Liverpool's Roberto Firmino and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold celebrate their victory at the end of the English Premier League soccer match betwe...
Liverpool's Roberto Firmino and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold celebrate their victory at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Liverpool at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, England, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold, left, kicks the ball ahead of Leicester's Wilfred Ndidi during the English Premier League soccer match between Lei...
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold, left, kicks the ball ahead of Leicester's Wilfred Ndidi during the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Liverpool at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, England, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Liverpool's James Milner, second left, celebrates with his teammate Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum, left, and Liverpool's Jordan Henderson after scor...
Liverpool's James Milner, second left, celebrates with his teammate Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum, left, and Liverpool's Jordan Henderson after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Liverpool at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, England, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Liverpool's Andrew Robertson, left, and Leicester's Harvey Barnes challenge for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Leices...
Liverpool's Andrew Robertson, left, and Leicester's Harvey Barnes challenge for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Liverpool at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, England, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
LEICESTER, England (AP) —
When Liverpool lifts the English Premier League trophy in May —- barring a monumental collapse — the end of a three-decade title drought will owe a lot to Trent Alexander-Arnold.
After a key role in the first three goals, Alexander-Arnold netted himself to add the final flourish in a 4-0 victory over Leicester on Thursday that sent Liverpool 13 points clear of the second-placed challenger.
And that’s with a game in hand, with half of the season remaining.
Victory in the chill of central England on Boxing Day came five days after the European champion added the Club World Cup to its trophy haul.
Roberto Firmino netted the winner against Flamengo in Qatar and the forward got on the end of two crosses from Alexander-Arnold at King Power Stadium.
The goal that suppressed any hope of a Leicester comeback — and surely the host's hopes of repeating its remarkable 2016 title — came when James Milner grabbed the second of the night from the penalty spot in the 71st minute.
The move that led to the penalty being awarded, inevitably came from another of Alexander-Arnold’s crosses which was handled by Leicester defender Çağlar Söyüncü.
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