Shock loss to Levante for European champions
▶ Klopp’s side stay level at the top as Mourinho accepts apology from Chelsea assistant manager over row
Mohamed Salah was Liverpool’s matchwinner last night as the Merseyside team triumphed 1-0 at Huddersfield Town to keep the pressure on Premier League champions Manchester City at the top of the table.
Pep Guardiola’s City had been victorious earlier in the day with a 5-0 win over Burnley at the Etihad Stadium to move on to 23 points, but Liverpool responded a few hours later with their seventh league win of the season to move on to the same points total, but second on goal difference.
Chelsea, who had begun the day level with the pair at the top, slipped to third as they drew 2-2 with Manchester United in a game marred by an angry confrontation by United manager Jose Mourinho on the touchline with Chelsea assistant manager Marco Ianni in the final seconds of the game.
City, Liverpool and Chelsea all remain unbeaten and it is the first time since 1990, and only the third occasion in English top flight history, that three sides are yet to lose with nine games of the season gone.
Liverpool had started the season with seven victories in a row in all competitons, but they followed that with a run of four games without a triumph.
It was Salah, whose form this season for his club has been called into question as he struggles to match last season’s tally of 32 goals, who proved to be the difference at the Kirklees Stadium.
The Egyptian foward ran on to a pass from Xherdan Shaqiri in the 24th minute to fire past Jonas Lossl for his fourth goal of the season.
Despite scoring for Egypt in the international break, Salah still does not appear to be firing on all cylinders as he and Liverpool’s forward line, which was missing the injured Sadio Mane, failed to gel fully.
He often gave the ball away with wayward passing, much to the ire of Jurgen Klopp. Salah also pulled wide a shot when sent through in the second half that could have made things more comfortable for Klopp’s side.
As it was they rode their luck to take the three points with James Milner fortunate to survive an appeal for handball in the penalty area, while Alex Pritchard had the ball in the net only for it to be disallowed for offside as Huddersfield remain without a goal at home this season.
Meanwhile, Mourinho said he had accepted an apology from Ianni for his role in the incident that left the Manchester United manager insensed at Stamford Bridge on his return to his former club.
Ross Barkley had equalised in stoppage time to deny United all three points after they had come back from going behind to Antonio Rudiger’s first-half header to lead through two Anthony Martial goals.
But Ianni ran across the United dugout to celebrate, leading to Mourinho trying to confront him before tempers were quickly calmed.
But the Portuguese said he was happy to forget the matter and that Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri said he would deal with Ianni himself.
“After the game he came to me to apologise, I accepted his apologies, so nothing more to say,” he said.
“Maurizio saw. Maurizio said he would take care of it internally, and to accept his apologies, which I did.
“But then the young fellow came, he also apologised and I told him ‘I accept your apology. I also did mistakes, especially when I was your age, and tried to improve’.”
Sarri said he wanted to take his time before deciding if he will take action against Ianni over his behaviour.
“I have to speak to him again because I want to be sure that he’s able to understand that it was a big mistake,” he said.
For the first time since 1990, three sides are yet to lose with nine games of the season gone