Title challengers Liverpool were given a real scare by Norwich City before roaring back to win 3-1 at a rocking Anfield.

An entertaining first half ended 0-0, with the Reds having more chances, but Milot Rashica scored his first Premier League goal in the 48th minute.

Jurgen Klopp made a double substitution in the 63rd minute with frustration growing and City defending superbly - and within five minutes they had the lead.

Sadio Mane's bicycle-kick was swiftly followed by Mo Salah taking the lead after a great long kick from keeper Alison, then Luis Diaz completed the victory in the 81st minute.

Norwich had made just one change to their starting XI, bringing Mathias Normann into midfield in place of Pierre Lees-Melou, but Klopp made seven changes from the Liverpool team that had beaten Inter Milan in midweek.

The hosts were without Trent Alexander-Arnold and forwards Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota, also leaving Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson, Fabinho and Thiago on the bench.

They eventually earned an eighth successive win though, leaving Norwich bottom, after away wins for Watford and Burnley.

Next up for the Canaries is a trip to Southampton on Friday (8pm) for a game being shown live on Sky Sports.

TEAMS

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson; Gomez, Matip, van Dijk, Tsimikas; Henderson (C), Keita (Origi 63), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Thiago 63); Diaz (Minamino 90), Mane, Salah. Unused subs: Kelleher (GK), Fabinho, Konate, Milner, Robertson, Elliott

Booked: None

Disallowed: van Dijk (offside, 37)

NORWICH (4-3-3): Gunn; Aarons, Hanley (C), Gibson, Williams; Gilmour, Normann (Lees-Melou 81), McLean; Sargent (Placheta 76), Pukki, Rashica (Rowe 86). Unused subs: McGovern (GK), Byram, Zimmermann, Kabak, Giannoulis, Dowell

Booked: Williams (foul on Diaz, 39)

Disallowed: Rashica (offside, 3)

REFEREE: Mike Dean

VAR: John Brooks

KEY MOMENTS

1 - Max Aarons' cross nearly drifts under the bar and Alisson tips it over.

3 - Mathias Normann presses forward and sends Milot Rashica clean through but he's about three yards offside, slots it left of Alisson but ruled out. DISALLOWED

5 - Mo Salah teases Brandon Williams and chips to the back post, Josh Sargent is sleeping but Kostas Tsimikas can only scoop over with the goal at his mercy.

14 - Sadio Mane drifts a cross from the right to the back post and Virgil van Dijk nods a header back across goal, it's going in but Angus Gunn gets enough on the save to prevent a second chance.

15 - Billy Gilmour free-kick from the left is poor, Williams threads Teemu Pukki clean through and he drags the shot wide of the far post.

16 - Gunn manages to push a Salah cross away but Josh Sargent and Mane collide, Tsimikas tees up Luis Diaz, who cuts inside Gilmour easily and blasts just over from 15 yards.

20 - Gunn comes to punch a Tsimikas corner and misses it, Salah heads for goal and Normann with a last-ditch header off the line.

37 - Gunn parries a Tsimikas shot behind for a corner.

38 - Van Dijk has the ball in the net but the offside flag is up VAR checked and Joel Matip was offside and in Gunn's line of sight.

HT 0-0

48 - Rashica pings a pass to Sargent, can't get a shot away but works his way to the left of the box, Rashica with a burst of pace and has a crack, Matip hangs a leg out and deflection loops around Alisson. GOAL 0-1

55 - Salah finds Diaz in the box but Grant Hanley great block away. Reds keep it alive and Diaz shot deflects just wide.

64 - Salah ping to the left, Tsimikas nods a header to edge of six-yard box and Mane with an acrobatic bicycle-kick from close range. Lovely finish. GOAL 1-1

67 - Alisson with a brilliant kick to send Salah through, Gunn has to come out, he sits the keeper down and then sends Hanley and McLean the wrong way as he rolls into the net. GOAL 2-1

72 - Thiago with a peach of a pass to Salah and he cuts inside Williams, curls a low one just beyond the far post, Gunn no chance.

76 - Sargent threads Aarons into the box, dinked cross turned wide at the near post by Pukki.

81 – Henderson threads a lovely ball into the left channel and Diaz with a classy chip past Gunn. GOAL 3-1

82 – Mane just wide after burst into the box on City's right side.

FULL-TIME: LIVERPOOL 3 NORWICH CITY 1

Eastern Daily Press: Milot Rashica of Norwich celebrates scoring his sides 1st goal during the Premier League match at AnfieldMilot Rashica of Norwich celebrates scoring his sides 1st goal during the Premier League match at Anfield (Image: ©Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +44 7813 022858)

SNAP CITY RATINGS

Gunn 7, Aarons 7, Hanley 8, Gibson 7, Williams 7, Gilmour 6, Normann 7, McLean 7, Sargent 7, Pukki 6, Rashica 8. Subs: Placheta 5, Lees-Melou n/a, Rowe n/a

MATCH STATS

(Liverpool - Norwich)

Possession: 69pc - 31pc

Shots: 26 - 6

Shots on target: 8 - 1

XG: 3.38 - 0.67

Tackles: 14 - 20

Corners: 7 - 4

Offsides: 1- 4