Liverpool 4 Stoke City 1: WATCH HIGHLIGHTS – Daniel Sturridge rounds off rout with first Prem goal this season while Jurgen Klopp justifies selection of Roberto Firmino

LIVERPOOL charged to second in the table after fighting back to overcome Stoke City 4-1 at Anfield.

Goals from Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino, a Giannelli Imbula own goal and Daniel Sturridge's first Prem effort this season saw the Reds march past Manchester City, who they face on Saturday.

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Stoke have never beaten Liverpool at Anfield in a top flight league match, and only briefly in the first half did this record look in any danger of being broken.

Keep up to date with ALL the Liverpool and Stoke news, gossip, transfers and goals on our club page plus fixtures, results and live match commentary

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Jonathan Walters had put Stoke ahead. After a period of pressure from the Potters, Walters got in front of his marker Dejan Lovren to head past Simon Mignolet.

Lallana levelled the score in the 35th minute, thrashing his effort past 'keeper Lee Grant after the ball kindly rebounded to him in the box.

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The Reds then took the lead on the stroke of half-time,  Jurgen Klopp justifying his selection of Firmino. The Brazilian will appear in court on 31 January after being arrested for drink-driving in the early hours of Christmas Eve.

Firmino's strike went in off the post and over the line after he had acres of time in the Potters' box.

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Imbula diverted in Divock Origi's cross on the hour for the third and then sub Sturridge rounded Grant in the 70th minute as the Potters capitulation was complete.

FACTS, STATS, GOALS & LOLS

• The opening goal must have been a joyous moment for Jonathan Walters - he's a boyhood Everton fan.
• Adam Lallana impressed in front of watching England boss Gareth Southgate in the stands. Southgate has previously sung the praises of the playmaker.
• Daniel Sturridge has scored in the cup this season - but this was his first league goal since April.
• It has been an eventful three days for Roberto Firmino - he was arrested for drink driving in the early hours of Christmas Eve, and faces  a court case on Jan 31 - the same day as the Reds face Chelsea.
• Stoke have still never won a top-flight league game at Anfield.
• It will be a quick turnaround for the Reds - they next face Man City on Saturday and then Sunderland on Monday  in the space of 48 hours.
• Liverpool have scored 86 goals the league in 2016 - more than any other team.
• The rampant Reds have also scored 100 goals in Klopp's first 48 league games - the same as Kenny Dalglish with the club.
• Liverpool still haven't solved their goalkeeping problems. Loris Karius was dropped, and Simon Mignolet was at fault for the Potters' goal. Easily beaten at his near post.

BIG PICTURE

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SOCIAL SAYS

WHAT THEY SAID

Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson: "Early on they put us under pressure and we struggled to deal with the long ball. They got the goal but we adapted well towards the end of the first half. The start wasn’t great but overall after the goal we dominated.

“It doesn’t matter about everyone else (title rivals). We are just focused on what we need. We now have to focus on the next game and we have a another tough one coming up against City - that is the next challenge."