Liverpool five wins away from English Premier League title

Liverpool have moved within five wins of ending their 30-year title drought in the English top flight.

Liverpool’s Sadio Mane, right, scores the only goal of the game against Norwich City at Carrow Road. Picture: Getty Images

Liverpool have moved within five wins of ending their 30-year title drought in the English top flight after they extended their Premier League lead to an astonishing 25 points.

Substitute Sadio Mane produced the sole moment of real quality at Carrow Road as Liverpool fended off Storm Dennis and hosts Norwich City for a 1-0 victory – their 25th win in 26 games this season.

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Mane came off the bench to score his 12th league goal of the campaign and extend unbeaten Liverpool’s winning streak to 17 top-flight matches. They are just one win away from matching Manchester City’s Premier League record run of 18 consecutive victories.

Mane delivered with a lovely touch to control Jordan Henderson’s ball over the top and strike at the near post in the 78th minute. It was a fine way for Mane to mark his first Liverpool action since hobbling out of a 2-1 win at Wolverhampton on January 23.

Jurgen Klopp hailed Mane’s “perfect” return from injury after he was brought off the bench on the hour mark.

“It helps when you have such quality on the bench to bring on,” the Reds manager said.

“The quality of the others is just too big that you have to push somebody through.

“It was perfect for Sadio to have a few minutes but it looked like he was ready, yes.”

The runaway leaders inched closer to their first league trophy since 1990 by grinding out a nervy win, amid howling winds and driving rain.

“We knew it would be difficult coming here even though they are bottom of the league,” Henderson said. “Overall I thought it was a good performance.”

Meanwhile, Burnley made it three wins out of their last four games in the league with a 2-1 victory at Southampton.

Ashley Westwood scored inside two minutes for the visitors and former Burnley striker Danny Ings equalised in the 18th minute.

But substitute Matej Vydra provided the brilliant winner on the hour at a rain-soaked St Mary’s – his first goal in 17 months.

Burnley rose to 10th, three points ahead of 13th-placed Southampton, who endured a third successive loss.

“They were better than us first half,” Burnley boss Sean Dyche said. “Second half, we calmed the game down. We scored a sublime goal.”

AP