Sensational Salah seals win
SHORT PASSES Egyptian striker’s brace helps Liverpool overcome Leicester 21
LONDON : Liverpool celebrated Virgil van Dijk’s arrival at Anfield by coming from behind to beat Leicester City 2-1 thanks to Mohamed Salah’s brace, while Danny Drinkwater scored his first Chelsea goal in a 5-0 rout of Stoke City.
Van Dijk, signed from Southampton for a world record fee for a defender of £75 million, isn’t able to play for Liverpool until January, but the flaws the Dutch centre-back will be asked to fix were on display as Leicester took a third minute lead on Saturday.
With Van Dijk watching from the stands, Liverpool defender Joel Matip carelessly conceded possession and Riyad Mahrez set up Jamie Vardy to slot past goalkeeper Loris Karius, selected in place of the dropped Simon Mignolet, for his 10th goal of the season. Liverpool couldn’t find a first-half equaliser despite having 12 shots, but they were level seven minutes after the interval.
Egypt winger Salah took Sadio Mane’s brilliant pass and showed good footwork before drilling past Kasper Schmeichel for his 22nd club goal of an incredible debut season following his move from Roma. Salah wasn’t finished yet and he won it for Liverpool in the 76th minute, turning away from Leicester defender Harry Maguire and firing in at Kop end.
CHELSEA CRUSH STOKE
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea climbed into second place above Manchester United, who host Southampton later on Saturday.
Antonio Conte’s side made the perfect start when German defender Antonio Rudiger rose above three Stoke defenders to head home from Willian’s freekick in the third minute.
Eden Hazard was rested on the Chelsea bench, but his replacement Drinkwater did a passable impression of the brilliant Belgian, the midfielder bagging his first goal for the Blues with a blistering strike from the edge of the area in the ninth minute.