Liverpool vs Swansea live: Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino inspire rout of hapless Swans
Follow the latest from the Premier League clash at Anfield
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool will look to return to the Premier League top four after witnessing Tottenham’s demolition of Southampton to leap ahead of the Reds, with Swansea visiting Anfield in the final match of a busy Boxing Day schedule.
After seven previous games, Liverpool and Swansea take centre stage with the two sides very experiencing differing fortunes this season. Jürgen Klopp’s side can move back into fourth with a victory and maintain their Champions League aspirations for next season, while Swansea will start the match rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table and unable to escape the bottom three even if they win.
Jordan Henderson is absent for Liverpool due to a hamstring injury suffered in last Friday’s 3-3 draw with Arsenal, but Joel Matip could return from a month out injured, while Swansea are without Kyle Naughton meaning that Angel Rangel could be recalled.
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52 mins: GOAL! LIVERPOOL 2 SWANSEA 0:
Roberto Firmino should have scored a decisive second goal moments before half-time, but he's done just that seven minutes after the break. It's a brilliant piece of play, both scored and created in Brazil, that begun when Philippe Coutinho sent a deep free-kick over the heads of Swansea's massed defence and on to the right foot of Firmino, who had arrived at the back post to volley first time past Lukasz Fabianski.
56 mins: Another Coutinho free-kick on the edge of the penalty area, awarded when Martin Olsson tripped a rampaging Firmino, nearly brings a third. This time Coutinho went low, squaring a pass across the box for Salah to twist a shot just wide.
Meanwhile, for his part in proceedings, Olsson received the game's first yellow card.
62 mins: Oliver McBurnie's first Premier League start comes to an end as he is replaced for the duration by Chelsea loanee, Tammy Abraham.
65 mins: GOAL! LIVERPOOL 3 SWANSEA 0:
What a strike from young Trent Alexander-Arnold! After netting twice in the Champions League this season, the teenage defender has his first Premier League goal in front of the Kop. Reacting quickest to a loose defensive header clear in the Swansea ranks, Alexander-Arnold chested down, manoeuvred himself past an opponent and rifled a shot from the edge of the box in off the crossbar. Joyous scenes!
66 mins: GOAL! LIVERPOOL 4 SWANSEA 0:
Two goals in under two minutes means Roberto Firmino has his second and Liverpool have their fourth. Once again, the visitors gave away possession in their own half under little pressure and Mohamed Salah took full advantage. The Egyptian burst into the box on the right, drew a defender and then squared across goal for Firmino to roll into Lukasz Fabianski's empty net.
69 mins: Jurgen Klopp takes the opportunity to ring the changes with the fixtures set to come thick and fast over the festive period. Roberto Firmino will not be adding to his two goals tonight, and Mo Salah will not be adding to his 15 this season. Both players are afforded a rest with Adam Lallana and Dominic Solanke coming on to take their places.
75 mins: James Milner insisted that Liverpool need to become a more proposition on Friday night after they let their two-goal lead slip at Arsenal. Well, he now has his opportunity to stamp that monotony on this free-scoring side. The makeshift left-back is on for the last quarter of an hour as young Andy Robertson takes a breather.
78 mins: Renato Sanches! Remember him? He was once considered one of the best young players in Europe, but the Bayern Munich loanee is now being kept out of the Swansea City side by Tom Carroll and, the man at the heart of QPR's relegation from the Premier League, Leroy Fer. Anyway, he's back for the final minutes of this one; Sanches replaces Roque Mesa.
83 mins: GOAL! LIVERPOOL 5 SWANSEA 0:
How does the old chant go? "Five-nil, even Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored." It's a harsh composition to throw at the former Arsenal man, who has performed well this evening albeit in the most amiable of circumstances - and he did well here. There were echoes of Trent Alexander-Arnold's goal as Oxlade-Chamberlain burst forward to claim a loose ball ahead of two dithering defenders, chesting it into space before releasing a half-volley that nestled in the far corner.
87 mins: Substitute Dominic Solanke is trying to get himself involved in the scoring act with what would be his first for the club, but misses out twice in as many minutes. First, he is denied at close range by the legs of Fabianski, before steering a clever effort just wide of the far post. His time may have to wait for another day.
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