Images from Premier League matches played on Wednesday.
IMAGE: Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson and Mohamed Salah celebrate after Sadio Mane scores their fourth goal against Leeds United at Anfield. Photograph: Peter Powell/Reuters
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane scored twice each as Liverpool crushed Leeds United 6-0 on Wednesday to close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City to three points.
City’s surprise home loss to Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend ignited hopes of another exhilarating title race if Liverpool won their game in hand against Leeds, and that never looked in doubt.
After taking a 15th-minute lead through Salah’s penalty, the title chasers were unrelenting, as Joel Matip’s first league goal of the season and another Salah spot-kick effectively put the game to bed before the interval.
Salah was again instrumental in the move that led to Mane slotting home the fourth 10 minutes from time, before the Senegalese forward added his second in the 90th minute.
Virgil van Dijk headed home the sixth in stoppage time to complete the perfect evening for Klopp’s men and send a real message of intent to City.
The victory, Liverpool’s ninth in a row in all competitions, moved them on to 60 points from 26 matches, three behind the champions — the closest they have been to them since Christmas Day.
“I think for people outside it is better to have three or six-point gap than to have a 20 or 30-point gap, so it is more exciting,” Klopp told the BBC.
“But we have to win a lot of the games against all the difficult opponents and that will be a tricky task. We will give it a try.”
Leeds slipped further into the relegation battle, remaining 15th and only three points clear of the bottom three.
Coming into the match, Leeds had conceded at least twice in each of their last five away league games, having also shipped four at home to Manchester United on Sunday.
It did not take them long to concede at Anfield under the lights, with Stuart Dallas handling in the penalty area, and Salah slotting home.
While Liverpool continued to dominate, Leeds did pose a threat on the counter, but their inability to make a few promising situations count proved costly as Salah supplied a perfect pass for Matip to add the second goal.
The hosts threatened to run riot as another sumptuous pass from Salah set Mane free, the Senegal striker was brought down by Luke Ayling in the penalty area, and Salah made no mistake from the spot –- the 19th league goal of the season for the division’s top scorer.
Liverpool, who took their Anfield league goal tally to 50 for the season with that second penalty, should have had at least one more before the break, with Fabinho and Salah both missing clear-cut openings.
Salah was in the mood for another Premier league hat-trick, but wasted another glorious chance on the hour mark, blazing over from a good position.
The Egyptian had to settle for another wonderful pass in to Jordan Henderson, who squared for Mane to make it four, before Mane thought he had completed the scoring having reacted fasted to the rebound after substitute Divock Origi’s shot had been saved.
Van Dijk, however, got in on the act, as the Premier League’s most porous defence conceded again.
“Two different teams in class,” Leeds midfielder Adam Forshaw said. “It is difficult coming to a place like this but we are missing big players, we have missed them through the season.
“Tonight feels like the end of the world but we are still in an okay position, we can’t feel sorry for ourselves.”
Given how close Liverpool and City are, the title could be decided on goal difference and this result will do Klopp’s side a world of good in that regard.
Mee header sinks Spurs at Burnley
IMAGE: Burnley’s Ben Mee heads in to score against Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor in Burnley. Photograph: Craig Brough/Reuters
A 71st-minute header from Ben Mee gave lowly Burnley a surprise 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor on Wednesday, boosting their Premier League survival hopes.
Mee beat Cristian Romero in the air at the back post to head in a free kick from Josh Brownhill and earn the Clarets their third win of the season and their first back-to-back victories in 13 months.
Harry Kane had struck the bar with a header for Tottenham shortly after the break but Spurs, who beat league leaders Manchester City on Saturday, were unable to find a way past Burnley keeper Nick Pope.
Burnley remain within the relegation zone but move up to 18th place on 20 points, two points behind Newcastle United and Everton but with a game in hand on the former.
Sean Dyche’s side had enjoyed a 3-0 win at Brighton on Saturday and the Lancashire side look have to rediscovered the defensive solidity and determination that has ensured their survival in previous campaigns.
The home side had the best of the first half but were unable to create real openings against a Tottenham defence which looked far from comfortable.
Spurs boss Antonio Conte brought on Harry Winks at the break and the visitors made the stronger start to the second half with Kane flashing a header from a free kick against the bar.
Pope pulled off a fine reflex save to keep out a close-range effort from Ben Davies but Burnley were soon causing problems for the visitors.
Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris made a fine save to keep out a Jay Rodriguez header after a fine cross from the influential Dwight McNeil, who caused problems down the left flank all evening.
Dejan Kulusevski had a chance for Spurs, drifting a shot wide of Pope’s right-hand post after a counter-attack in the 70th minute.
But then Mee, who had been dominant at the back for Burnley, showed his value at the other end with his well-taken header sending a wet and windy Turf Moor into ecstatic celebrations.
Rodriguez should have made sure of the win, seven minutes from the end, but somehow poked over from four metres out and he surely had his heart in his mouth when Pope saved from substitute Steven Bergwijn in the final minutes.
The result leaves Spurs in eighth place on 39 points, seven behind fourth placed Manchester United but with two games in hand.
Palace add to Watford’s woes with rare away win
IMAGE: Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha celebrates scoring their fourth goal against Watford at Vicarage Road in Watford. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images via Reuters
Conor Gallagher scored an exquisite goal and Wilfried Zaha netted two as Crystal Palace overwhelmed Watford 4-1 in the Premier League on Wednesday to increase the hosts’ relegation fears.
Tyrick Mitchell’s cross from the left on 42 minutes was brilliantly taken down by Gallagher, who worked the ball into space and blasted his shot past goalkeeper Ben Foster.
Jean-Philippe Mateta had put Palace in front, but the lead was short-lived when Moussa Sissoko scored his first Watford goal. Zaha added two more late on, the second also an eye-catching effort, as Palace secured only their second away league win of the season.
“Everyone knows what Conor is about and if I’m competing with people like that, I have to step up as well,” Zaha told reporters.
“We needed to be clinical, we have been making chances and not scoring, so I feel like this is really deserved. With the team we have, top half of the table is where we should be looking.”
Watford, who travel to Manchester United on Saturday, remained in the relegation zone with 18 points from 25 games, four points from safety. Palace climbed two places to 11th with 29 points from 26 matches. They next host Burnley at Selhurst Park.
The visitors hit the front on 15 minutes when Gallagher’s low cross fell to Mateta, whose shot on the turn deflected in off defender Kiko Femenia.
The lead lasted only two-and-a-half minutes, though, as Sissoko outjumped two Palace defenders to head in Femenia’s corner.
Gallagher gave his side the halftime lead with his fine goal, before Zaha wrapped up the points with a late double.
His first was a simple strike from 10 metres, but the second was out of the top drawer as he cut inside from the left wing and crashed a shot into the far corner.
For Palace it was a first away win since a shock victory at Manchester City in October, while Watford failed to build on their 1-0 success as Aston Villa on Saturday.
“After that good victory we wanted to keep the momentum, at home it is always difficult. I don’t know why. Maybe it is more pressure,” captain Sissoko said.
“We need to carry on, there is another game on Saturday, of course tonight is difficult for everyone but tomorrow we go back to work and need to be ready for the next one.”
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