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'Not here to joke': City stunned as shock rise continues

Liverpool's lead in the Premier League has grown to 16 points, while Manchester City is in danger of dropping out of the top-four after their latest defeat.

The ladder leaders defeated Southampton 3-1 on Sunday morning (AEDT), with a brace for Mohamed Salah pushing him further ahead in the Golden Boot standings.

Salah converted two second-half penalties for his 26th and 27th goals of the campaign, putting the Reds well ahead of Arsenal on the table.

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Mohamed Salah celebrates a goal against Southampton. Getty

It seems a matter of when, not if, Liverpool secures its record-tying 20th English top-flight championship, even if Arsenal has two games in hand. Liverpool's players have nine games left, but surely won't need all of them to seal the title.

Maybe a more staggering statistic is that Manchester City, the winner of the last four EPL titles, now sit 23 points behind Liverpool after a 1-0 loss at third-placed Nottingham Forest, whose 83rd-minute winner came from Callum Hudson-Odoi.

City are now in fourth place and have a fight on their hands just to finish in the top five, which should be enough to qualify for the Champions League this season.

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Only five points separate City from Fulham in 10th place.

Erling Haaland had a quiet match and — stuck on 20 goals — is now struggling to be the league's top scorer for the third-straight season.

Callum Hudson-Odoi celebrates as Erling Haaland looks on. Getty/Optus Sport

The victory for Forest puts them in the box-seat to feature in the Champions League after the late strike from Hudson-Odoi sealed the result.

"He went himself and scores and the Forest fans erupt as one," commentator Darren Fletcher said.

"A late goal, a big goal and the goal that potentially takes them one giant stride closer to playing in the Champions League.

After battling relegation last year, Forest are on the verge of the most incredible EPL rise since Leicester City won the title as perennial underdogs.

They will next face 18th-placed Ipswich Town as they continue marching towards an unlikely trip to Europe's biggest competition next year.

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