Liverpool surge continues
ON TOP Salah’s 50th-minute penalty helps league leaders win 1-0 at Brighton
LONDON: Liverpool went seven points clear at the top of the Premier League and bounced back from two successive defeats in all competitions after a Mohamed Salah penalty gave them a 1-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
The result put Liverpool on 57 points from 22 games, seven ahead of closest rivals Manchester City who are at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday. Third-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who have 48 points, host Manchester United on Sunday.
Liverpool produced a clinical if unimpressive performance on the south coast, having lost 2-1 at City in their previous league outing before being beaten by Wolves in the FA Cup third round by the same scoreline.
After a dour first half, Salah produced a moment of trademark individual skill to win the spot kick he converted five minutes into the second half after Pascal Gross fouled him following the Egyptian’s neat footwork in the penalty area.
Xherdan Shaqiri, who got a rare start on the right flank in a reshuffled 4-2-3-1 formation, missed Liverpool’s best chance in the opening half when he headed inches wide after Trent Alexander-arnold’s cross.
As Brighton threw men forward in the closing stages, Liverpool twice came close to scoring again late on with the home team’s goalkeeper David Button parrying Roberto Firmino’s effort before Salah misfired wide from five metres.
RICE HAMMERS GOAL TO STUN ARSENAL
LONDON: Declan Rice’s first West Ham goal secured a 1-0 win over Arsenal in a capital city derby clash at the London Stadium.
Teenage midfielder Rice gave himself an early present for his 20th birthday on Monday by scoring the only goal of the game three minutes into the second half.
“I can’t put it into the words,” an elated Rice told Sky Sports. “The lads are always on at me to take the shot on more.”
West Ham captain Mark Noble was almost as pleased as Rice himself, adding: “I am delighted for this young man to score the goal...he is a special talent and keeps working hard.”
Defeat dented Arsenal’s bid to break into the top four, with the Gunners still adrift of Chelsea -their next opponents -- in the race for a Champions League place.
Brighton 0 Liverpool
Arsenal 0; Leicester 1 Southampton C Palace 1 Watford 2;
Fulham 1; Cardiff 0 Huddersfield 0. Liverpool Man City Spurs Chelsea Arsenal 22 18 3 1 21 16 2 3 21 16 0 5 21 13 5 3 22 12 5 5 40 57 39 50 25 48 22 44 14 41