In a gripping title race, Liverpool (94) showed it is ready to push Manchester City (92) right until the final seconds of this season with its spirited 3-2 win at Newcastle United.
Divock Origi (number 27) scored the winner for Liverpool
Leicester:
Liverpool started without injured Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino and then in the second half, it lost its talisman Mohamed Salah, who was carried off on a stretcher after an aerial clash with Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka. The night began in relatively routine fashion as Virgil Van Dijk put Liverpool in front in the 13th minute. He escaped his marker and met Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner with a thundering header.
Seven minutes later though, Newcastle drew level. Salomon Rondon’s shot was cleared off the line by the hand of Alexander-Arnold but before the referee had time to award a penalty, Christian Atsu fired home the loose ball. Newcastle was now full of belief and energy and when the lively Ayoze Perez rattled the Liverpool bar with a fierce drive, the momentum seemed to have shifted.
But this Liverpool side has a habit of turning the tide and it did so quickly. Daniel Sturridge back-heeled the ball to Alexander-Arnold and the full-back’s cross was expertly turned in by Salah. Newcastle was in no mood to roll over and nine minutes after the break, it equalled the scoreline when Liverpool failed to clear a corner and Rondon’s brilliant left foot drive beat the helpless Alisson Becker.
Then Salah was forced out and he was replaced by Origi, the towering Belgian. With four minutes of normal time remaining, Xherdan Shaqiri whipped in a free-kick from the right and Origi rose magnificently, his header flashing off Newcastle defender Jamaal Lascelles and into the net.
United top four hopes over
Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Watford took it third, five points clear of United, which failed to take the race for Champions League qualification to the final day. The ‘Red Devils’ trails Tottenham Hotspur in fourth by four points with just one game left.
An 86th minute header from substitute Divock Origi secured the victory for Jurgen Klopp’s side. The result left Liverpool with a two-point advantage over Manchester City but Pep Guardiola’s team has two games remaining, including Monday’s home match against Leicester City.
Liverpool started without injured Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino and then in the second half, it lost its talisman Mohamed Salah, who was carried off on a stretcher after an aerial clash with Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka. The night began in relatively routine fashion as Virgil Van Dijk put Liverpool in front in the 13th minute. He escaped his marker and met Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner with a thundering header.
Seven minutes later though, Newcastle drew level. Salomon Rondon’s shot was cleared off the line by the hand of Alexander-Arnold but before the referee had time to award a penalty, Christian Atsu fired home the loose ball. Newcastle was now full of belief and energy and when the lively Ayoze Perez rattled the Liverpool bar with a fierce drive, the momentum seemed to have shifted.
But this Liverpool side has a habit of turning the tide and it did so quickly. Daniel Sturridge back-heeled the ball to Alexander-Arnold and the full-back’s cross was expertly turned in by Salah. Newcastle was in no mood to roll over and nine minutes after the break, it equalled the scoreline when Liverpool failed to clear a corner and Rondon’s brilliant left foot drive beat the helpless Alisson Becker.
Then Salah was forced out and he was replaced by Origi, the towering Belgian. With four minutes of normal time remaining, Xherdan Shaqiri whipped in a free-kick from the right and Origi rose magnificently, his header flashing off Newcastle defender Jamaal Lascelles and into the net.
United top four hopes over
Manchester United’s hopes of a Premier League top four finish ended after it was held to a 1-1 draw by bottom side Huddersfield Town at the John Smith’s Stadium on Sunday.
Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Watford took it third, five points clear of United, which failed to take the race for Champions League qualification to the final day. The ‘Red Devils’ trails Tottenham Hotspur in fourth by four points with just one game left.