Jurgen Klopp with a firm message for Liverpool after they hammer Leeds at Anfield

The Reds hammered Marcelo Bielsa’s struggling side to move three points behind City as the title race heats up, with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane both scoring twice, while Joel Matip also hit the target in the first half and Virgil Van Dijk scored a clincher at the death.

Liverpool now have the destiny of the Premier League title in their hands with 12 games left to play, but Klopp insisted this was not a moment to lose focus.

"I am not excited, it is normal after a night like this people get carried away and that is fine but Sunday is looming and we have to be ready for this," said Klopp.

"We have 10 days no league game and City probably playing in that time. It is how it is and we have to win our football games and if we do that we will be around and if we don't do that we won't."

Liverpool are likely to clinch the title if they win their final 12 matches, including a game against City at the Etihad Stadium, with Klopp satisfied with his side's performance against Leeds.

"In the end it went pretty smoothly," he added. "It was really hard work because they make it hard work. It is tricky playing against a man marking side, you feel pressure where no pressure is.

"We had to be fully concentrated and we were and in the end it is a wonderful night. There might be some people out there who think penalties you should not count them but you want the right person on the spot to put them away and that is what Mo did.

"Sadio Mane's game was probably one of his best in the way he interpreted his role. Absolutely insane and a wonderful night at Anfield.

"Leeds had good spells but I think it is really difficult to play the way they did for 90 minutes against a team like us."

Klopp's extravagant fist pumping celebrations at the end of the game suggested he felt this was a big win for his team, with the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday next on his agenda.