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Cody Gakpo scored twice as Liverpool comfortably saw off struggling Ipswich to maintain their six-point advantage at the top of the Premier League.
The Reds scored three goals in the first half to effectively end the game as a contest, and even looked like going eight clear with a game in hand until 10-man Arsenal beat Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Nevertheless Liverpool did what they had to do to stay on course for a second league title in six years, with Gakpo scoring in either half, while Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah also netted.
Ipswich were thrashed 6-0 at home by reigning champions Manchester City in their last outing and arrived at Anfield clearly determined to avoid a similar scoreline.
They barely offered any attacking threat as they sat deep to try to frustrate Liverpool, but their resistance lasted just 11 minutes as an incisive attack by the Reds opened them up, Ibrahima Konate threading a ball through to Szoboszlai, who drove a shot in at the near post.
Salah has accounted for the majority of Liverpool’s goals at Anfield, so it was no surprise when he got on the scoresheet 10 minutes before the break, firing into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
A third duly arrived just before the break when Szoboszlai’s shot was parried and Gakpo was on hand to turn in the loose ball.
The second half was largely a non-event with the damage already done, but Gakpo added a fourth when he powered in a header.
The travelling fans were given something to celebrate in stoppage time when Jacob Greaves headed home a consolation from a corner.
Ipswich remain 18th, level on points with Wolves in 17th.
Meanwhile, Iliman Ndiaye’s first-half penalty proved decisive as Everton eased their relegation fears with victory at Brighton in Toffees’ boss David Moyes 700th Premier League match as a manager
Results
Wolves 0-1 Arsenal, Southampton 1-3 Newcastle, Liverpool 4-1 Ipswich, Brighton 0-1 Everton, Bournemouth 5-0 Nottm Forest, Manchester City 3-1 Chelsea. – dailymailonline.
Online Reporter
