Liverpool have kicked off at 8pm on a Boxing Day twice in their history. The first time was in 2019, when Jürgen Klopp’s team demolished Leicester en route to winning the Premier League title with ease. This second occasion ended with another convincing defeat of the Foxes. The rest of the story may also be repeated.

Arne Slot’s relentless leaders moved seven points clear of their closest challengers for the title, with a game in hand, courtesy of an assured comeback against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s struggling side. ­Leicester took a shock early lead through ­Jordan Ayew but, while Liverpool never hit the heights of their performance at the King Power Stadium five years ago, goals from Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah, with his 19th of the season in all competitions, ensured the outcome remained the same.

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Salah sealed victory with an immaculate finish, taking his goal involvements for the Premier League season to 27 (16 goals and 11 assists). He has a phenomenal 250 in total (171 and 79) in 250 Premier League starts for Liverpool. And he is five days away from being eligible to sign a ­pre-contract agreement with a foreign club. Liverpool must remove that unnecessary distraction from their title-chasing campaign as a matter of urgency.

Anfield was shrouded in fog for the night-time fixture but this was an opportunity for Liverpool to put daylight between themselves and Chelsea after a perfect set of results elsewhere. Their prospects appeared healthy on paper against a Leicester team that had been soundly beaten in their previous two outings and had a Premier League debutant in goal. Jakub Stolarczyk replaced Danny Ward as a consequence of the merciless barracking the Wales goalkeeper received from his own supporters during their 3-0 home defeat by Wolves on Sunday. “It’s not ideal,” admitted van Nistelrooy. “But the circumstances with Wardy were intense, we all felt it, and it puts you in a position where you have to make decisions.”

The Leicester manager’s decision paid dividends initially as Stolarczyk and his teammates frustrated Liverpool until first-half stoppage time. The Pole produced a fine double save to deny Salah and Jones from Liverpool’s first meaningful attack. Trent Alexander-Arnold switched play superbly to Gakpo, and his driven cross found Salah unmarked at the back post. Stolarczyk saved at close range before flicking the ball away from Jones when the midfielder attempted to pounce on the rebound.

That let-off assumed greater significance two minutes later when Leicester took the lead. The impressive Bilal El Khannouss released ­Stephy Mavididi down the left. His low cross somehow sailed through the Liverpool area to the feet of Ayew, who turned Andy Robertson with ease before finding the bottom corner of Alisson’s net. Ayew’s shot took a slight deflection off the heel of Virgil van Dijk en route.

Cue an inevitable Liverpool reaction, albeit one disrupted by too many errant passes, careless touches and overhit deliveries. Mavididi could have had a second assist after Victor Kristiansen intercepted a loose cross-field ball from Darwin Núñez. Patson Daka sprinted into a gaping hole in the centre of Liverpool’s defence but Mavididi misplaced his pass and Liverpool escaped.

Salah saw a shot loop off Kristiansen and just over the bar after a poor clearance by Stolarczyk handed possession to Robertson. From the resulting corner, ­Alexander-Arnold crossed at the second attempt and the Scotland captain’s header struck a post. The Egypt international also struck the woodwork at the end of an incisive counterattack, curling against the bar from 18 yards.

Frustration was mounting inside Anfield, not least when only two minutes were added to the end of the first half. It proved long enough. Receiving an Alexis Mac Allister pass on the corner of the penalty area, Gakpo swept across James Justin and curled an unstoppable shot inside ­Stolarczyk’s left post. It was the forward’s 10th goal of the season and lifted the ­tension, though not the fog.

Related: Arne Slot warns of ‘many challenges still ahead’ after Liverpool extend lead

Liverpool were immediately in control after the restart. Núñez fired over when Ryan Gravenberch pulled the ball back from the byline. Mac ­Allister found himself in a similar position to his midfield partner after a flowing one-touch move involving Jones and Salah. The Argentina international fired low across the six-yard box and Jones was perfectly placed to convert. A lengthy wait ensued as the video assistant referee checked for a possible offside against Salah in the buildup. There was a second tedious break in play when VAR took an age to determine that Núñez was offside prior to Gakpo rifling home what would have been Liverpool’s third.

Salah banished any hope of a Leicester fightback – a slim prospect admittedly – in style. Gakpo’s lofted pass found the striker in space on the right. Only Salah spotted the possibility of sealing victory as he advanced on Kristiansen.

Having surveyed the options, he swept a superb shot between the Leicester left-back and ­Jannik Vestergaard into the far ­bottom corner. Salah, and Liverpool, look unstoppable.

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