NEWCASTLE BEAT MAN UTD TO PULL AWAY FROM DROP ZONE AND LEAVE REDS FURTHER ADRIFT

JOSE MOURINHO’S Manchester United lie an eye-watering 16 points behind leaders Manchester City after Matt Ritchie fired embattled Newcastle to their first home league win since October.

Ritchie struck the decisive blow on 65 minutes as relegation-threatened Newcastle picked up a much-needed 1-0 victory, digging deep to end an eight-match winless streak at St James’ Park as Manchester United lost a second successive away game.

Goals from Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah fired Liverpool to a 2-0 victory at Southampton and up to third place in the Premier League table.

Salah set up the Brazilian for the opener just seven minutes in and the Egyptian winger grabbed his 22nd league goal of the season before half-time thanks to a clever assist from Firmino.

Southampton, who were up against their former defender Virgil van Dijk on his return to St Mary’s, end the weekend in the relegation zone as their quest for a first home league win since November continues.

Sergio Aguero hit four goals as Manchester City moved 16 points clear at the top with a 5-1 demolition of Leicester.

Raheem Sterling poked City into an early lead but Leicester – who brought on winger Riyad Mahrez in the second half for his first appearance since his failed move to the Etihad Stadium – levelled before the break through in-form striker Jamie Vardy.

While creative midfielder Kevin de Bruyne excelled by assisting three of the five goals, the second half was almost all about Aguero and he restored the hosts’ lead minutes after the restart before adding two more to wrap up the points with his 12th treble in a City shirt.

The Argentina international was not finished there though and he crashed home a late fourth off the underside of the crossbar as Pep Guardiola’s men continued their relentless march towards the title with a 13th successive home league victory.

Earlier in the day, Tottenham climbed to third after Harry Kane scored a second-half winner to settle the north London derby against Arsenal.

Top-scorer Kane nodded in his 32nd goal of the season from Ben Davies’ cross to secure a deserved 1-0 Wembley victory.

The sixth-placed Gunners had little response to going behind and could have lost by a bigger margin, although substitute Alexandre Lacazette wasted a glorious late chance to snatch a point in front of a record Premier League crowd of 83,222.

Kane’s goal was his seventh in eight games against Arsenal and leaves Arsene Wenger’s men six points adrift of the Champions