Liverpool back on top after 3-0 win over Bournemouth
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool regained top spot in the Premier League by getting back to winning ways as goals from Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum and Mohamed Salah secured a comfortable 3-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday. Back-to-back draws against Leicester and West Ham had seen Jurgen Klopp’s men usurped by Manchester City on goal difference in midweek.
But Liverpool took full advantage of their game in hand over the champions to open up a threepoint lead and put the pressure back on City when they host Chelsea on Sunday. Klopp had called on his side to enjoy the “excitement” of what promises to be a thrilling title race rather than being bogged down by the nerves of recent displays as they seek to end a 29-year wait to win the title.
And after Mane broke the deadlock midway through the first half to relieve any lasting tension around Anfield, Liverpool settled back into the stride that saw them win nine Premier League games in a row through November and December.
Wijnaldum’s return was Klopp’s only change from the 1-1 draw at West Ham on Monday and the Dutch midfielder’s presence made a huge difference throughout. Salah should have doubled Liverpool’s lead when Wijnaldum unselfishly squared 26 26 25 26 20 20 19 15 5 2 0 6 1 4 6 5 44 48 27 17
when played clean through by Roberto Firmino on a rapid counter-attack, but the Egyptian miscontrolled and allowed the Bournemouth defence to regroup. Instead Wijnaldum scored the second goal Liverpool needed for some breathing space, scoring in a stunning fashion 11 minutes before the break.
UNITED MOVE INTO TOP 4
LONDON: Manchester United moved into the Premier League’s top four by beating Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage on Saturday, with Paul Pogba scoring two more goals to continue his resurgence under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Pogba gave United the lead with a blistering shot from a tight angle in the 14th minute and converted a penalty for the third goal in the 65th, taking his tally to eight goals in his last eight league games under Solskjaer.
Arsenal returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over bottom side Huddersfield Town on Saturday, but remain the only side without an away clean sheet in the Premier League this season.