Liverpool go second, West Brom sinking fast
Theysay
Liverpool moved into second place in the Premier League as Egyptian international Mohamed Salah continued his remarkable scoring run in a 2-0 victory at home to Newcastle United on Saturday.
Salah scored for the seventh match running, taking his Liverpool total for the season to 32, when he put the home side ahead after 40 minutes.
Sadio Mane’s goal in the second half ensured there was no joy for Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez, whose Liverpool team won the Champions League in 2005. Manchester United will start next Saturday’s game at home to the Merseysiders back in second place if they win at Crystal Palace on Monday.
“I thought the boys did brilliantly,” said manager Juergen Klopp.
“Two wonderful goals and a few more possible. I’m happy.”
Tottenham Hotspur, apparently affected early in the season by playing home games at Wembley, achieved a sixth straight win there by beating Huddersfield Town 2-0 with a double by Son Heung-min.
It was their 17th game unbeaten in all competitions and briefly moved them ahead of Liverpool.
“We feel comfortable at Wembley, we enjoy playing here,” Son said after scoring four times this week at the national stadium where Tottenham are playing while they build a new home ground.
Spurs, who did not win in their first three league games there, are fourth, a point behind United and five ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea, who visit runaway leaders Manchester City on Sunday.
Defeat pushed Huddersfield right back into the relegation mix, only three points above the bottom three, after winning their two previous games.
Swansea City were the big winners at the bottom, moving above five teams to 13th, including West Ham United who they beat 4-1.
Ki Sung-yeung scored the first after nine minutes and the unmarked Mike van der Hoorn added a second in the 32nd.
LONDON:
J KLOPP, Reds manager
Andy King’s goal and Jordan Ayew’s penalty ensured victory before a consolation by Michail Antonio. West Ham manager David Moyes, whose team travelled seven hours by coach to reach Swansea from London on Friday after their flight was cancelled, was bitterly disappointed with the performance, one of their worst since he took over in November.
REAL BEAT GETAFE 3-1 IN LA LIGA
Zinedine Zidane fielded his regular starters before the Paris Saint-Germain match and Real Madrid will travel to France boosted by a good performance by their stars and a comfortable win in the Spanish league.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice and Gareth Bale once as Madrid eased past 10-man Getafe 3-1. Madrid face PSG in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday, leading 3-1 from the first leg. “It was important to win before a match like we have on Tuesday,” Zidane said.
“We will have three days of good mood in the squad.”
Ronaldo became the fastest player to reach 300 goals in La Liga, taking his tally to 301 in 286 matches. He goes to Paris having scored 10 goals in his last five matches in all competitions.
Madrid are in a fight for third place with Valencia, who are only four points behind going into their home match against Real Betis. Spanish leader Barcelona hosts second-place Atletico Madrid on Sunday to defend its five-point advantage. Zidane rested Ronaldo and other starters this week when they lost at Espanyol 1-0.
There’s no doubt Kevin De Bruyne is playing a nice season but there is no doubt that Mo Salah is playing a really good one too. Had no numbers in my mind when we signed Mo but I knew he was a veryoffensive orientated midfield player
KLOPP, on picking Salah MADRID: