Mane scored his first Premier League goal as a substitute for Liverpool
Liverpool's unstoppable charge towards their first top-flight title in 30 years continued by edging a narrow victory over bottom-of-the-table Norwich.
Sadio Mane came off the bench to score the winner with 12 minutes remaining, expertly taking down skipper Jordan Henderson's raking pass and smashing in at the near post.
It means Jurgen Klopp's side need just five more wins from their remaining 12 games to guarantee the title, having dropped just two points all campaign.
Chances were at a premium in a blustery first half, but Liverpool ramped up the pressure in the second period - Canaries goalkeeper Tim Krul making a stunning double save to deny Mohamed Salah's low shot and Naby Keita's close-range follow-up.
Having been pegged back for a long period, Norwich could have scored on the counter-attack as Alex Tettey's strike from an angle caught Alisson by surprise at his near post but the effort rattled the foot of the upright.
But Senegal international Mane - who missed the last two games through a hamstring injury - proved to be the difference having entered the action on the hour mark.
- Relive Liverpool's victory over Norwich
Reds just keep on winning
It looked for a while that it may be a frustrating day for Liverpool at Carrow Road, misplacing a number of passes in the final third and being restricted to long-range efforts.
Keita's drive was tipped over the crossbar by Krul, while efforts from Virgil van Dijk and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were comfortable for the Dutch goalkeeper to deal with.
When the marauding Trent Alexander-Arnold dragged a shot wide from the edge of the box after just 13 seconds, a routine win looked to be on the cards, but the Reds had to battle hard once more to go a mammoth 25 points clear of champions Manchester City.
To say Liverpool have dominated the division is an understatement - they have annihilated all in front of them and the numbers make staggering reading:
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Liverpool are now unbeaten in 43 league games, closing in on Arsenal's all-time record of 49.
They have collected a remarkable 102 points from their last 105 available.
The Reds have picked up 35 wins from their last 36 games - a 1-1 draw at Manchester United in October the only blemish.
They have won 17 games in a row and kept 10 clean sheets from their last 11 games.
The result also means 76 points after 26 games is the best record at this juncture in the history of Europe's top-five leagues - something even the continent's great sides including La Liga's Barcelona, Juventus of Serie A, Bundesliga's Bayern Munich and Ligue 1's Paris St-Germain were unable to achieve.
More to follow.
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Norwich
1Krul
2Aarons
6Zimmermann
5HanleyBooked at 41mins
3ByramSubstituted forLewisat 27'minutes
27TetteySubstituted forDrmicat 84'minutes
23McLean
7RuppSubstituted forBuendíaat 83'minutes
25Duda
14Cantwell
22Pukki
Substitutes
4Godfrey
8Vrancic
11Hernández
12Lewis
17Buendía
20Drmic
21Fährmann
Liverpool
1Alisson
66Alexander-Arnold
12Gomez
4van Dijk
26Robertson
8KeitaBooked at 83minsSubstituted forMilnerat 84'minutes
14Henderson
5WijnaldumSubstituted forFabinhoat 60'minutes
11Salah
9Firmino
15Oxlade-ChamberlainSubstituted forManéat 60'minutesBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
3Fabinho
6Lovren
7Milner
10Mané
13Adrián
20Lallana
27Origi
Referee:
Stuart Attwell
Attendance:
27,110
Match Stats
Home TeamNorwichAway TeamLiverpool
Possession
Home36%
Away64%
Shots
Home5
Away17
Shots on Target
Home1
Away6
Corners
Home2
Away7
Fouls
Home5
Away11
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Norwich City 0, Liverpool 1.
Full TimePosted at 90'+4'
Second Half ends, Norwich City 0, Liverpool 1.
Posted at 90'+2'
Foul by Roberto Firmino (Liverpool).
Posted at 90'+2'
Emiliano Buendía (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
BookingPosted at 90'
Sadio Mané (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card.
Posted at 89'
Attempt saved. Teemu Pukki (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Emiliano Buendía with a through ball.
Posted at 86'
Attempt missed. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) left footed shot from very close range is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a cross.
SubstitutionPosted at 84'
Substitution, Liverpool. James Milner replaces Naby Keita.
SubstitutionPosted at 84'
Substitution, Norwich City. Josip Drmic replaces Alexander Tettey.
SubstitutionPosted at 83'
Substitution, Norwich City. Emiliano Buendía replaces Lukas Rupp.
BookingPosted at 83'
Naby Keita (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 83'
Foul by Naby Keita (Liverpool).
Posted at 83'
Todd Cantwell (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 82'
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Kenny McLean.
Posted at 78'
VAR Decision: Goal Liverpool - Norwich City 0-1 Liverpool (Sadio Mané).
Goal!Posted at 78'
Goal! Norwich City 0, Liverpool 1. Sadio Mané (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jordan Henderson.Goal confirmed following VAR Review.
Posted at 75'
Attempt blocked. Jamal Lewis (Norwich City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Todd Cantwell.
Posted at 74'
Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Naby Keita.
Posted at 74'
Attempt missed. Grant Hanley (Norwich City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ondrej Duda with a cross following a corner.
Posted at 73'
Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Andrew Robertson.
Posted at 72'
Alexander Tettey (Norwich City) hits the right post with a right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right. Assisted by Todd Cantwell.
Posted at 70'
Foul by Jordan Henderson (Liverpool).
Posted at 70'
Grant Hanley (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 66'
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Max Aarons.
Posted at 65'
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Teemu Pukki.
Posted at 65'
Attempt missed. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Posted at 65'
Attempt blocked. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Andrew Robertson with a cross.
Posted at 61'
Foul by Fabinho (Liverpool).
Posted at 61'
Ondrej Duda (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
SubstitutionPosted at 60'
Substitution, Liverpool. Sadio Mané replaces Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
SubstitutionPosted at 60'
Substitution, Liverpool. Fabinho replaces Georginio Wijnaldum.
Posted at 60'
Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 60'
Foul by Kenny McLean (Norwich City).
Posted at 59'
Attempt saved. Naby Keita (Liverpool) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal.
Posted at 59'
Attempt saved. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Posted at 59'
Attempt saved. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a cross.
Posted at 58'
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Tim Krul.
Posted at 58'
Attempt saved. Naby Keita (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
Posted at 55'
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 55'
Foul by Max Aarons (Norwich City).
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goal
Source: bbc.com