier League summit.
The Reds were kept at bay for just four minutes, as George Baldock’s slip allowed Andy Robertson to retrieve Virgil van Dijk’s long ball and the left-back found Salah to convert.
Dean Henderson showed his quality soon after, however, producing a remarkable save to deny Salah a second as he turned Jordan Henderson’s cross towards goal.
The left-hand post was the next object in Salah’s way, as his teasing cross in the 61st minute missed everyone and came back off the upright – Dean Henderson grabbing it before it could then cross the line, though there was no stopping the Reds soon after. Alisson quickly rolled the ball out to Robertson and he fed the ball up the line for Mane, who offloaded to Salah and received an incisive return pass into the box, before finishing past the goalkeeper at the second time of asking.
United should have pulled one back late on, but Oli McBurnie could not get enough on Jack O’Connell’s cross and Alisson stopped it just before it could cross the line.
