Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane scored two goals apiece and Naby Keita got the other as Liverpool moved two points clear of City, who play at Burnley on Sunday.

"It was brilliant, really good performance, everything we needed," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said.

"It was a perfect day, nothing happened injury-wise and we won the game in a positive manner."

Liverpool were without Roberto Firmino, who missed out with a minor muscle injury, while Dejan Lovren replaced Joel Matip in the centre of Liverpool's defence.

And any tension Liverpool might have been feeling were forgotten within 15 seconds when Keita capitalised on a mistake in the Huddersfield defence to put the hosts in front, with the club's fastest ever goal.

That set the tone for a triumphant evening for Liverpool and Mane headed them into a 2-0 lead on 23 minutes before Salah made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time.

Another Mane header, this time from a Jordan Henderson cross, saw Liverpool go 4-0 up on 66 minutes.

Things were so comfortable for Liverpool that Klopp felt able to bring on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for his first appearance in a year after knee surgery.

The England midfielder almost made it a dream comeback when he had a chance moments after coming on and Mane headed onto the post soon after.

But Salah completed the scoring with the fifth goal after a slick move involving substitute Xherdan Shaqiri and Andy Robertson to put the seal on the night.

That took Salah to 21 league goals for the season, putting him ahead in the race for the Golden Boot.

Huddersfield, already relegated to the Championship, remain bottom of the table.

Liverpool defender Andy Robertson said Liverpool had done the job they needed to do and now hand the question on to Manchester City.

"We don't expect anything but all we can do is keep winning games, and keep putting pressure on them.

"As long as we keep putting on the pressure, then hopefully they slip up but we'll wait for that to happen, hopefully."

Australian Associated Press