Harry Poole
BBC Sport

Within "punching distance" - but still a "long arm" away. Jurgen Klopp continued with his boxing analogy prior to kick-off at Villa Park on Monday as Liverpool began their post-World Cup bid to earn a Premier League top-four place.

The 3-1 victory that followed, hours after fourth-placed Tottenham were held by Brentford, means they now have more than a fighting chance.

Darwin Nunez - having scored twice in Liverpool's last league outing against Southampton in November - will hope to rediscover his goalscoring form at the earliest opportunity after missing a host of big chances against Aston Villa.

But his relentless efforts contributed towards a crucial away victory - only Liverpool's second in seven away league games this season - which saw the Reds win three on the bounce in the competition for the first time this term.

Despite their early season struggles, Klopp's side now sit within five points of Spurs having played one game fewer and this was another step in the right direction for last season's runners-up, who return to Anfield next to face Leicester City on Friday.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool returned from the World Cup break with a victory and a pretty decent one at that, with the Reds winning 3-1 at Aston Villa.

Goals from Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and teenager Stefan Bajcetic ensured a third successive league win for the first time this season and reduced the gap to the Champions League places to five points.

Striker Darwin Nunez was wasteful but did make a fine run to help setup Bajcetic score his first senior goal two minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Here is what our reporter Harry Poole had to say about Liverpool's performance...

Liverpool make just one change from the side that beat Aston Villa 3-1 on Boxing Day as Harvey Elliott comes in for Fabinho, who is not in the matchday squad.

France defender Ibrahima Konate returns after having time off following the World Cup final and takes his place on the bench.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Elliott, Henderson, Thiago, Salah, Nunez, Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Subs: Gomez, Konate, Keita, Adrian, Tsimikas, Carvalho, Clark, Bajcetic, Doak.

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Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers makes two changes from the side that lost 3-0 to Newcastle last-time out.

Ayoze Perez and Wilfred Ndidi both come in as James Maddison misses out through injury.

Leicester XI: Ward, Castagne, Amartey, Faes, Thomas, Soumare, Perez, Ndidi, Dewsbury-Hall, Barnes, Daka.

Subs: Soyuncu, Tielemans, Vardy, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Vestergaard, Mendy, Iversen, Brunt.

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Premier League and English Football League clubs are set to wear black armbands and hold a minute's applause to honour Brazil football legend Pele, including tonight's two games.

The EFL said it would hold a minute's applause before EFL fixtures on Friday and on 1 and 2 January, while players will wear black armbands "in memory of the life of Pele".

Don't forget that not only was Pele great in his own right, he was also part of the finest football team ever assembled...

Image source, Rex Features

Image source, BBC Sport

Writing a column about Pele in Brazilian daily newspaper Estadao, Roberto DaMatta said: "The king is dead, long live the king!”

Pele exemplified the “true dimensions of a hero”, he added. "His royalty surpasses any difference in opinion. He was royal because Pele was a practitioner of an activity in which talent is expressed in the purest and most alive state.

On one side, there was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, “on the other, there was Pele”. The former “was a common black man who, without his talents in football, would probably be poor and would certainly go unnoticed, ignored by our system that doesn’t look to the other side”.

The other, Pele, was “the King of Football. A hero who rescued the pride and hope for victory of the Brazilian people.”

“We lost both of them. It is for that reason I write with tears in my eyes,” said DaMatta.

Image source, BBC Sport

Brazil’s print headlines have been saturated with images of Pele following the legendary footballer's death, describing him as “King Pele” and “the world icon of football”.

His legacy will be “eternal” and “forever”, they say.

Brazil forward Pele discusses the pivotal parts of his footballing career, from watching the World Cup in his home country in 1950 to playing at four World Cups as a player...

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Brazil legend Pele, who has died aged 82, is widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, the iconic sporting figure for a country that regards itself as the game's spiritual home.

Pele's greatness can be measured by the simple fact that he could make football a spectacle of natural grace and beauty when he missed as much as when he scored.

One of the game's first global personalities, he scored a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 games and layered his brilliance across a career spanning from his start as a teenager with Santos to a finish as a money-spinner at New York Cosmos.

And wherever football is played, the name of Pele will synonymous with it.

Read more here.

Fernando Duarte
BBC Brasil

The last time I saw Pele in person he was behind the counter of a Subway branch in Central London, struggling to fit the salad fillings into a sandwich.

It was March 2015, and no, the Brazilian football legend had not fallen on hard times - it was a publicity stunt courtesy of the US fast food company, with whom the man known as King Pele to his fellow countrymen had one of his many post-career endorsement deals.

By then Pele and I had already met a bunch of times, which was enough to trigger a wide smile when he clocked me among the scrum of journalists. I was fortunate enough to secure a one-to-one interview, but my happiest memory of that afternoon was that Pele looked fit and healthy at the age of 74.

"You had everyone worried with that hospital business, King," I told him.

"Did you forget I was born in the town of Tres Coracoes (Three Hearts in Portuguese)? It's difficult to put someone who has 'three hearts' in the ground," he answered, with a laugh.

Read more here.

Before we focus properly on this evening's games it is only right that we pay respect to the greatest footballer that has ever played the game.

The legendary Pele died yesterday at the age of 82.

He is credited with scoring a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 appearances during a 21-year career, including 77 goals in 92 matches for his country.

The only player to win the World Cup three times, lifting the trophy in 1958, 1962 and 1970, Pele was named Fifa's Player of the Century in 2000.

In Brazil they have declared three days of national mourning.

David Moyes makes three changes to the West Ham side which was beaten 3-1 at Arsenal on Boxing Day.

Most notable are first-team mainstays Michail Antonio and Tomas Soucek being dropped to the bench, as is Thilo Kehrer.

Starting in their places are Emerson Palmieri, Angelo Ogbonna and Gianluca Scamacca.

West Ham XI: Fabianski; Emerson, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Coufal, Rice; Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma; Scamacca.

Subs: Areola, Johnson, Fornals, Antonio, Lanzini, Downes, Kehrer, Aguerd, Soucek.

Image source, BBC Sport

Thomas Frank makes only one change to the Brentford side which held Tottenham to a 2-2 draw in the lunchtime kick-off on December 26.

Vitaly Janelt, who scored the opening goal against Spurs, drops out with Josh Da Silva coming into the midfield.

Brentford are seeking a third straight Premier League win over West Ham, having done the double over their London rivals last season.

Brentford XI: Raya; Jorgensen, Pinnock, Mee; Roerslev, Jensen, Norgaard, Da Silva, Henry; Mbuemo, Toney.

Subs: Cox, Canos, Wissa, Ghoddos, Jansson, Lewis-Potter, Damsgaard, Janelt, Trevitt.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

There is some chat circulating that Cristiano Ronaldo has completed a move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.

The Portuguese forward is a free agent after being let go by Manchester United.

Reports had suggested he could be picking up £175m a year for the duration of what would be a two-year deal with his new club.

Not a bad late Christmas present if that's true. I mean, even if it's not that much, it's still going to be a very nice deal for the 37-year-old, isn't it?

At Anfield we have the Brendan Rodgers derby, with the ex-Reds gaffer bringing his Leicester lads to his old stomping ground.

There's also a London derby on the card, with West Ham taking on Brentford.

For Liverpool, tonight's game represents a chance to turn the heat up a bit on the five sides above them, four of whom occupy those precious Champions League places.

For the rest, it is mainly about putting further distance between themselves and the bottom three, with David Moyes' side currently the most vulnerable.

The World Cup only ended 12 days ago, but already it feels like a distant memory.

Although probably not to the Argentines, some of whom may be yet to sober up!

However, on Boxing Day (and the two days after), the 20 teams in the Premier League returned to action to give us the usual thrills, spills and state-backed, money-fuelled shenanigans.

With a whole six weeks of domestic inactivity to make up for, there is little rest for the wicked and so tonight the wagon rumbles on with two more matches...

The big lads are all winning...

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There are crises going on elsewhere...

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Tottenham are staging second-half comebacks...

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Erling Haaland is scoring goals...

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It's like the Premier League has never been away!

Huddersfield make it two wins from their first two Premier League games as Aaron Mooy's stunning strike sees off Newcastle.