Novak Djokovic accused Cameron Norrie of unsportsmanlike behaviour after a frosty encounter in the fourth round of the Italian Open.

The world number one ultimately eased to 6-3 6-4 victory but there was a flashpoint where Norrie hit Djokovic with a smash, and the handshake at the net lacked any warmth.

The main talking point came in the fourth game of the second set as Norrie sought to retrieve an early break.

Djokovic turned his back on the play after presenting his opponent with an easy overhead, only for Norrie, seemingly unintentionally, to drill the ball into the Serbian’s legs, who responded with an extremely hard stare.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Djokovic was less bothered by that incident than Norrie’s overall demeanour coupled with a medical timeout he took prior to the final game.

“I did watch the replay when he hit me,” said the six-time champion. “Maybe you could say he didn’t hit me deliberately. I don’t know if he saw me.

“I mean, (in your peripheral vision) you can always see where the player is positioned on the court. The ball was super slow and super close to the net. I just turned around because the point was over for me.

“It was not so much maybe about that, but it was a combination of things. From the very beginning, he was doing all the things that were allowed. He’s allowed to take a medical timeout. He’s allowed to hit a player. He’s allowed to say ‘C’mon’ in the face more or less every single point.

“Those are the things that we players know in the locker room it’s not fair play, it’s not how we treat each other.

“I got along with Cameron really well all these years that he’s been on the tour. Practised with each other. He’s a very nice guy off the court, so I don’t understand this kind of attitude on the court, to be honest.

“But it is what it is. He brought the fire, and I responded to that. I’m not going to allow someone behaving like this just bending my head. I’m going to respond to that. That’s all it is. What happens on the court, we leave it on the court, and we move on.”

Norrie, who had lost both his previous meetings with Djokovic, dropped serve at the start of the contest and was kept at arm’s length through the rest of the opening set, with the Serbian putting on a tactical masterclass.

Norrie withstood pressure after the smash incident to hold his serve until 4-4, when Djokovic, who has never failed to make the quarter-finals in Rome, made the decisive move.

The 35-year-old was serving noticeably slower than usual but he was coy on the reason for a visit to the treatment room that delayed the start of the match.

“Every day is something,” he said. “Thankfully I was able to play and finish the match, so hopefully tomorrow I will feel even better.”

Djokovic next faces a quarter-final clash with seventh seed Holger Rune, who defeated Alexei Popyrin in three sets, while fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas completed a delayed 6-3 7-6 (3) victory over Italian Lorenzo Sonego.

John Quinn feels Highfield Princess faces a “tough enough” test in her bid for back-to-back victories in the 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes.

The six-year-old was fit from a winter campaign on the all-weather when landing the Group Two prize 12 months ago, a victory which proved a springboard to a fantastic campaign.

Highfield Princess completed a hat-trick of Group One wins, landing the Prix Maurice de Gheest, the Nunthorpe and the Flying Five Stakes in little over a month before rounding off 2022 with an honourable fourth at the Breeders’ Cup.

Quinn is pleased with how his stable star is training ahead of her reappearance, but is more hopeful than confident about her chances of registering a comeback victory due to the fact she lacks race sharpness and must concede weight all round.

He said: “She’s in good shape, I’m pleased with her. She thrives on racing and I would have liked to have got a run into her, but that wasn’t possible because there wasn’t a race there.

“All her life she’s been getting the mares’ allowance off these horses. You look at a horse like Creative Force, he finished in front of us in America and finished in front of us at Royal Ascot last year when we were getting the mares’ allowance, whereas now she’s got the Group One penalty to carry.

“She deserves it, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not going to be simple.”

Win, lose or draw, Quinn hopes his star mare’s outing on the Knavesmire will put her right for a trip to Royal Ascot, where she has the option of running in the King’s Stand and/or the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.

“We’ll get her going, I’m sure she’ll run well and whatever she does we’ll move on,” he added.

“Every year it has taken her a run or two and now she’s swimming in deeper waters.

“She’s in very good nick and I’m not being negative, but when one looks at it, it’s tough enough.”

Chief among her rivals is Creative Force, who suffered a short-priced defeat on his seasonal debut in Newmarket’s Abernant Stakes, but bolted up in a four-runner conditions race at Haydock on Saturday.

The Dubawi gelding’s trainer Charlie Appleby is happy to send him back into battle quickly.

“Creative Force enjoyed himself at Haydock in a race that rode like a piece of work for him,” the Moulton Paddocks handler told www.godolphin.com.

“He was bucking and kicking on Monday morning, while we feel conditions at York could suit him again.

“We will keep an eye on him ahead of the race and, if we continue to be happy with him, he will be good to go.”

Australian sprinters invariably do well on British soil and hopes are high for another Antipodean challenger in The Astrologist.

Beaten just a head when runner-up to Danyah in the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan, the Newmarket-based six-year-old will be ridden by Ryan Moore in his warm-up for the Royal meeting.

Troy Corstens, who trains the Zoustar gelding in partnership with his father, Leon, said: “I’m really looking forward to seeing him run at York. I think he’ll run a super race if we get conditions to suit. It’s always been on my bucket list to have a runner over there and I’m very excited.

“Originally the UK trip was sort of pie-in-the-sky stuff and we booked in to go to Dubai for World Cup night. And he ran so well at World Cup night, Nick Smith (director of racing at Ascot) was speaking to us and just said, ‘Would you be interested in coming over?’

“We talked about it and after he ran so well, we thought let’s hit the ‘go’ button and head over. He’s a very good traveller – he travelled a little bit in Australia and really adapted well.

“We were very keen to get a run into him before the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee and the race at York is just an absolute perfect one for him.”

Michael Dods fires a twin assault, with recent Newmarket Listed race winner Azure Blue joined by dual Stewards’ Cup hero Commanche Falls, who finished third behind Creative Force last weekend.

“Azure Blue came out of Newmarket well and obviously likes plenty of cut in the ground. It’s a big step up in class, but she deserves the chance,” he said.

“The problem Commanche Falls has got is he’s too high in the ratings to get in handicaps and he’s probably not quite good enough for a race like this, but we’ve got to run and see how he can cope.

“Ideally he’d be better off in big handicaps like the Wokingham and the Stewards’ Cup, but he can’t get in those off 112.

“He’s in good form and the race was run a bit slow for him on Saturday. He’s come out of it well, so we’ll let him take his chance again.”

Karl Burke’s Gimcrack runner-up Marshman adds extra spice, coming here instead of waiting for Haydock on Saturday week.

“We could have gone for the Sandy Lane, but I just thought those three horses that ran in the Guineas – Sakheer, Little Big Bear and Noble Style – they all might decide to go for the Sandy Lane, so I thought this could be a better place for Marshman,” said Nick Bradley of the owning Nick Bradley Racing syndicate.

“He’s ready to go and we’re keen to see where we are. He’s run really well at York before and it’s a race a lot of my owners would love to win, so I thought we’d give it a go and see what happens.”

Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun has switched allegiance from England to the United States, FIFA has confirmed.

The New York-born 21-year-old, who is currently on loan at French club Reims, has represented England at Under-21s level but has opted to play his senior international football for the country of his birth.

A FIFA spokesperson told the PA news agency said: “The change of association of the player Folarin Jolaoluwa Balogun from England to the USA has been approved.”

The news comes just weeks before England are due to launch their European Under-21 Championship finals campaign in Georgia and Romania.

Balogun has made 13 appearances for Lee Carsley’s side, but withdrew from the squad in March due to injury.

Having been born in America, Balogun moved to England when he was two years old and also qualifies for Nigeria through his parents.

Qualifying players are allowed to switch associations before they have played a competitive match for a nation’s senior team.

Balogun has made 10 first-team appearances and scored two goals for the Gunners, and spent the second half of the 2021-22 season on loan at Sky Bet Championship Middlesbrough.

However, he has made a name for himself in Ligue 1 this season with 19 goals in 34 appearances to date.

Roger Varian has indicated Sakheer is likely to head straight to the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot after finishing sixth in the 2000 Guineas.

Although beaten on debut at Windsor, the Zoffany colt proved himself to be a high-class two-year-old – shedding his maiden in style at Haydock on his second start before putting in a most impressive display to claim the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.

Despite racing over no further than six furlongs as a juvenile, Sakheer was upped to a mile for his return in the opening Classic of the season and while making promising progress at one stage, the testing conditions at Newmarket ultimately seemed to take a toll in the closing stages as he finished seven lengths adrift of Chaldean.

Having recovered well from his Rowley Mile exertions, Sakheer’s handler has now taken the decision to revert back to the distance he made his name over at the Royal meeting and a race for which he is currently at the top of the ante-post lists at a best price of 11-2.

“He’s come out of the race well and most likely he will go straight to the Commonwealth Cup,” said Varian.

“It was such a messy race the 2000 Guineas, it was almost a non-event for us. He made quite an eyecatching move in the race, but it was all happening away from him and maybe he just didn’t get home the final 100 yards.

“We imagine a stiff six furlongs at Ascot is tailor-made for him.”

Proud And Regal is set to come back in trip for the Irish 2,000 Guineas, with trainer Donnacha O’Brien looking to the Betfred Derby with Dee Stakes runner-up Alder.

A son of Galileo, Proud And Regal won three of his five starts as a juvenile – which included the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud – and was third to Sprewell in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown on his return.

A general 33-1 chance for the Derby, his Ballyroe handler felt Proud And Regal showed enough speed for the mile of the Tattersalls-sponsored Irish Guineas on Saturday week.

“I thought the winner won very well,” said O’Brien. “It was kind of a hard race to read. I came away scratching my head a little bit, but the more I saw it, I think we’re going to step him back down in trip for the Irish Guineas.

“I thought he travelled really well. There’s definitely a chance that he will get 10 furlongs and we could be going back there after the Guineas, but the plan is to go to the Curragh for the Irish Guineas.”

Given his pedigree, by champion three-year-old Galileo, who was a dual Derby and King George winner, Proud And Regal is bred to get a mile and a half.

He won on heavy ground at Saint-Cloud over a mile, but O’Brien is uncertain whether the 10-furlong trip at Leopardstown suited.

He said: “I wasn’t sure.

“There is a chance he will definitely be going back up in trip, but two-year-old races are a lot different than older horse races. You can get away with an inadequate distance a lot more at two than you can at three.

“We’ll see how he comes out of the race, but the plan is to go to the Curragh.”

Alder, who was beaten a length and three-quarters by the Aidan O’Brien-trained San Antonio, will be heading to Epsom.

The son of Australia is a 25-1 chance with Betfred for Epsom glory.

O’Brien confirmed: “We’re aiming at the Epsom Derby. I think it is an open race. I think he got in a poor position at Chester off a very slow pace, on ground he wouldn’t like, and he just hung in behind the winner in the last furlong.

“But I think it was a very decent run from him. We think he’s a good horse and he’s going to be a much better horse on better ground over a mile and a half.”

Piz Badile, who was runner-up in last season’s Irish Derby before a somewhat disappointing run when seven lengths behind Onesto in the Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp, will bid to break his Group One duck at the Curragh on Sunday week.

He made his return from a 10-month absence when a three-length third to Visualisation in the Group Two Mooresbridge at the Curragh two weeks ago.

“The plan is to go to the Tattersalls Gold Cup on Guineas weekend,” O’Brien added. “Again, I thought it was a very adequate comeback from him.

“It was a mess of a race. They went very slow, so the plan is to go to there and there’s a chance he could be going back to a mile and a half after that, but we’ll see.

“He was probably a little bit backward at two and three. He ran very well in the Irish Derby and then he went to France, which was another case of a typical French race that didn’t suit him.

“I thought his comeback was a good run. When things do go right for him, then I think we’ll get a feel for whether he is going to be proper Group One horse, but I just don’t think he has had the chance to show if he is.”

West Ham will not entertain any bids for Declan Rice until the season is over, the PA news agency understands.

Reports emerged on Monday that Arsenal want to open talks with the Hammers over a £90million move for the England midfielder.

West Ham are understood to be resigned to losing their captain this summer and are braced for a bidding war, with Chelsea and Manchester United also in the mix.

But the club, and Rice, are focused solely on ending the season on a positive note, both domestically and in Europe.

The Hammers are all but safe from relegation and face AZ Alkmaar in the second leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final in the Netherlands on Thursday, leading 2-1 from the first leg.

Rice, 24, knows his final act in a West Ham shirt could be lifting a European trophy in Prague on June 7, sealing his place in club folklore.

He would become only the third West Ham captain to collect a trophy, along with Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds, who lifted their last piece of silverware, the FA Cup, in 1980.

Curtis Jones insisted he never lost faith he would earn a Liverpool revival after coming through a “tough time” to establish himself as a first-team regular.

The 22-year-old midfielder’s quickfire double helped the in-form Reds to a comfortable 3-0 win at relegation-threatened Leicester on Monday.

Jones has now started the Reds’ last nine Premier League games having previously only made two starts all season, with a shin injury sidelining him until mid-October.

He has also scored three goals in his last four appearances – ending an 18-month drought – to help Liverpool in their late Champions League charge with Jurgen Klopp’s side fifth and a point behind the top four.

The England Under-21 international told the club’s official site: “In terms of confidence, I’ve always been the same lad. I’ve always had the belief in myself but it’s been a tough time, I’ve had the injuries and stuff so I’ve not really had a full run of games in the past.

“But I came in against Chelsea and I kept my shirt and I’ve still got the shirt now. I’m enjoying it, I’m being humble and keeping my feet on the ground and I know what it takes, so that’s what I’m doing.

“Being a kid in the academy days I’ve always scored goals and I wouldn’t say I’ve been the star kid but I’ve always been the kid who has jumped up the age groups.

“Then I came around the first team and it was kind of a shock where the whole of the game changes, so I’ve had to make a change to the whole of my game. But I’m adapting well and I think it’s the best run I’ve had for a while.”

Jones struck twice in three first-half minutes against Leicester before Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 25-yard effort added the gloss.

It left Leicester two points from safety with two games left and Jamie Vardy admitted they need to win at Newcastle on Monday and in the final-day visit of West Ham to stand a chance of surviving.

“We’ve got to put it straight to the back of our minds now,” the striker told the club’s official site. “We’ve got to focus on the next two games and we’ve got to pick two wins up. It’ll be tough but we know we’ve got the talent in that dressing room. It needs to click.

“We’ve got two games left and the minimum we can have is two wins just to give ourselves a chance.

“So, we’ll get back on that training pitch, spend all week looking at Newcastle, how we can exploit the weaknesses and how we stop, obviously, their strengths.

“We’ve got to make sure that we put the 90-minute effort in next week to pick up a win.”

Connections of Anmaat are toying with the idea of running in France if he does not take up his intended engagement in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on Sunday week.

The hugely-consistent Owen Burrows-trained five-year-old, who won the Group Two Prix Dollar at ParisLongchamp in October, opened this season with a runner-up effort behind 2021 Derby winner Adayar in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month.

The son of Awtaad, who stayed on well under Jim Crowley to get within two and a half lengths of the classy winner, has won six of his 11 starts and placed on the other five occasions.

Now Anmaat could take the step into Group One company for the first time.

Angus Gold, racing manager for the gelding’s owners Shadwell Estates, said: “He has come out of the Gordon Richards well.

“The original plan was always to look at the Tattersalls Gold Cup in Ireland at the end of next week.

“Either that, or the Prix d’Ispahan (May 29). We will look at those, as long as he is in good shape.”

Plans are similarly fluid for the William Haggas-trained Mujtaba, who was beaten a neck by Point Lonsdale in last week’s Huxley Stakes at Chester.

“I don’t know what the plans are as yet,” said Gold. “I thought he ran a good race. Jim (Crowley) was a bit annoyed with himself. He said if he sat right up Ryan’s backside, he thought he would have won it.

“I think that is being a bit harsh. That was only his first run of the season and he is a big, galloping horse.

“I know he has won at Chester, but he’s also run badly there before. I don’t think it suits him. He wants a more galloping track ideally.

“For me, at least it showed he belongs in that sort of company and I thought he ran a very good race.

“He’ll go anywhere where there is a bit of decent ground. He wouldn’t want quick ground.”

Cameron Norrie left his mark on Novak Djokovic but saw his Italian Open run end in the fourth round.

The world number one was simply too solid for Norrie in a 6-3 6-4 victory that maintains his record of never having lost before the quarter-finals in Rome.

The main talking point came in the fourth game of the second set as Norrie sought to retrieve an early break.

Djokovic turned his back on the play after presenting his opponent with an easy smash, only for Norrie, seemingly unintentionally, to drill the ball into the Serbian’s legs.

Djokovic gave the British number one an extremely frosty stare and there was an edge to the contest thereafter, but Norrie never really threatened to land more than a glancing blow.

The 27-year-old, who had lost both his previous meetings with Djokovic, dropped serve at the start of the contest and was kept at arm’s length through the rest of the opening set, with the six-time champion putting on a tactical masterclass.

Norrie withstood pressure after the smash incident to hold his serve until 4-4, when Djokovic made the decisive move to reach the last eight.

“It was an early start today, strange conditions,” Djokovic said on Amazon Prime Video.

“I finished my warm-up 10 minutes before I went on court so I was rushing a bit with everything. I’m just glad to overcome today’s challenge in straight sets and move on.”

The 35-year-old was serving noticeably slower than usual but he was coy on the reason for an early morning visit to the treatment room.

“Every day is something,” he said. “Thankfully I was able to play and finish the match so hopefully tomorrow I will feel even better.”

Southampton have already been relegated from the Premier League, but the race to avoid joining them looks set to go down to the wire.

Two of West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Everton, Leeds and Leicester will play alongside the Saints in the Championship next season.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the relegation battle with two games to go.

West Ham (Leeds H, Leicester A)

Given their own plight and their opposition in the final two rounds of fixtures, West Ham will play a deciding role in who goes down. It will take an extraordinary set of results for them to be relegated as they are six points clear of Leeds with a significantly better goal difference, so would need to lose both games heavily and see a number of other results go against them. Their only concern will be how their European exertions affect them, with their match against Leeds coming days after a Europa Conference League semi-final second leg against AZ Alkmaar.

Nottingham Forest (Arsenal H, Crystal Palace A)

Seven points from the last four games has hauled Forest out of the bottom three and they now could stay up even if they lose their remaining fixtures. Safety will be assured if they draw with Arsenal at the City Ground and then Leeds lose at West Ham and Leicester fail to beat Newcastle. However, two defeats, including on the final day at Crystal Palace, and results going against them elsewhere would see them drop back into the Championship.

Everton (Wolves A, Bournemouth H)

Everton, on paper, have the kindest fixtures of those in the fight and they will fancy their chances of staying up, with their Bank Holiday win at Brighton last week looking pivotal. They will confirm their survival if they win at Wolves and then Leeds lose at West Ham and Leicester fail to beat Newcastle. Two defeats could be enough for Leeds to overtake them by drawing just one of their two games, although that will be dependent on a minor goal difference swing.

Leeds (West Ham A, Tottenham H)

Leeds are relying on other teams to lose, but they also have to do their own business under Sam Allardyce, with so many permutations still possible. The most worrying one is they will be sent back to the Championship if they lose at West Ham, Everton win at Wolves and Forest pick up a positive result against Arsenal. But, as mentioned, they could stay up by drawing just one game, if Everton and Leicester lose both of their matches. They will be hoping to take advantage of West Ham’s European distraction as Allardyce visits his old club on Sunday before a vital home game against Tottenham.

Leicester (Newcastle A, West Ham H)

Leicester, Premier League champions seven years ago, could be relegated if they fail to beat Newcastle on Monday night, Forest pick up a point against Arsenal and Everton beat Wolves. Defeat at St James’ Park would also mean Everton would only need two points from their final two games. To stay up, Leicester realistically need to win at least one of their remaining games at Newcastle or at home to West Ham, although it is possible two draws could be enough.

Flying Honours will take on 11 rivals as he tries to forward his Betfred Derby claims in Thursday’s Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York.

Stablemate Military Order is to the fore in the Epsom betting following his Lingfield victory last week and Flying Honours looked a potential Classic contender when winning the 10-furlong Zetland Stakes on his final juvenile start last year.

Canberra Legend makes the switch to Group Two company after an impressive start to his career, winning each of his two starts this term, firstly on the all-weather at Newcastle in February before making a seamless switch to Listed level in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket for James Ferguson.

Sir Michael Stoute won the Dante with subsequent Epsom hero Desert Crown last term and this time he relies on Passenger, winner of the Wood Ditton on his only start to date. The son of Ulysses is not currently entered in the Derby, however.

Epictetus already has one Derby trial win under his belt after scoring in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom last month and he represents John and Thady Gosden, while The Foxes switches up in trip for Andrew Balding after finishing second in the Craven on his reappearance.

Aidan O’Brien relies on French Group Three winner Continuous, who is unbeaten in two starts so far, with the John Murphy-trained White Birch enhancing the Irish challenge after his narrow Ballysax Stakes verdict last time out.

Charlie Johnston is double-handed with Newcastle Listed winner Dear My Friend and likely outsider Killybegs Warrior with Roger Teal’s Dancing Magic, the Karl Burke-trained Liberty Lane and King Of Steel, who will be making his first start for Roger Varian completing the line up.

Free Wind makes her long-awaited return to action for the Gosden team in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes on the same card.

The five-year-old won the Lancashire Oaks on her only start last term, sustaining an injury when she was badly hampered but still managing to recover and secure the victory.

Eight runners go to post with Varian’s Toksana Belle an interesting contender on her British bow having landed last year’s German Oaks when trained by Andreas Wohler.

Wesley Ward’s American Rascal will aim to emulate the success of his dam as he heads for the meeting at which she thrived – Royal Ascot.

The colt is out of Ward’s fantastic sprint mare Lady Aurelia, a Royal Ascot favourite who made the journey from Keeneland to Berkshire three times throughout her career.

As a juvenile she lined up in the Queen Mary Stakes and routed the field to come home seven lengths of her nearest rival under Frankie Dettori.

The following season she returned to take on older horses in the King’s Stand and again she was a decisive winner when crossing the line three lengths ahead of the runner-up.

Her third trip to Ascot may have ended in defeat when she contested the King’s Stand again in 2018, but she retired to stud with a superb reputation and the arrival of the first of her progeny on the track was much anticipated.

American Rascal, a bay colt by Curlin, was the first of her offspring to run and he did not disappoint when triumphing in a Keeneland event over four and a half furlongs in April.

The youngster won by 10 and a half lengths in an effort reminiscent of his mother’s Keeneland debut almost seven years to the day.

Just like his dam, American Rascal is now headed for the Royal meeting and will be aimed at the Group Two Norfolk Stakes over five furlongs on the Thursday of the showpiece fixture.

“He’s doing great, we’re just getting ready for our workout here on the grass at Keeneland,” said Ward.

“We’re moving forward, everything’s great. I sure was delighted with his debut, that was exciting.”

American Rascal will set sail for England in early June and settle in with a few pieces of work on turf before his date with the Ascot track looms.

Ward said: “He’s pulled up dead sound, no issues at all. We’re looking forward to getting his breeze workouts in and then we’re coming for you!

“We’ll probably get there a little early, just after the first week in June.

“We’ll have a workout or two on English soil, everybody over here is all smiles and very, very excited for this.”

Curtis Jones’ double pushed Leicester to the brink of relegation as Liverpool cruised to a 3-0 win – two years to the day since the Foxes’ FA Cup triumph.

The midfielder’s first-half brace and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s stunner eased the visitors to victory as the hosts capitulated to leave them staring at the drop.

That it came on the anniversary of their first ever FA Cup win underlined the 2016 Premier League champions’ fall from grace.

Harvey Barnes called it one of the biggest games in the club’s history, but Leicester folded to remain two points from safety with two games left.

The Foxes have sleepwalked into this position. Stricter finances dictated last summer’s quiet transfer window, but the club stood still and have paid the price.

An air of acceptance had begun to descend on the King Power Stadium and, even before the Reds marched in to claim three easy points, the writing appeared on the wall.

For Liverpool, they moved to within a point of Manchester United as their late charge for the top four continued.

A seventh straight win – the most painless by far – kept them on United’s coattails, although they will need to maintain their form and hope their rivals slip up.

There was never any suggestion of a surprise on Monday, though, as Leicester surrendered.

Even prior to kick-off the Foxes had lost Danny Ward, Caglar Soyuncu and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to injury.

That forced Dean Smith to give Jonny Evans a first Premier League start since October, showing the desperation in a dire situation.

Leicester needed a strong start and were bright enough. James Maddison’s arrowed pass and Youri Tielemans’ dummy sent Barnes away, only for Alisson Becker to smother the danger when Jamie Vardy broke through.

Yet their early gusto waned as Liverpool bossed possession before turning on the afterburners as the hosts fell apart.

Alisson’s long clearance found Luis Diaz to nod down for Jordan Henderson. He teed up Mohamed Salah to cross for Jones to steal in ahead of the dawdling Boubakary Soumare and find the far corner for a 33rd-minute opener.

Just three minutes later the England Under-21 international doubled the lead, following a lengthy VAR check, when he collected Salah’s pass and was given the freedom to turn and rifle past Daniel Iversen.

It was the midfielder’s third goals in four games, having ended an 18-month drought against Tottenham last month.

It was mayhem and Leicester, with just one win in their previous 13 games, collapsed as Iversen needed to deny Cody Gakpo a quickfire third.

Desperate for a response, the Foxes at least came out for the second half swinging and Alisson tipped Barnes’ effort wide.

That was as good as it got, though, as Liverpool slipped back into their controlled rhythm, with Iversen beating Salah’s shot away.

It was then curtains with 19 minutes left when, after Evans fouled Henderson, Salah tapped a free-kick to Alexander-Arnold to blast into the top corner from 25 yards.

Salah shot wide when clean through but, by then, the King Power had begun to empty as quickly as the hope drained from Leicester, who look doomed.