Liverpool Cruise Against Brentford As Harrison Hat-Trick Stuns West Ham At Home

Liverpool reclaimed second place on the English Premier League table on Sunday after a comfortable 3-0 victory against Brentford at Anfield.

The reds without their duo of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane who are at the Africa Cup of Nations, did not look to be missing them as they shot up to 45 points with a game in hand.

Jurgen Klopp's side took the lead a minute before halftime as Fabinho was sharp enough to score after a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner and it looked to be smooth sailing from there.

Handed a rare start by Klopp, Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain added a second in the 69th minute, assisted by the other full-back Andrew Robertson.

Chamberlain was replaced by Japanese international Takumi Minamino in the 74th minute and he made an immediate impact to put icing on the cake three minutes later.

The reds took full advantage of Chelsea's 1-0 defeat to runaway league leaders Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday.

Brentford dropped to 14th place with 23 points, having lost four of their last five league outings.

Elsewhere, West Ham were stunned as they lost 3-2 to Leeds United at the London Stadium courtesy of a Jack Harrison hat-trick.

The visitors, who lost 2-0 seven days ago, were pegged back twice before Harrison scored the pick of his three goals with a neat chip over Lukasz Fabianski as Leeds made it consecutive league wins for the first time this season.

Harrison opened the scoring with a fierce strike in the 10th minute but West Ham recovered from their lacklustre start to equalise through the in-form Jarrod Bowen.

Marcelo Bielsa's side move up one place into 15th, nine points clear of the relegation zone, although 18th-placed Norwich City have also played a game more.

The Hammers remain in fourth place with 37 points, two more than fifth-place Arsenal who have played two games less than David Moyes' side.