Liverpool sink West Ham, open 19-pt lead
LONDON: Liverpool continued their relentless march to a first English title in 30 years, easing to a 2-0 victory at West Ham United Wednesday to move 19 points clear at the Premier League summit. Mohamed Salah fired them ahead from the penalty spot in the first half and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain doubled their advantage early in the second to wrap up a remarkable 23rd win from 24 games this season and stretch their unbeaten league run to 40.
Liverpool never looked under much pressure and picked West Ham off at crucial moments, defending manfully when needed and looking a constant menace on the break. Salah stroked home from the spot in the 35th minute after Divock Origi was chopped down from behind and Oxlade-Chamberlain finished off a lethal counter attack of the sort that has come to characterise Liverpool’s season in the 52nd.
The victory was achieved comfortably enough, but Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp remains a hard man to please. “These boys have played outstanding football throughout the season. Tonight was a normal performance,” he said. His West Ham counterpart David Moyes was more effusive in his praise of Klopp’s side. “They are as good as there has been around at this moment in time, and it is very difficult for me as a former manager of Everton and Manchester United to say that,” Moyes said. While Liverpool have amassed a whopping 70 points, Moyes’s side sit 17th with 23, outside the relegation zone only on goal difference. Without Sadio Mane, missing due to a muscle injury, the visitors seemed to have lost some attacking spark in the early stages. Still, Liverpool could have gone ahead in the 24th minute when Andy Robertson lifted a chance over Lukasz Fabianski before Issa Diop got back to clear. Robertson’s fizzing cross narrowly avoided Origi’s outstretched boot.
MAN CITY IN FINAL
MANCHESTER: Manchester City booked their place in a third successive League Cup final, but made hard work of disposing of
Manchester United 3-2 on aggregate after losing the second leg of their semi-final 1-0 at home. City enjoyed the vast majority of the chances on Wednesday but could not find a way past the inspired David de Gea and went behind to United’s first attempt on goal 10 minutes before half-time when Nemanja Matic fired home.
However, United’s hopes of completing a miraculous comeback were extinguished when Matic was then sent off 15 minutes from time and City held on to face Aston Villa at Wembley on March 1.