LONDON (Reuters)

Liverpool FC took advantage of Manchester City’s dropped points with a 3-1 victory at Crystal Palace on Sunday (January 23), taking a small bite out of City’s commanding lead of the English Premier League (EPL).

It was far from vintage form for Liverpool who led 2-0 after a dominant first half but needed a late penalty by Fabinho to quell a stirring Palace fightback at Selhurst Park.

Third-placed Chelsea got back to winning ways with a 2-0 home victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge with an exquisite strike by Hakim Ziyech setting them on their way to a first victory in five league games.

Manchester City were denied a 13th successive league win on Saturday in a 1-1 draw at Southampton and now lead Liverpool by nine points having played a game more.

Chelsea are 10 behind City but have played a game more.

Arsenal missed an opportunity to move into the top four as they drew 0-0 at home to bottom club Burnley.

Leicester City drew 1-1 at home to Brighton and Hove Albion — Danny Welbeck’s late equaliser earning ninth-placed Brighton a 12th draw of the season.

Goals by Virgil van Dijk and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain put Liverpool in charge at Selhurst Park.

But Palace grew in belief after the break and when Odsonne Edouard tapped in after 55 minutes they looked capable of salvaging something until a controversial late penalty was awarded when Diogo Jota collided with Palace keeper Vicente Guaita.

“A big three points today for us, really big,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said, although he played down the significance of the win in the title race.

“The distance is too far to talk about it but we don’t have to. We just need to win football matches. Each Premier League game is difficult like we saw today,” Klopp said.

The Premier League now takes a two-week winter break with the focus switching to the transfer window that closes on January 31. Action resumes on February 5.