Norwich (United Kingdom) (AFP)

Liverpool has well prepared Atlético Madrid which approaches by going to win on Saturday at the Norwich red lantern (1-0), which dearly sold its skin, for the 26th day of the championship of England.

A success that brings their lead over Manchester City to 25 points, the match against West Ham will be contested on Wednesday.

But it is above all three points that already secure them a place in the top 4 at the end of the season and qualify them - from February 15! - for the next Champions League.

The Canaries, them, could see their delay of 7 units on the maintenance to increase still further.

Three days before a knockout round of the Champions League at Atlético Madrid, Jürgen Klopp had decided to leave Fabinho and Sadio Mané on the bench at kickoff and make them return on time.

Pay strategy since the Senegalese acrobatically controlled a long ball from Jordan Henderson in the area before placing a powerful pivot hit close to the opponent's post (1-0, 78th).

Another late success in a season that definitely counts a lot.

And it is true that after a break of 13 days to recharge the batteries, thanks to the first mini-winter break conceded by the Premier League, the Reds took a little time to get back into rhythm.

Offensively, Liverpool struggled to get into good positions, with just one shot on eight attempts in the first act.

Norwich, who had beaten Manchester City (3-2) on their Carrow Road lawn at the start of the season, made the match almost perfect - on their scale -, even sending some thrills to Liverpool fans.

It took a magnificent intervention while anticipation, dynamism and precision from Alisson to intercept a pass from Lukas Rupp to Teemu Pukki, who would have only had to push the ball into the empty goal to open the score (35e).

The Reds can also thank Alisson's left post who saved him on a spontaneous strike from Alexander Tettey five minutes before Mané's goal.

But on returning from the locker room, the Reds had already seemed to pass the overdrive and goalkeeper Tim Krul had already achieved a small miracle with a double stop in front of Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita in the 59th.

All the lights are in any case green for Liverpool before entering the decisive phase of the defense of its European title.

Earlier in the afternoon, Burnley went to win at Southampton (2-1) to temporarily climb into the first half of the ranking (10th with 34 points).

© 2020 AFP