West Ham dent Reds’ title hopes
Antonio’s equaliser rescues a point for the hosts at London Stadium in their Premier League match on Saturday
Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes seem all but over after Michail Antonio scored to rescue a point for West Ham as they drew 2-2 at London Stadium on Saturday.
Jarrod Bowen opened the scoring just before the break when he rose highest to meet Mohammed Kudus’ cross as Liverpool showed little evidence that their Merseyside derby loss in midweek had done much in the way of spurring them on.
But the visitors were much improved in the second half and Andy Robertson equalised when he scored from Luis Diaz’s low pass into the penalty area.
The Reds were then further rewarded for their pressure when Cody Gakpo’s effort from a corner ricocheted off Angelo Ogbonna, Tomas Soucek and Alphonse Areola before finding the back of the net.
Antonio’s thumping header put the Hammers back on level terms two minutes before Liverpool brought on Mohamed Salah, who exchanged words with manager
Jurgen Klopp as the stood on the touchline.
Liverpool sit third in the table with three games remaining, two points behind leaders Arsenal, who face Tottenham on Sunday, while Manchester City are second but have two games in hand.
Liverpool’s title hopes appear to be all but over, with the Reds relying on both of their title rivals to slip up to get back in the race.
With Dutchman Arne Slot poised to replace Jurgen Klopp this summer after Liverpool agreed a £9.4m compensation deal with his current club Feyenoord, Klopp suggested his successor would be helped by the Reds’ season “not finishing on a high”.
Having won the Carabao Cup in February, the Reds looked on track to fight for a European trophy and stake a strong claim for the Premier League title in Klopp’s last season. But in the space of about three weeks those hopes have almost completely unravelled and this latest result surely denies Klopp the fairytale ending.
Chelsea draw with Villa
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said video technology is “damaging” English football after Axel Disasi had a stoppage-time winner disallowed in their 2-2 draw at Aston Villa on Saturday.
Pochettino’s side came from two goals down to draw and dent Villa’s top-four hopes but Disasi thought he had sealed victory when he nodded home Benoit Badiashile’s cross in the 95th minute.
The video assistant referee (VAR) recommended an on-field review and referee Craig Pawson decided that Badiashile had barged a Villa defender before the cross.
Chelsea’s players were incensed and crowded Pawson at the fulltime whistle, while Pochettino had a passionate discussion with Villa defender Ezri Konsa.
“They didn’t see a foul on the pitch and then VAR changed the decision of the referee,” Pochettino told BBC Match of the Day.
“For me that was a normal challenge. The decision was there and that’s it.
“For me it damaged a little bit the Premier League and English [football]. If we want to be the best league in the world it should be protecting the spectacle and the decision.
“It damaged myself, damaged my team, my players, my fans.”
Villa, whose top-four hopes are now not in their hands as a result of the dropped points, had taken an early lead after John McGinn’s miscued effort deflected off Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella and into the bottom corner.
The visitors responded well with Nicolas Jackson having an effort disallowed by the video assistant referee for offside, before the
Senegal international planted a header against the base of the post.
Morgan Rogers doubled the home side’s lead after finding space on the left and tucking the ball into the near post through the legs of Trevoh Chalobah.
Chelsea found a route back into the game after catching Villa in possession high up the pitch, with Noni Madueke sliding a clever finish into the far corner.
Everton seal survival
Manager Sean Dyche said leading Everton to Premier League survival with three games to spare is his “biggest” achievement as a manager.
Everton beat Brentford 1-0 at Goodison Park on Saturday to leapfrog them into 15th place - and the Toffees are now 11 points clear of the bottom three.
Their top-flight status has been secured despite the club having had a total of eight points deducted this season for breaching Premier League financial rules.
Dyche said: “We have not been given an easy ride and I am super proud. The knocks keep coming for me as well - this job is not the way it has been pitched to me or what has happened.
“To refocus on the new job in hand, I have been pleased with that and how we handled it.”
Idrissa Gueye scored the winner for Everton and after the full-time whistle Dyche strode on to the pitch and applauded all four corners of the stadium.
Other results: Fulham 1 Crystal Palace 1, Man United 1 Burnley 1, Newcastle 5 Sheffield United 1, Wolves 2 Luton 1.