Liverpool stretch their lead
Liverpool shrugged off the absence of Mohamed Salah to move five points clear at the top of the Premier League as Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez struck twice in a 4-0 win at Bournemouth last Sunday (Jan 21).
Talisman Salah is on African Nations Cup duty for Egypt but Jota and Nunez stood up in his absence to secure a vital win at one of the league’s form sides.
Bournemouth had lost just once in their previous nine games to climb comfortably clear of the relegation zone.
However, the Cherries were held at arm’s length in the first half before Jurgen Klopp’s men turned on the style after the break.
“It was obvious we needed to change something. We did and it worked much better,” said Klopp on the turnaround in his side’s display between halves.
“Everything was better, we put them really under pressure and we scored some beautiful goals. An impact from the bench again as well so it turned into a pretty good evening.”
Manchester City have a game in hand on their title rivals and with it the chance to reduce Liverpool’s advantage at the top down to two points.
But after a season in the doldrums saw Klopp’s men slip to fifth last year, there is little doubt that they are once again the biggest threat to City’s crown as champions.
Meanwhile, Arsenal breathed new life into their title challenge as a 5-0 win over Crystal Palace got the Gunners back to winning ways last Saturday (Jan 20).
Centre-back Gabriel did most of the damage before half-time as he headed in the opener then forced Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson into an own goal.
Leandro Trossard made it 3-0 on the hour mark before substitute Gabriel Martinelli struck twice in stoppage time.
Victory moves Mikel Arteta’s men level with Manchester City and Aston Villa, five points behind leaders Liverpool.
Arsenal had won just once in seven games prior to a two-week winter break.
However, a warm weather training camp in Dubai looked to have refreshed last season’s runners-up, even if they did have very obliging visitors in struggling Palace.
The Eagles have won just once in 12 games to leave them still perilously poised above the relegation zone and pile the pressure on 76-year-old boss Roy Hodgson.
Also on Saturday, Ivan Toney returned from an eight-month ban for breaking gambling rules to score in Brentford’s crucial 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest.
Elsewhere there was late drama in the 2-2 draw between Sheffield United and West Ham with both teams having a player sent off and a controversial injury-time penalty rescuing a point for the Blades, while Brighton and Wolves played out a 0-0 draw on Monday.