Leicester's relegation fears deepened as Curtis Jones starred in Liverpool's convincing 3-0 win at the King Power Stadium on Jones struck twice inside four minutes (33, 36) as Jurgen Klopp's side wrestled control of the contest and Leicester threatened another first-half collapse, seven days on from their 5-3 defeat at Fulham
Trent Alexander-Arnold was teed up by Mohamed Salah at a free-kick on the edge of Leicester's penalty area for a brilliant third (71)
 With a hat-trick of assists for the first time in his Premier League career, Salah ought to have added a fourth as he bent a shot wide with only Daniel Iversen standing in his way
Leicester reportedly cancelled their end-of-season awards night this week in acknowledgement of the severity of their situation
 It is now one win in 14 games for the Foxes, who remain marooned in the relegation zone, two points adrift of safety
Liverpool move to within a point of Manchester United in fourth place having played a game more than their rivals
 On Jones, Jamie Carragher said: "We're seeing the best of him right now
 He's been a revelation in this attacking midfield role
"Leicester boss Dean Smith challenged his players to carry the psychological burden of their relegation battle - and the hosts carved open the game's first chance on a trademark swift transition which nearly exposed Liverpool's high line
James Maddison threaded an exquisite first-time pass for Harvey Barnes to gallop into the final third and slip through Jamie Vardy, but Alisson closed down the angle and smothered the shot
Sitting two points from safety with three games remaining, the Foxes - who welcomed Jonny Evans for the first time in a starting capacity since October - were desperate for victory, but they were undone with Liverpool's first meaningful attack
From Alisson's deep clearance, Timothy Castagne played Luiz Diaz onside before Wout Faes allowed the ball to drop over his shoulder
 Jordan Henderson picked out Mohamed Salah, and from his cross Jones arrived at the far post to convert
"When Liverpool are at their very best, they cause mayhem," Gary Neville said at the interval
 "It was a classic Klopp goal and a classic Liverpool goal
"Leeds' 2-2 draw with Newcastle on Saturday added extra pressure on the 2016 champions and dropped them to second bottom in the Premier League - and they crumbled to concede a quickfire second
It was another marginal offside call as Salah laid on Cody Gakpo's threaded ball to tee up Jones to swivel and fire beyond Iversen
"He's in the form of his life at the moment," Carragher added on Jones
 "There was the thought that maybe it wasn't happening for him at times this season, but he's in the best form of his career
"Smith, who replaced Brendan Rodgers until the end of the season last month, called on his players to keep their heads, but Gakpo might have added a third before half-time when he shot straight at Iversen
Leicester have collected 13 points from losing positions in 2023 - more than any other side
 They needed a swift response after the restart but Alisson denied Barnes with a fingertip save
Smith gambled as Patson Daka and Tete replaced Barnes and Wilfred Ndidi - but the visitors retained the greater threat
 Midway through the second period, Salah cut inside Luke Thomas and curled a shot that was batted away by Iversen
Liverpool weren't content with their night's work - in particular Alexander-Arnold
 Leicester were unhappy with referee Craig Pawson with the awarding of a free-kick for a challenge by Evans on Henderson
But after Salah rolled the ball with his studs, Alexander-Arnold curled an exquisite strike high into top corner to compound Leicester's misery
Salah missed a glorious chance when put through by Gakpo but the Egyptian inexplicably shot wide
He could afford to smile
 The Leicester fans who headed for the exits long before the final whistle certainly could not
 Two years to the day since watching their side lift the FA Cup, they find themselves in the relegation zone with two games remaining
Jurgen Klopp has spoken bullishly about how his Liverpool side can close the gap to Manchester City next season
 Here was further evidence to back up those claims
Wild inconsistencies in results - beating Manchester United 7-0 and Bournemouth 9-0 but losing to struggling Leeds, their only home defeat of the season - had left the Reds 20 points adrift of the Premier League leaders going into the weekend
It has been more common for the two to push each other all the way to the final day of the season, Liverpool twice coming second by just a point, and despite their most recent troubles Klopp expects normal service to be resumed when the new campaign kicks off in August
Liverpool arrived in the Midlands on a six-match winning run, their best sequence for more than a year
 Their return to form has given a glimpse of the level the side used to - and Klopp believes will again - play at
Alexander-Arnold stole the show here during Liverpool's last win at Leicester- scoring one and laying on two assists over three years ago in a 4-0 win
 That result - when Leicester were second in the table back in December 2019 - was viewed as being the moment when Klopp truly believed a first Premier League title was within reach
The Reds boss has spoken regularly in recent weeks about using the end to the campaign as a platform for next season, and the nature of Jones' double was vintage Liverpool
 A ruthless swotting aside of their opponents
 Leicester never recovered
 "We concede an awful goal from our point of view
 We wanted to play in their half and make their centre-backs run back to goal but one ball beats our back four and then they score another soon after
 Then you're chasing a game against a supremely talented team
"Goals change games
 Two goals that are marginally onside
 We wanted to make a game of it in the second half, we did at times, but the third goal kills the game
 It's never a free-kick
 Really disappointed
"It is a group of really good footballers but we came up against a team that overran us physically today
 It's pretty simple
 We need to win our next game
 It will be tough at St James' Park
 It would be nice to take the lead for once
" "Sensational first goal
 Top second goal
 We should have scored immediately after
 Third goal, what a wonderful routine
 Love it
 Good win, super important for us
 That win, I think we are guaranteed Europa League next season
 Tonight I'm really happy
"That's the best free-kick routine we have
 We should have scored three like that
 Now we can take it direct or roll it both sides, so it makes it more likely we score from these situations
 We have to use it more often
"I think they [European rivals] would have preferred we lose tonight
 I would in their shoes