Runaway England leaders Liverpool held by Everton
Liverpool, June 22: No win for Liverpool on the longest day of the year, and an even longer wait maybe to clinch the Premier League title.
The quietest of the 236 Merseyside derbies, with fans denied access to Goodison Park, produced no goals as Everton held Liverpool to a 0-0 draw on Sunday.
Liverpool is an unprecedented 23 points in front. But it is now no longer so certain that a victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday at Anfield will seal the title. That scenario will require Burnley not losing to second-place defending champion Manchester City on Monday.
But with eight games remaining, Liverpool has considerable breathing space to end the drought and win its first domestic championship since 1990.
After a 103-day wait to return to league action, Liverpool’s attacking potency had been neutered with Mohamed Salah not fit enough to come off the bench. The search for a goal saw Joel Matip’s header go wide in the first half and Fabinho having a free kick tipped over by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford late on.
That came for Carlo Ancelotti’s side with 10 minutes to go when Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s shot was saved by Alisson and a follow-up from Tom Davies hit the post. Alisson was alert again to deny fellow Brazilian Richarlison as the game came to life in the closing stages.
Meanwhile, in Birmingham, Chelsea got better of Aston Villa 2-1. Healthy enough to make his first appearance in nearly six months, Christian Pulisic sparked Chelsea to a comeback victory.
The 21-year-old American returned from an adductor muscle injury and scored the tying goal five minutes after entering in the second half. Olivier Giroud put Chelsea ahead two minutes later to triumph over Aston Villa that strengthened the Blues’ hold on fourth place in the Premier League.
— AP
● Liverpool is an unprecedented 23 points in front with Manchester City sitting at the second spot. But it is now no longer so certain that a victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday at Anfield will seal the title.