Salah scores twice as Liverpool rout Man United
Fulham secure immediate promotion back to Premier League
LIVERPOOL, England, April 20, (AP): Liverpool’s forwards tormented Manchester United in a 4-0 rout .
It wasn’t just Mohamed Salah scoring twice at Anfield, following a hat trick in the 5-0 humiliation in the reverse fixture.
Salah also assisted Luiz Diaz’s opener. Salah’s first was set up by Sadio Mané. And Mané’s goal was provided by Diaz’s pass.
All before Salah compounded another night of misery for United with a chipped finish for his second provided by Diaz’s replacement - Diogo Jota.
A glorious night for Liverpool ended with four fist-pumps by manager Jurgen Klopp in front of the Kop. For the four goals? And maybe for the four trophies the season could yet end with.
The League Cup has already been collected and there’s an FA Cup final meeting with Chelsea next month. Before then there’s a Champions League semifinal clash with Villarreal.
Regaining the Premier League trophy from City in the remaining six games would see Liverpool match United on a record 20 English titles.
United’s five-man defense - featuring Phil Jones making his second league appearance of the season was unpicked by a sweeping break launched from inside Liverpool’s penalty area.
By the time the ball reached the halfway line, Mané had Salah running forward to release a pass to. Then Diaz arrived unmarked centrally to strike beyond goalkeeper David de Gea.
It was another passing move that led to Liverpool’s second.
Receiving a pass from Joel Matip, Mané lofted the ball to Salah, who had time to take it past Diego Dalot before slotting low into the net in the 22nd minute.
Perhaps the only surprise at halftime was United limited the damage to 2-0.
There was more of a visiting threat after the break, sparked by Jadon Sancho as the replacement for Jones.
But any home anxiety was eased once Mané netted in the 68th.
Andrew Robertson gained possession and ran with the ball unchallenged before feeding Diaz to cut-back to Mané to finish.
It would get worse for United. Hannibal Mejbri replaced Anthony Elanga and within a minute he was giving the ball away. Robertson pounced and fed Jota whose pass to Salah allowed the Egypt forward to make it nine goals in six games against United, via a deflection off visiting defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Fulham secured an immediate return to the Premier League after a 3-0 win over Preston on Tuesday guaranteed a top-two finish in the League Championship.
The promotion has been powered by Aleksandar Mitrovic’s 40 goals, including two against Preston, and there are still four games remaining.
Marco Silva’s side looks set to go up as champion, with second-place Bournemouth nine points adrift.