Hammers hit Liverpool’s title hopes on the head
Klopp, Salah get into sideline spat, while crosstown rival Everton avoids the drop
If it wasn’t already the case, Liverpool’s hopes of a second English Premiere League title under Jurgen Klopp were finally dashed on the rocks of reality on Saturday.
That, however, might be the least of Klopp’s problems.
Just as upsetting for the outgoing Liverpool manager following his team’s limping 2-2 draw with West Ham might be a touchline confrontation with his star forward, Mohamed Salah, something that Klopp tried to downplay after the match. Salah, not so much.
“There’s going to be a fire today if I speak,” the Egypt winger was heard telling journalists, as he left London Stadium.
The incident happened as Salah was preparing to enter as a substitute soon after Michail Antonio’s 77th-minute equalizer. It was the second time in Liverpool’s last three games that Salah has been benched, an unusual position for one of the club’s greatest scorers, who has rarely been dropped during his time at Anfield.
Whether Salah remains at Liverpool beyond this season remains to be seen — he was linked heavily with a move to Saudi Arabia last year.
Klopp, however, is definitely leaving, but with three games left in the league, his reasonably successful Liverpool tenure is ending on a sour note.
This latest setback came after recent losses to Crystal Palace and Everton, and left the team in third place behind Arsenal and Manchester City, both of which have games in hand over Liverpool.
“Do they (City and Arsenal) look like they will lose two or three games?” Klopp said of Arsenal and City. “No, I don’t think so, but honestly, I am not angry or whatever. I don’t think about it.”
Bottom team Sheffield United’s relegation was confirmed with a 5-1 thrashing at Newcastle United on a pivotal day in the Premier League.
Everton confirmed its survival from relegation with a 1-0 win over Brentford, while the Bees are also safe thanks to Luton Town’s 2-1 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Chelsea came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Aston Villa, threatening Villa’s Champions League hopes, while Manchester United could muster only a 1-1 draw against Burnley after conceding a late penalty, and Crystal Palace salvaged a 1-1 draw at Fulham.
Liverpool, reeling from a 2-0 loss to Everton on Wednesday, conceded a late header by Antonio in West Ham’s deserved draw. It remained third on 75 points, one behind second-placed Manchester City, which has played two games fewer, and two behind leader Arsenal, which has one game in hand. Both City and Arsenal played on Sunday.
Asked if he had written off Liverpool’s title chances, a resigned-looking Klopp said: “I said before, we need to win our games; we didn’t win the game, that doesn’t improve our situation massively.”
Klopp’s side conceded first when Jarrod Bowen nodded home shortly before halftime. After the restart, the Reds leveled through Andy Robertson, before a Cody Gakpo volley took a deflection off West Ham centerback Angelo Ogbonna, onto his keeper Alphonse Areola, before hitting the back of the net to put Liverpool ahead in the 65th minute. Antonio leveled the game again when he met Bowen’s cross with a powerful header in the 77th.
To add insult to injury for Liverpool fans, Idrissa Gueye’s strike on the hour mark secured fellow Merseyside club and the Reds’ midweek tormentors, Everton, a spot in the
Premier League next season. Sean Dyche’s 15th-placed side has 36 points, 11 ahead of 18th-placed Luton. Brentford fell to 16th, but its 35 points mean it is safe as well.
“I’m incredibly pleased and proud. They’re a group of players who have had knocks all season,” Dyche said.
“They’ve had a massive week. There’s a lot of pressure and intensity and you wonder, ‘can you do again?’”
VAR denies Chelsea
it
Conor Gallagher’s brilliant strike in the second half secured Chelsea’s draw at Villa Park. Villa is fourth and seven points ahead of Tottenham, but Spurs have three games in hand. Chelsea is ninth on 48 points.
The home side went ahead 2-0 after Marc Cucurella’s own goal in the fourth minute and Morgan Rogers’ strike just before the break.
Villa was forced to replace keeper Emi Martinez with Robin Olsen at the break due to a hamstring injury, but the Swede was powerless to stop Noni Madueke from pulling a goal back, before Gallagher’s stunning 81st-minute equalizer. Chelsea was denied a late winner from Axel Disasi after a VAR review.
“We are gutted,” Gallagher said. “It was quite a poor first half, we were just too slow on the ball. Second half was brilliant, and we came back. I felt we should have won the game.
“The goal at the end should have counted, but it is not my decision. We can hold our heads high and take a lot of confidence from that.”
Manchester United looked to be heading for victory, following Antony’s goal in the 79th minute, but Burnley substitute Zeki Amdouni scored a penalty eight minutes later, after United keeper Andre Onana hit him while attempting to clear the ball.
The draw left United in sixth, behind fifth-place Tottenham, which is six points clear of United and has two games in hand.
“Over many phases of the game we did very well, (but) we gave it away again at the end,” United’s beleaguered manager Erik ten Hag said. “We have to look in the mirror.”
The draw was a big result for Burnley, who are 19th, and kept its survival hopes alive.
“More than performance, it’s the effort,” said manager Vincent Kompany. “A lot of people will talk about style of play, but it’s useless if you don’t have what they showed out there, the sacrifice for each other.”
Alexander Isak netted twice, while Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson were also on target in Newcastle’s rout of Sheffield.
“We have not been good enough,” Sheffield manager Chris Wilder said. “The league has been too powerful for us right the way through the season.”