Impressive victories for Liverpool and Spurs

Liverpool and Tottenham put the squeeze on Chelsea in the race for Champions League qualification next season after chalking up 2-0 victories in the English Premier League yesterday.

Mohamed Salah struck his 32nd goal in all competitions and Sadio Mane made sure of victory as second-place Liverpool breezed past Newcastle to make it an unhappy Anfield return for former manager Rafael Benitez.

Son Heung-min, vying for league player of the year honors with Salah, took his goal tally for the campaign to 15 with a double blast in Tottenham’s triumph over Huddersfield at Wembley Stadium.

Manchester United are third but can leapfrog Liverpool by winning at Crystal Palace tomorrow.

Watford piled on the misery for West Bromwich Albion by beating the bottom club 1-0 with a goal from captain Troy Deeney. Riyad Mahrez scored seven minutes into stoppage time to earn Leicester a 1-1 home draw with Bournemouth, and Stoke drew at Southampton 0-0.

Liverpool have lost once in 19 league games and didn’t look like losing twice in 20 despite a stubborn Newcastle rearguard at Anfield.

The breakthrough came just before halftime. Alex OxladeChamberlain drove his way through the heart of the defence before sliding the ball to the unmarked Salah, who beat goalkeeper Martin Dubravka from eight yards.

Loris Karius denied Newcastle a first-half equaliser when he produced a flying save to tip a Mohamed Diame effort over the crossbar.

Liverpool secured maximum points in the 56th minute when, after a series of passes in the opposition half, Roberto Firmino released Mane and he sidefooted the ball beyond Dubravka.

Huddersfield’s chances of defeating Tottenham for the first time since 1956 were dealt a blow when Dele Alli sent Son racing clear of the defence to round goalkeeper Jonas Lossl for the opening goal in the 27th minute.

Son made it 2-0 in the 54th.