Premier League soccer: Liverpool demolishes second-place Leicester City

Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Liverpool increased their lead atop the Premier League standings with a dominant 4-0 win against second-place Leicester City.

Roberto Firmino scored twice in the 4-0 triumph Thursday at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, England. The Reds remain undefeated on the season, with 17 wins and a draw in 18 league matches. Leicester is now just one point ahead of third-place Manchester City.

Trent Alexander-Arnold had a goal and two assists in the win.

"If you can't get up for a game for Liverpool Football Club then I don't think you will get up for many things," Reds left back Andy Robertson told LiverpoolFC.com.

"The lads love playing games, we get paid to play games, we enjoy playing together and we enjoy going out there and trying to work hard and trying to achieve things and that's what we did."

Firmino scored the only goal of the first half, beating Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel in the 31st minute. The Brazilian striker hovered near the right post during the play, before Alexander-Arnold curled in a lofted cross. The ball fell into the back post, where Firmino fired a header into a narrow angle to beat Schmeichel for first blood.

Liverpool held the narrow lead before James Milner found the net on a 71st minute penalty kick. The Reds midfielder netted the score after Leicester fullback Caglar Soyuncu was whistled for a handball in the box during a corner kick.

Firmino increased the lead to 3-0 about three minutes later. Milner slid a pass over to Alexander-Arnold on the right side of the box during that sequence. Alexander-Arnold then smacked a quick cross through the middle of the box. Firmino stopped the fastball before casually chipping a shot into the upper right corner of the net in the 74th minute.

Alexander-Arnold scored the final goal of the match in the 78th minute. Sadio Mane dribbled the ball down the middle of the field before finding a streaking Alexander-Arnold with a pass to his right during that exchange. Alexander-Arnold used his first touch to rip a shot between a defender's legs and into the left side of the net, beating a diving Schmeichel for the score.

The Reds face Wolverhampton in another Premier League matchup at 11:30 a.m. EST Sunday at Anfield in Liverpool, England.