Liverpool keep heat on City

NEWCASTLE: A first-half strike from midfielder Naby Keita helped Liverpool secure a hardearned 1-0 win at Newcastle United on Saturday as Juergen Klopp’s side kept their Premier League title hopes alive and provisionally went top of the table.

The victory put Liverpool two points ahead of champions Manchester City, who can regain first spot with a win at Leeds United later on Saturday. Newcastle are ninth on 43 points. “It’s the most difficult of circumstances. A team in form, a crowd waiting for ages for proper success,” said Klopp. “Our people were outstanding and Newcastle are obviously a really passionate crowd. Winning here is special.”

After an early half-chance for Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool took the lead in the 19th minute through Keita when he cleverly dribbled past Martin Dubravka to slot home following a smart link-up with Diogo Jota.

The goal was met with furious protests by Newcastle players who reckoned James Milner had fouled Fabian Schar in the build-up but VAR allowed the effort to stand.

Liverpool started without Mohamed Salah, Fabinho and Trent Alexander-arnold but their absence was seldom felt as the visitors were barely troubled in the opening exchanges.

Super agent Raiola dead

MILAN: Mino Raiola, one of football’s most powerful agents whose high-profile clients included Paul Pogba and Erling Haaland, has died at the age of 54, his family announced on Saturday. Raiola’s family did not say from what illness he had been suffering but he had been at Milan’s San Raffaele hospital where he had survived scares.