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Liverpool beat Stoke, Swansea sack Bob Bradley
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- Swans sack Bob Bradley after 11 league games
- Swansea 19th in Premier League
- Liverpool six points behind Chelsea
- Reds play Man City on NYE
- Liverpool up to 86 league goals in 2016
- Walters with 500th goal of PL season
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Phil Dawkes
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Latest PostThat's all folks
Liverpool are second and Swansea are looking for a third manager of the season. It has been an eventful evening.
We go again tomorrow at Southampton.
I'll see thee.
Post update
Liverpool 4-1 Stoke
Liverpool
More from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "We are focused on ourselves. We watch football and know the results but this is not when the season will be decided.
"If Chelsea win all of the games they will be champions and they will deserve it. We have to fight for each point. We need to be ready for each game.”
Klopp not drawn on Lucas future
Liverpool 4-1 Stoke
Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has been linked with a move to Inter Milan in recent days but manager Jurgen Klopp refused to be drawn on the issue.
“When it is not speculation then there will be something to say,” Klopp told BBC Sport.
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Is Gary Rowett the man to Bob Bradley at Swansea?
Swansea sack Bob Bradley
'It was a very difficult game'
Liverpool 4-1 Stoke
Liverpool
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: “It was a very difficult game. The result doesn’t show it but it was difficult because it was the third of fourth time we have played Stoke with Crouch on the pitch and that is a sign of how they want to play.
“It is difficult to defend. Maybe we could do better when we had the ball but we did not have enough patience in our own possession and the long balls are really difficult to defend when he is 45 maybe they will still bring him in!
“We then scored a wonderful goal and then the second one. We regrouped again and told the players that the movement was not as good as it could be and we controlled the game.
"It was pretty clear Stoke cannot play the same half again. It was intense for them, they pressed high and were aggressive. We did better with the ball and deserved this result.”
'Mistakes are the disappointment'
Liverpool 4-1 Stoke
Stoke City
Stoke manager Mark Hughes speaking to Sky Sports: “We are disappointed.
“We came here with a positive game plan. In the first half we caused Liverpool real problems and didn’t allow them to play their game. We created great chances and scored a great goal. We could have made it 2-0 but then we made mistakes and find ourselves 2-1 down and I think that was harsh on us.
“You come here and chase the game and the danger is getting picked off but we made mistakes and that is the disappointment.
“You look at goals and on an individual basis we could do better. Glen Johnson should clear the ball, Ryan (Shawcross) made the mistake at the end and we could have done better.
“It is a feeling of opportunity missed to certain extent, but in key areas you have got to make the right decisions.”
Bad night for Stoke
Liverpool 4-1 Stoke
It was ultimately a bad night for Stoke. The Potters have now shipped seven goals in their past two away games in the Premier League; just one fewer than they conceded in their first seven away trips of the season.
They are now without a win in four matches and have dropped a league place to 13th courtesy of the four goals they conceded at Anfield.
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Aaron Theaker: Swansea should just stick with Curtis, not a bad manager himself remember the Arsenal game when Guidolin was ill ? 2-1 winners
Vinylholic: Bradley--a good coach at the wrong club at the wrong time. #byebyeswans.
Tony Hall: Swansea are being too harsh, 85 days wasn't enough to fix their squad, should have been given a chance to bring in new blood
'We have to try and find the answers'
Swansea sack Bob Bradley
Here is what Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins has had to say about the sacking of Bob Bradley...
“We are sorry to lose Bob after such a short period of time. Unfortunately things haven’t worked out as planned and we felt we had to make the change with half the Premier League season remaining.
"With the club going through such a tough time, we have to try and find the answers to get ourselves out of trouble.
“Personally, I have nothing but praise for Bob. He is a good man; a good person who gave everything to the job. His work-rate is phenomenal and we wish him well for the future.’’
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Imran Sheikh: So #BobBradley has been sacked by @SwansOfficial what was the point of hiring him in the first place? Pathetic! #bbcfootball
Swansea sack Bob Bradley
Bob Bradley's record with Swansea...
Games: 11
Wins: 2
Draws: 2
Losses: 7
Points: 8
Goals for: 15
Goals against: 29
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Al Marcuccilli: Liverpool winning keeps Chelsea in sight. Not a Liverpool fan but respect Klopp and his team. Chelsea not won this title yet!
Post update
Liverpool 4-1 Stoke
Kevin Kilbane
Former Everton winger on BBC Radio 5 live
Excellent performance.
Liverpool started the game in the right manner before Stoke had an excellent spell, put Liverpool under pressure and deservedly went in front.
Liverpool responded so well. In the second half Liverpool were in cruise control and Stoke had very little threat and Liverpool created numerous chances.
'We adapted well'
Liverpool 4-1 Stoke
Liverpool
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson speaking to Sky Sports: “Early on they put us under pressure and we struggled to deal with the long ball. They got the goal but we adapted well towards the end of the first half. The start wasn’t great but overall after the goal we dominated.
“It doesn’t matter about everyone else (title rivals). We are just focused on what we need. Today was a big test and every win is a good result. We now have to focus on the next game and we have a another tough one coming up against City - that is the next challenge.”
Swansea sack Bob Bradley
Swansea have released a statement on their official website regarding the sacking of Bob Bradley.
It is sub-headed with "... search begins for a new manager."
The club also reveal that first team coaches Paul Williams and Alan Curtis will take charge in the short term.
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John Odande: Swansea will just go down. They have sacked the coach they appointed a couple of months ago - Bob Bradley. Relegation beckons
BreakingSwansea sack Bradley
Breaking news: Swansea have sacked manager Bob Bradley.
The American managed just 85 days and 11 games in the job. His firing follows the 4-1 home defeat by West Ham yesterday.
Post update
Liverpool 4-1 Stoke
The gap at the top is now six points. Chelsea lead, Liverpool second. The Reds have done their goal difference some good as well. They are now +24, with the leaders three better off.
FULL-TIME
Liverpool 4-1 Stoke
Liverpool go second. The win didn't come easy, but after falling behind they ensured that the game ended comfortably.