Liverpool moved into the Premier League top four for the first time since February with a 3-0 win against Burnley as Juergen Klopp’s men remain on course to salvage a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Roberto Firmino and Nathaniel Phillips struck either side of halftime, before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain smashed home two minutes from time as the Reds edged ahead of Leicester City on goal-difference into fourth.
Victory at home against Crystal Palace on Sunday in front of what is expected to be the biggest crowd at Anfield since they ended a 30-year wait to become champions of England last season would almost certainly guarantee Liverpool’s place in the top four.
Photo: AFP
“We get now the support of 10,000 people at Anfield, I can’t wait,” Klopp said, comparing the game to a knockout. “It was a semi-final. We had to win the semi-final and we did. Nothing is decided yet, but we improved our position and we have the final. That’s what we needed.”
Leicester are four goals behind on goal-difference so need to better Liverpool’s result when they host Tottenham Hotspur at the King Power on Sunday.
Third-placed Chelsea, who are a point ahead of both, face Aston Villa on the final day of the campaign.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Liverpool have now won four consecutive league games for the first time in a difficult season ravaged by injuries to key players.
Despite the return of supporters to Turf Moor for the first time in 14 months, Burnley were swept aside.
“Fans make football,” Liverpool leftback Andy Robertson said. “We have seen that, there is more tempo to the game and fight. We have seen over the last couple of weeks how big fans are in football. Maybe we took it for granted — we will never do that again.”
In other games, West Ham United beat West Bromwich Albion 3-1, Aston Villa downed Tottenham 2-1, Everton beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0, Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace 3-1 and Newcastle United won 1-0 against Sheffield United.
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