Salah fires Liverpool 16 pts clear; Forest beat City

Premier League leaders Liverpool needed two Mohamed Salah penalties to beat bottom-of-the-table Southampton 3-1 on Saturday, while Nottingham Forest took a giant step towards the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Manchester City.

- Agencies

LONDON:

Liverpool stretched their lead at the top to a massive 16 points, despite a lethargic first 45 minutes.

Fresh from a smash-and-grab 1-0 Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool boss Arne Slot made just three changes.

However, the Dutchman was forced into making three half-time alterations to kickstart the champions-elect.

"The manager was like going for us - but that's something you need sometimes. Because first half, the game was sloppy," said Salah.

Southampton have taken just nine points from 28 games all season, but stunned Anfield when Will Smallbone fired the visitors in front in first-half stoppage time.