Liverpool thrashed Southampton 4-0 to move up to second in the Premier League, one point behind leaders Chelsea.

A brace from Diogo Jota and a goal each from Thiago Alcantara and Virgil van Dijk, secured a comfortable win for Liverpool.

The Reds are now on 28 points while Chelsea are on 29 points and will hope to extend their lead with a win against Manchester United on Sunday.

Southampton’s bold intent was punished after less than two minutes when Andrew Robertson was allowed to get away down the flank and cross for Jota to poke in.

A second goal arrived just after the half-hour mark when the unmarked Jota tapped in from Mohamed Salah’s square ball after good link-up play between the Egypt international and Jordan Henderson.

Those two strikes took Liverpool to 700 goals scored since Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield – they have also become the first top-flight team in English football to score at least twice in 17 straight matches in all competitions since Sunderland in 1927.

On 37 minutes Liverpool got a third goal when the visitors failed to clear their lines properly and Alcantara punished them with a deflected strike for his second goal in as many games.

The half-time interval provided only a brief respite and Liverpool made it 4-0 on 52 minutes soon after the restart as Virgil van Dijk fired in from a corner.

At Selhurst Park, Steven Gerrard continued his impressive start to life at Aston Villa as they recorded a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace.

It is now back-to-back victories for the former Rangers manager.

Villa move up to 11th in the table thanks to goals from Matt Targett and John McGinn, while Marc Guehi got a consolation goal for Palace.

And at Carrow Road, Wolverhampton Wanderers held Norwich City to a goalless draw.