LONDON (AFP) - Liverpool returned to winning ways and the top of the Premier League table while Manchester United climbed into fourth place on Saturday (Feb 9) as English football paid tribute to the late Emiliano Sala.
First-half goals from Sadio Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum together with Mohamed Salah's 48th-minute effort saw Liverpool to a 3-0 win over Bournemouth at Anfield.
Victory meant Liverpool, who had been second on goal difference, leapfrogged Manchester City by three points ahead of the reigning champions' match at home to Chelsea on Sunday.
Meanwhile United's revival under caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer continued with an equally comfortable 3-0 win away to Fulham.
Liverpool had dropped points in successive 1-1 draws against Leicester and West Ham, sparking suggestions they were losing their nerve in a quest to end the club's 29-year wait to be crowned champions of England once again.
'CONVINCING' LIVERPOOL
Mane, however, eased the pressure with an early headed goal at Anfield.
Liverpool doubled their lead through Wijnaldum's delightful 34th-minute lob before Egypt striker Salah sealed victory with a curling shot.
"We knew we were not happy with our performance in the last two or three games," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said. "We want to play convincing football we want to perform.
"That was the reaction we wanted to show today," the German added.
Â
Â
Â
In London, Paul Pogba scored two goals - including a second-half penalty - either side of an emphatic Anthony Martial strike, as United made it 10 wins in 11 game since former striker Solskjaer was put in temporary command.
Chelsea could regain a spot among the Champions League qualifying places against Manchester City.
But United, 11 points adrift of the top four when Jose Mourinho was sacked in December, are back in the hunt now.
"There are so many games left, but we hope to stay in the top four," said Solskjaer.
Arsenal inflicted more misery on Huddersfield with a 2-1 win away to the bottom-of-the-table club.
Alex Iwobi volleyed the Gunners into an early lead and Alexandre Lacazette made it 2-0 before half-time, with Sead Kolasinac's own-goal too late for the Terriers.
Elsewhere under-pressure Everton manager Marco Silva's return to Watford ended in a 1-0 defeat thanks to an Andre Gray goal.
Everton's loss was compounded when Kurt Zouma was sent off after the final whistle for complaining to referee Lee Probert.
CARDIFF CLIMB AS THEY MOURN SALA
An emotional week for Cardiff ended with a dramatic 2-1 win away to Southampton that saw them climb out of the relegation zone just days after the death of transfer-window signing Sala in an aeroplane crash was confirmed without him having played a game for the Welsh club.
The Argentinian's body was formally identified by an English coroner on Thursday, a day after it was recovered from an underwater wreckage in the Channel.
Cardiff wore special shirts embroidered with a yellow daffodil, the national emblem of Wales and the team colour of French side Nantes, Sala's former club, with a minute's silence observed prior to kick-off.
Bluebirds captain Sol Bamba's second-half volley gave Cardiff the lead only for Jack Stephens to equalise in stoppage-time.
But there was still time for Kenneth Zohore to score a 93rd-minute winner at St Mary's Stadium.
"It's been a tough couple of weeks," said Bamba. "I know Emiliano Sala was looking from up there so it's good to get the three points."
Burnley were in the relegation zone after Cardiff's win.
But they moved three points clear in a 3-1 late kick-off win at Brighton, Chris Wood scoring twice as Southampton were left in the bottom three.
London rivals Crystal Palace and West Ham drew 1-1, with Hammers captain Mark Noble scoring with a first-half penalty before Eagles striker Wilfried Zaha marked his return from suspension with an equaliser 14 minutes from time at Selhurst Park.
Third-placed Tottenham welcome Leicester to Wembley on Sunday, with in-form Wolves at home to Newcastle on Monday.
Jorginho fires Chelsea as recalled Kepa shines against Fulham Maurizio Sarri's side took the lead through Gonzalo Higuain before Calum Chambers equalised at Craven Cottage.
Premier League: Jorginho fires Chelsea as recalled Kepa
Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Atletico Madrid v Girona - Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - April 2, 2019 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann scores their second goal REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Late strikes from Godin and Griezmann keep Atletico in title
Rose confident Spurs can cope without Kane and Alli. Manchester City's Algerian midfielder Riyad Mahrez (left) vies with Tottenham Hotspur's English defender Danny Rose during the Uefa Champions
Sanchez: Spurs squad can cope without Kane and Alli
Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to offer hope to Real Madrid fans that he will stay at the club during his side's Champions League trophy parade on Sunday.. The 33-year-old had a quiet game in the 3-1
The weird and wonderful world of Cristiano Ronaldo's endorsements
Barcelona would have won the title with a win and Dani Alves went close with a fierce drive, but Atletico held on. the Barcelona-Real Madrid duopoly in Spanish football. The draw meant
LIVE Transfer Talk: Real Madrid close in on €50m Mendy
Brandon Ingram had a team-high 20 points for the Lakers, who fell to 6-12 without James in their line-up. 2019, with the headline 'Players confront coach after James-less Lakers' loss'.
Players confront coach after James-less Lakers' loss
Football: Noh Rahman embracing learning curve as Home United interim coach SINGAPORE - Former national football stalwart Noh Rahman got his Singapore Premier League (SPL) coaching career off to the best possible start on Wednesday (April 24), after he guided Home United to a polished 3-0 win over Geylang International.
Football: Hougang United out to avenge March 3 thrashing by
Investigators searching for a lost plane carrying Premier League player Emiliano Sala said on Wednesday an underwater search would begin after they found two seat cushions on the French coast that
Debris From Soccer Player Emiliano Sala's Missing Plane Found
Wu Lei became the first Chinese player to score a goal in La Liga as Espanyol overcame Real Valladolid 3-1 at RCDE Stadium on Saturday. China international Wu latched onto a pass from Sergi Darder and swept past Diego Lopez into the bottom-left corner to seal a 3-1 victory in his fifth appearance for the Catalan club.
Qatar coach Felix Sanchez has vowed to "isolate" his players from politics at the Asian Cup, which is taking place in the United Arab Emirates during a diplomatic crisis between the countries. The tournament represents the first visit by the Qatari national side to the UAE since the beginning of a
Coach tells Zaniolo to stay focused despite brace ROME • Roma teenager Nicolo Zaniolo has been told not to get ahead of himself after he became the youngest Italian to score twice in a Champions League match as they beat visiting Porto 2-1 in their last-16, first-leg clash on Tuesday.
The Straits Times - Breaking News, Lifestyle & Multimedia News
Rival fans in Singapore believe title race still wide open
0 comments:
Post a Comment