Liverpool vs Leicester: Diogo Jota scored both goals for the Reds, as they held the Foxes at arm’s length for 90 minutes and picked up a 2-0 victory at Anfield on Thursday.

The victory returns Liverpool to nine points behind Manchester City, right back where they were when matchweek 24 kicked off. With a game in hand, the Reds could close the gap to six points before the Premier League season’s stretch run. Leicester, meanwhile, remains 12th as their hugely disappointing season of regression continues.

3 things we learned – Liverpool vs Leicester

1. Like Man City, Liverpool coasting in lower gear: While the dream of reclaiming the Premier League title has likely gone for Liverpool, the Reds still have UEFA Champions League glory on their mind this season. Like the runaway leaders on Wednesday, Liverpool were never forced out of third gear en route to beating Leicester. Even without Mohamed Salah in the starting lineup (he came off the bench after returning from international duty) or Sadio Mane in the team (he could return this weekend), Liverpool made light work of Leicester. The Reds will visit the Eithad Stadium for their much-anticipated (potentially title race-affecting) showdown on April 9.
2. Untouchable at Anfield: An impressive stat, from the fine folks at Opta: Liverpool, the only remaining Premier League side yet to lose on home soil this season, have now won 11 of their last 15 Premier League games at Anfield, scoring at least twice in 12 of those 15 games (34 goals in total). (Note: 8 of their remaining 15 games are at Anfield.)
3. Lost season for Leicester: Following back-to-back 5th-place finishes, Leicester appeared ready to entrench themselves at the Premier League’s top table with an aggressive summer of transfer business, but nothing has played out as planned for Brendan Rodgers and Co., from the preseason injury to budding star defender Wesley Fofana, to Jamie Vardy’s rapid decline and, ultimately, a squad of players who, in Rodgers’ own words, “have to look at themselves in the mirror and prove they are good enough to be here.” They have proved nothing of the sort of late.

Man of the Match: Diogo Jota – $60 million very, very well spent by Liverpool, who hardly ever skip a beat without Salah, Mane and/or Firmino in the team. Even without their big stars in the team they remain football betting favorites thanks to Portuguese goal-scoring machine.