Reds register 16th straight win
Liverpool moved eight points clear at the top of the table, but were made to work hard for a 16th straight Premier League win as Georginio Wijnaldum’s fortunate strike handed the visitors a 1-0 victory at Sheffield United on Saturday.
The European champions looked short on invention against the well-organised Blades until Wijnaldum’s shot from the edge of the box 20 minutes from time trickled between the legs of United goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
However, another vital three points moved Liverpool closer to a first top-flight title in 30 years as they opened up a sizeable advantage over Manchester City, who can cut the gap back to five points with victory later at Everton.
Chances began to come for Jurgen Klopp’s men towards the end of the first-half as Sadio Mane sliced horribly wide with just Henderson to beat and then hit the post when it seemed easier to score from Roberto Firmino’s pass.
Mane was unfortunate minutes into the second period, though, as he was taken out by John Lundstram as he broke into the box.
Referee Anthony Taylor was unimpressed and it was another example when VAR backed the official’s decision when it should have been overturned.
The hosts had their chances to spring a massive shock as Adrian turned behind a long-range drive from Oliver Norwood before Andy Robertson made a brilliant block to deny John Fleck the opener.
All of Sheffield United’s good work was undone with one mistake when Wijnaldum pounced on a loose ball 20 yards from goal, but his strike should have been easily handled by Henderson, who instead watched on with horror as the ball slipped under his grasp.
The Manchester United loanee made some amends 11 minutes from time when Mohamed Salah broke clean through, but could not beat Henderson with a low finish.
That save could still have salvaged a point had substitute Leon Clarke not blazed over with the goal at his mercy late on.
Instead, Liverpool held on to grind out the sort of win that could finally make them champions come May.
Meanwhile, the Football League is investigating Liverpool to find out if they potentially fielded an ineligible player in their third-round League Cup victory over MK Dons on Wednesday.
Possible sanctions could include a fine or Liverpool being removed from the competition. The identity of the player in question was not disclosed.
CHELSEA, SPURS WIN
LONDON: Chelsea and Tottenham both bounced back from defeats in the last Premier League weekend with wins at home over Brighton and Southampton, respectively, on Saturday. Second-half goals from Jorginho with a penalty and Willian’s deflected shot earned Frank Lampard’s Chelsea a 2-0 victory, their first home win of the league season.
Jorginho slotted the penalty into the bottom corner after Brighton defender Adam Webster had miscontrolled the ball and brought down Mason Mount as the young Chelsea midfielder rushed in to take advantage.
Willian hit home after a crossfield ball from substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi in the 76th minute. Goalkeeper Mat Ryan, who had held Chelsea at bay for most of the game, was wrongfooted by a deflection off Dan Burn.
Chelsea had 17 attempts on goal in the first half but were unable to turn their pressure and high tempo possession into goals.
In North London, Harry Kane’s eighth goal in six Premier League games against Southampton steered 10-man Tottenham to an unlikely 2-1 victory after errors from his team mates.
Kane scored with a low shot from inside the area in the 43rd minute to restore Spurs’ lead at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium after keeper Hugo Lloris had gifted Southampton an equaliser.
The Frenchman took far too long to clear a backpass and then wildly miskicked to allow the onrushing Danny Ings to bundle the ball over the line and cancel out Tanguy Ndombele’s 24thminute Spurs opener.
Lloris’s howler came soon after Serge Aurier’s 31st-minute dismissal for collecting two quick yellow cards, the second a soft pull-back on Ryan Bertrand when in no obvious danger.
BARCA RECOVER
MADRID : Barcelona ended a string of bad results away from home with a 2-0 win at Getafe in La Liga.
Strikes by Luis Suarez and Junior Firpo either side of halftime gave the Spanish champions their first win of the season on the road, although they finished with 10 men after Clement Lenglet’s dismissal. It was Barcelona’s first win in their last nine competitive games away from Camp Nou and it eased the pressure on coach Ernesto Valverde.